Ravenous Kingfish Hit Port Stephens Marine Park

There are fears thousands of "ravenous" kingfish that escaped a state government jointly-run fish farm off Port Stephens will devastate the marine park's wild fish population.

Up to 17,000 predatory yellowtail kingfish, used to being fed automatically, are now hunting in the marine park waters after 20,000 escaped last week from a fish-farm sea cage, described as a "fortress pen", that was destroyed in rough seas. About 3000 fish have been recaptured.

The future of the controversial joint NSW government and Tasmania-based Huon Aquaculture project, which is 18 months into a five-year research trial, is under a cloud following the loss of almost half its stock with a retail value of more than $2 million.

Conservation groups and local tourism operators described the multimillion-dollar project as a "disaster" threatening the pristine marine park's delicate ecosystem.

Nice little place they have down there by the water. Good place to go for a quick and fun outing. Interesting seeing all the various types of marine life they have in one building.

Archie

The Island Bay Marine Education Centre's Bait House Aquarium is an interactive marine experience based in Island Bay on Wellington's south coast.There are lots of different sea creatures on display including a couple of octupuses, sea horses, lobsters to name a few. You can also gently touch and handle starfish, sea cucumbers, sea anemones, crabs and other sea life found in the local rock pools outside.There's far more inside than you would expect. The volunteers and expert staff are very friendly and helpful. It is really reasonably priced and we were all entertained for ages. Really good fun and educational too. Definitely worth checking out with the family.

Haydn