Overview and update of major projects or proposals that may impact your fishing operations
Overview and update of Major Proposals that Require Environmental Impact Assessment
Important Acronyms:
- EIA – Environmental Impact Assessment
- EPA – Environmental Protection Authority
- ESC – Environmental Scoping Document (outlines the scope, timing and procedure for the environmental review)
- ERD – Environmental Review Document
- PER – Public Environmental Review
- EP Act – Environmental Protection Act 1986
- DCCEEW – Department Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
- EPBC – Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation
- EPBC Act – Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
- DMPA – Dredge Material Placement Area
Water Corporation water source planning in – Albany
After plans for seawater desalination in Frenchman Bay were ruled out, Water Corporation are now investigating new areas for potential seawater desalination near Albany.
The areas are:
- Nanarup
- South Coast – Sandpatch
Further information including fact sheets and maps with the site options can also be found on the project webpage. WAFIC will share more information with potentially impacted licence holders following a briefing from Water Corporation and as more information becomes available.
If you have any comments/concerns regarding this project, or would like a briefing from Water Corporation, please contact [email protected].
Eramurra Solar Salt Project
Leichhardt Salt Pty Ltd is proposing to develop a solar salt project in the Cape Preston East area, approximately 55 km southwest of Karratha in WA.
The proposal includes the development of a series of concentrator and crystalliser ponds and a processing plant. Supporting infrastructure includes seawater intake, bitterns outfall, desalination plant and groundwater bores, power supply and other infrastructure.
Export of product would be via a previously approved trestle jetty at Cape Preston East Port. However, the proposal includes dredging at Cape Preston East Port with offshore and onshore dredge material disposal options.
Disturbance would be up to 14,300 ha within the terrestrial ponds development envelope, 90 ha within the marine development envelope, and 320 ha within the dredge spoil disposal development envelope.
The ERD was released for public review, in which WAFIC reviewed and made an industry informed submission to the EPA.
WAFIC will continue to keep a watching brief on this proposal, if you have any questions/comments, please contact [email protected].
Offshore wind licence announcement in Bunbury
No feasibility licence has been issued yet. However, DCCEEW announced a preliminary decision to offer a feasibility licence to Bunbury Offshore Wind Farm Pty in the northern area of the declared Bunbury offshore wind zone. Two projects have also been shortlisted for a feasibility licence: Bunbury Offshore Wind Project and Westward Wind Project in the southern area. The proposed project locations currently overlap in the southern area, and if the two projects can resolve this, the Minister will consider offering them feasibility licences.
The Minister’s final decision on the feasibility licence application depends on the outcome of consultation on the proposed project with First Nations groups under the Native Title Act 1993. WAFIC and commercial fishers should expect to be consulted with once feasibility licence has been issued.
Water Corporation is investigating new water sources in Exmouth
Water Corporation is currently investigating new water sources in Exmouth to meet projected future demand.
The two main options being considered for Exmouth’s new drinking water source are an expansion of groundwater south of Exmouth, or a local seawater desalination plant in Exmouth Gulf. Marine investigation commenced in December 2024, and in May 2025 Water Corporation started seabed habitat mapping and freshwater seep survey.
The purpose of these investigations is to identify a preferred location for a potential Exmouth Seawater Desalination Plant (SDP) intake and outfall, as well as understanding the operating risks of the proposed location and to inform an environmental impact assessment.
These investigations will inform a decision on the preferred option (groundwater expansion or seawater desalination), which is expected in 2025.
Further information including fact sheets and maps with the SDP site options can also be found on the project webpage.
WAFIC has notified all potentially impacted fishers in the Exmouth region. If you have any comments/concerns regarding this project, or would like a briefing from Water Corporation, please contact [email protected].
Water Corporation Onslow Seawater Desalination Plant
To secure Onslow’s long-term water future, we are progressing construction of a new seawater desalination plant. The reverse osmosis seawater desalination plant with an initial capacity of 1.5 million litres per day (MLD) is currently under construction, scheduled to begin producing water in 2026.
Intake and outfall pipelines will be installed under the sea floor using horizontal directional drilling (HDD). The intake pipeline, which extends about 350m into Beadon Bay, will transport seawater from the ocean into the plant. The outfall pipeline, which will extend about 700m into Beadon Bay, will return brine to the ocean which is seawater that is about twice as salty as natural seawater and is discharged back into the ocean. The end of the outfall pipe has several diffusers, which help the salty brine to rapidly mix with the ocean water. Construction of the marine pipeline work is set to commence in May 2025 and is expected to take 6 months to complete.
WAFIC has distributed a fact sheet to relevant commercial fishers however, if you have any comments/questions regarding this project or would like to get in touch with Water Corporation, please contact [email protected]. More details of the project are available on Water Corporation website here.
Water Corporation’s Alkimos Seawater Desalination Plant
Water Corporation is currently constructing the Alkimos Seawater Desalination Plant (ASDP) as part of Perth’s Integrated Water Supply Scheme, which aims to provide additional sources of drinking water to supplement the existing metropolitan water supply.
The ASDP Proposal will be located within the Alkimos Water Precinct, approximately 40 kilometres north of the Perth, within the northwest corridor, north of Quinns Rock beach and south of Yanchep beach.
The project involves installing two seawater intakes and two seawater return outlets approximately four kilometres offshore, which will discharge brine back into the marine environment. Construction of the two marine tunnels for the plant’s intake and outflow pipelines began in April 2025 using tunnel boring machines. Marine construction of the intake risers and outfall diffusers is scheduled to commence in November 2025 and be completed by May 2026.
WAFIC has participated in the Community Reference Panel that aims to provide Alkimos residents and relevant stakeholders with opportunities to engage in two-way consultation. The panel is held quarterly to keep residents and stakeholders informed as the project progresses.
WAFIC will be requesting a fact sheet from Water Corporation to distribute to relevant fishers so they can be informed on the marine construction stage of the project.
If you have any comments/questions regarding this project or would like to get in touch with Water Corporation, please contact [email protected]. More details of the project are available on Water Corporation website here.
Optimised Mardie Project
BCI Minerals is currently constructing a salt project and export facility, located at Mardie, 80 kilometres south-west of Karratha. The construction of the marine structures, including the jetty, is now 74% complete. A significant amount of dredging is required to achieve the necessary depth for both the berth pocket and a 4.9-kilometre channel leading to deeper water.
Originally, approval was granted for the disposal of dredge spoil on land; however, BCI Minerals is now proposing to change the disposal site to an offshore DMPA. After consulting with both BCI Minerals and potentially impacted fishers, WAFIC sent BCI Minerals and DCCEEW (sea dumping section) a formal letter objecting to the proposal. The EPA has since made the decision to assess the referral information without environmental or public review and DCCEEW has made a referral decision that the proposed action is a controlled action which requires assessment and approval under the EPBC Act before it can proceed.
WAFIC will be keeping a watching brief on this project, in the meantime if you have any comments/questions regarding this project, please contact [email protected].
Gascoyne Gateway Marine Complex
Gascoyne Gateway proposes to build, own, and operate a multipurpose marine complex located approximately 10 kilometers south of Exmouth township. This facility will accommodate a variety of vessels, including, but not limited to, cruise liners, Defence and marine supply vessels, and support associated ecotourism activities.
The proposal includes a land-based component designed to support the marine infrastructure, covering a 61.63 ha marine footprint within a 79.44 ha development envelope. Key elements of the proposal include fuel storage, solar energy production, a jetty and causeway (wharf), a desalination plant with brine discharge via a pipeline fixed to the jetty and causeway, construction and maintenance dredging for the shipping channel and turning basin and three anchorage locations within Exmouth Gulf. The ESD which WAFIC made a submission on, was approved in 2022.
At the start of this year, the EPA granted approval for amendments to the proposal in response to the proponent’s request. These amendments include a reduction of the terrestrial area, while still maintaining elements that could significantly impact the marine environment (as outlined above). A complete list of the amendments to the proposal is available here. As a result of these changes, the EPA now requires the proponent to provide additional information before proceeding with the assessment.
More information on this proposal is available on the EPA website here.
WAFIC will be keeping a watching brief on this proposal, in the meantime if you have any comments/questions regarding this project, please contact [email protected].
Murchison Green Hydrogen
The Australian Government and Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) have awarded MGH project $814 million as part of its first Hydrogen Headstart funding round and has been awarded major project status by the Federal Minister for Industry and Science, a status which enables projects facing complex regulatory challenges to get extra support and coordinated approvals.
The proposed location of the project is approximately 20 kilometres north of Kalbarri and includes a wind and solar farm, a desalination plant, a facility to produce green ammonia and an ammonia export facility, including a pipeline, export vessel mooring, and product transfer infrastructure.
Towards the end of 2024, the project requested an amendment to its proposal under section 43A (s43A) of the EP Act and section 156A (s156A) of the EPBC Act. Although the amendment reduces the terrestrial footprint, it increases the marine footprint, expanding the indicative Marine Area from 566.7 hectares to 857.5 hectares. This includes the expansion of the marine export facility, additional dredging volume and longer pipeline lengths. A complete list of the amendments to the proposal is available here.
MGH project timeframe has been updated, which can be viewed here. The ERD is now scheduled to be submitted to the EPA for assessment mid 2025, with a four-week PER period for community feedback expected in Q3 2025. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, lasting approximately five years.
Given the scale of impact from a potential ammonia spill, as well as the effects of desalination and other associated marine infrastructure associated with this project on commercial fisheries and the marine environment, WAFIC will be making a submission in response to the ERD once it is released for comment.
WAFIC will be keeping a watching brief on this project, in the meantime if you have any comments/questions regarding this project, please contact [email protected].
Water Corporation water source planning in Great Southern Region
Water Corporation has officially shelved its plans for a desalination plant that would release hypersaline wastewater and cleaning agents into Frenchman Bay.
The decision follows an announcement by Premier Roger Cook confirming the plant will not proceed in this area following significant pressure from a number of impacted sectors, including fisheries, aquaculture, tourism and broader community voices.
Water Corporation will now explore other options to increase water supply to the Southwest region.
WAFIC would like to thank those fishers who were active in standing against this project, and for those fishers who provided feedback that informed WAFICs formal objection submission to Water Corporation.
For more details on Water Corporation Southern Region water source investigations, visit their website.
Sino Iron Project
CITIC Pacific Mining (CPM) plans to undertake a capital dredging programme at the Port of Cape Preston, where magnetite concentrate is exported. This dredging will return the harbour to natural depth and enable CPM contractors to utilise vessels with a deeper draft and larger capacity.
CPM has already received approval through the EPA to undertake dredging and is authorised to approximately 4.5 million cubic metres of dredged material. CPM has now applied for a Sea Dumping Permit from DCCEEW to dispose of dredged material at an offshore DMPA.
CPM has informed WAFIC that after having undertaken modelling of dredge plumes and evaluation of potential environmental impacts to marine and benthic organisms to support the Sea Dumping Permit Application, CPM does not believe there are potential impacts to commercial fisheries in the area. WAFIC has distributed information on this proposal to relevant licence holders and received minimal feedback.
If this proposal concerns you or you have any comments/questions, please contact [email protected].
Cambridge Gulf Marine Sand
Boskalis Australia is proposing to source marine sands from Cambridge Gulf, north of Wyndham, for export to overseas construction projects.
The proposal is vessel-based with life span of up to 15 years and will involve a Sand Production Vessel and a large Trailer Suction Hopper Dredger. The operational area is 100 km2 in the central part of Cambridge Gulf and is proposed to export up to 70 million cubic metres of sand over the 15-year project time frame.
Given the impacts of dredging on the marine environment and the sheer scale of the project WAFIC’s made a submission to the EPA requesting a PER, which is the most extensive review option.
WAFIC will be keeping a watching brief on the EPA’s decision, in the meantime if you have any comments/questions regarding this project, please contact [email protected].
Western Green Energy Hub
The Western Green Energy Hub is a proposal to design, construct and operate a large-scale wind and solar power project for green ammonia production. The proposal is located within a 2,269,015 hectare development envelope extending from the far southeast of Western Australia in the Shire of Dundas and City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, to the northwest of Eucla in the South Coast Region. The coastal and offshore components comprise a marine offloading facility, desalination plant, brine pipeline and an ammonia (or other vector) export pipeline, set within State Waters only, requiring 198 hectares of permanent seabed clearance.
Given the scale of impact from a potential ammonia spill, as well as the effects of desalination and other associated marine infrastructure associated with this project on south coast commercial fisheries and the marine environment, WAFICs preferred option for decision by EPA is Assess – PER, which is the most extensive review option. The EPA has determined the proposal requires a PER, which aligned with WAFICs submission.
The proponent has not yet engaged in consultation with WAFIC, however if you have any comments/questions regarding this project, please contact [email protected].
Ashburton Salt
K + S Salt Australia is seeking approval by the EPA to construct and operate a 3.5 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) Solar Salt Project located approximately 40 km south-west of Onslow.
This project is proposed on salt flats that form an integral part of the wetland ecosystem and land unit supporting algal mats and mangroves, which underpin the productivity of Exmouth Gulf and provide critical feeding and nursery habitat for aquatic resources.
WAFIC made a submission to the proposals ERD which highlighted the consultation issues and environmental concerns associated with the proposal. WAFIC received a briefing from K+S Salt in September 2024 regarding a project update, in which the proponent informed WAFIC they are still working through the submissions they received from the PER and are expecting additional environmental studies and assessments to be conducted.
WAFIC will be keeping a watching brief on this project, in the meantime if you have any comments/questions regarding this project, please contact [email protected].