Community concerns over the effects of a proposed tuna farm off the Esperance coast of southern
For more than 12 months Kailis has been conducting a study in the Recherche Archipelago as part of its plan to establish a tuna farm.
The issue has sparked debate from all sides of politics and has angered local greens groups, which fear the farm would attract more sharks.
However, Kailis says it has now scaled the proposed trial project area back by half, to 100 hectares.
Kailis’ spokesman Stephen Hood says the company has listened to the community’s concerns. “It was just basically in response to some members of the community saying why we needed such a large area for a trial, so basically the trial was to gather as much scientific information as we could, but given the requirements that are necessary for the trial we've agreed to reduce it down,†he said.
The project has been submitted to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). The EPA is expected to issue an environmental assessment before the end of the month.