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Whales
not fired on – Wildlife Service
The
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service has found there was no evidence
Australian Navy warships had fired in the path of migrating whales
near Jervis Bay.
Australian Conservation Foundation member Janet Mayer claimed on
June 25, Navy ships off Beecroft Peninsula had fired across the
path of humpback whales migrating north.
The Australian Defence Force subsequently denied any wrongdoing,
saying commanding officers stopped firing until whales had left
the area.
A National Parks spokesperson said last week the NSW Marine Parks
Authority had investigated Ms Mayer’s claims and was told no
firing exercises were conducted that day.
“However, we were told they had done the firing on June 26
and they didn’t see any whales,” he said.
The spokesperson said the Authority was told the firings were from
the sea to the shore, from at least eight kilometres offshore.
He said before conducting an exercise, the Navy made sure there
were no whales, boats or other craft in the firing area.
Navy spokesperson CMDR Glenn Forrest said Commonwealth legislation
did not call on the Navy to halt firing, but to steer away from
whales when they were sighted.
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