With a dead juvenile whale washed ashore near Crabbes Creek Beach south of Wooyung Road, Tweed Council say they have enagaged a contractor to to tow it back out to sea.
They say, ‘Initial preparations were undertaken yesterday, and then final preparations including fitting the carcass with a tracking device took place this morning to coincide with tidal conditions’.
‘The aim is to tow it 30 nautical miles out to sea.
‘This kind of operation has never been undertaken by Tweed Shire Council before and is in the line with Council’s new draft policy ‘Management and Disposal of Deceased Large Marine Animals’.
‘This morning’s high tide has been favourable to allow the carcass to be moved from quite high on the beach into the water which enabled the towing to occur.
‘We acknowledge community perception and concerns regarding these events and appreciate your patience while this operation was being coordinated.‘Yesterday we were advised by Surf Lifesaving that beaches from back beach Cabarita down to the Tweed-Byron border will be closed until further notice – we’ll update you when this is no longer the case.
Previously Council said, ‘We also referred to the decision matrix in the draft policy which weighs environmental impact, cultural factors, public health and safety, cost, logistical feasibility, legal and compliance considerations, and the time required’.
‘It’s a difficult operation and there is a chance it won’t be successful. If that happens, we’ll reassess and move to the next option under the matrix.
‘We have been advised by Surf Lifesaving that beaches from back beach Cabarita down to the Tweed-Byron border will be closed until further notice,’ Tweed Council say.
Previous statement
Previously, Tweed Council said, ‘A deceased juvenile humpback whale has washed ashore just south of Wooyung Beach’.
‘Council teams, in consultation with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and the Tweed Byron Local Aboriginal Land Council (TBLALC), are on site assessing the situation.
‘The carcass is being treated as a biohazard.
‘We ask the community to please stay clear of the area for health and safety reasons while we complete our assessment.
‘We will provide a further update once a disposal decision has been made using our documented decision matrix, which considers site conditions, cultural advice, environmental guidelines, public amenity, and safety.
‘Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this time’.
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