The arrival of more machinery will escalate dredging at a Queensland harbour plagued by a mystery fish illness.
A total of five dredges will be operating at Gladstone Harbour, after two new dredges arrive in April.
“Once both new dredges have arrived there will be a total of five dredges operating on the Western Basin Dredging and Disposal Project,” the Gladstone Ports Corporation said in a statement on Friday.
So far, three are in operation in a massive dredging project to make way for more ships as the Liquified Natural Gas industry expands.
But opponents, including the local fishing industry and environmental groups, say the project is causing a strange disease affecting the area’s marine life.
A state government report into the disease, which causes fish, turtles and sea mammals to develop skin lesions and cloudy eyes, was inconclusive on its cause.
Legal action has been launched in the state’s Planning and Environment Court on behalf of fishers.
So far more than 17 per cent of a total of 26 million cubic metres, have been dredged.
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