Gladstone Fish Health Investigation 2011 - 2012 - Western Basin ...

Appendix A – Methods for Expanded Fish HealthSampling ProgramAnimal ethicsThe expanded fish health sampling program was conducted under the provision of AnimalEthics Approvals Ref# CA 2011/10/554 and CA 2012/04/605.Study areaThe principal study area was Gladstone Harbour and surrounding waters, as defined by theFisheries (Gladstone Harbour and Surrounding Waters) Emergency Disease and QuarantineDeclaration 2011. This area includes significant waterways, including the Narrows, GrahamCk (Curtis Island), Calliope River, Auckland Ck, South Trees Inlet, Boyne River, ColosseumInlet, Seven Mile Ck, Rodds Bay and Rodds Harbour. Sampling took place at a range of siteswithin the principal study area, and the locations of these sites are shown in Figure A-1. Thesites are the Narrows, Port Development Area, Hamilton Point (including waters east toEnfield creek), Calliope River (including Wiggins Island), Gladstone Harbour (trawl), SpoilGround, Upper Boyne River, Lower Boyne River and Rodds Bay.Figure A-1. Sampling sites (including reference sites) monitored during the program.The main reference sites (i.e. for comparison with the study area) for the scheduledmonitoring program include the nearby Fitzroy River (including Port Alma) to the north, andBundaberg with its adjacent coastal waters and estuaries to the south. Opportunistic datacollection also occurred in a variety of sites throughout the state, depending on routineactivity in the Fisheries Queensland Observer Program and other sampling programs.79