Residents of St Helena Bay have raised their concerns about alleged pollution caused by the Lucky Star factory based in St Helena Bay, which falls under the Oceana Group.
One resident told Weslander the factory has been dumping fish meal into the ocean. “This has been an ongoing problem, something that has been raised with management at the factory on several occasions, yet they fail to improve the situation.”
The resident added that the pipe that goes out to sea is broken, causing a major problem with pollution right along the coast line, including washing up on the Gold Mile side of the beach. “They refuse to repair this pipe. The factory was closed over the festive season so the company has had ample opportunity to repair the pipe.”
St Helena Bay Water Quality Trust (SHBWQT) operations manager Jan Marx told Weslander the trust was aware of the pollution caused in Stompneus Bay by the dysfunctional discharge pipe at Lucky Star.
“We see this as a matter of grave concern and have taken it up with the authorities and Oceana Fisheries,” he said.
Marx added that reports of a fish-like fatty substance present on the beaches was also received from Britannia Bay. “Lucky Star was not operational at that time and the residue cleared away after a day or so.”
Tiana Fataar, spokesperson for the Oceana Group, however, said her company never disposes of fish meal in the ocean, whether the plant is operating or not. She said at the time of the complaint that the plant was not operating due to the festive shutdown.
“The pipe to which the reader refers was also not operational during the plant shutdown, when maintenance work was done to repair damage it had sustained. The pipe carries some grey water and in accordance with the plant’s operating permits this is constantly monitored.”
Marx added that fish meal does not present any health risk to sea life or humans should it end up in the ocean. “It is used as a food source at poultry farms, in aquaculture practices and so on.”
