Senator Stephen Conroy, representing Environment Minister Tony Burke, replied that Fisheries Queensland had imposed the fishing ban while they investigated infection outbreaks in barramundi and other fish.
"No links were found between the fish disease and water quality," Senator Conroy told the Senate.
"Water quality testing has shown little change other than seasonal variation for water quality since dredging began."
Senator Conroy said the dredging was carried out in accordance with "stringent conditions of approval and environmental management plans" and the latest testing had found a "parasitic flatworm" was the cause of the fish disease in Barramundi.
Senator Conroy said authorities were monitoring the situation.
In July, the United Nation's environmental arm criticised the Queensland and Australian governments for allowing gas processing on reef's doorstep.
UNESCO said it was concerned three processing plants under construction on Curtis Island, near Gladstone, could affect the "overall universal value" of the reef.
It also said the government had failed to tell it about approvals for the three plants, in breach of World Heritage guidelines.not just the greens macca...
and lets not forget... the States would need approval from the Feds to go ahead with all this....
so whats the deal with GW and the CARBON TAX then?????????????????.
will, or wont that save the reef??????????????????????????
it gets stranger by the minute...one minute its industry that is killing everything the next its the LABOR govts/