Recfishwest has said “No” to a massive proposed solar salt project proposed for 40 Mile Beach west of Karratha.
In August, Recfishwest lodged a detailed submission to the Environmental Protection Authority outlining why we do not support the proposal to develop a 20,000ha solar salt farm at 40 Mile Beach, west of Karratha.
Recfishwest exists to ensure the interests of Western Australia’s 750,000 recreational fishers are considered whenever decisions are made that can affect our fish stocks, fish habitats or fishing experiences.
In our submission, we have highlighted concerns around impacts on the social and cultural value of the area and impacts on habitats critical to support great fishing experiences.
The project proposal, put forward by Leichhardt Salt Pty Ltd, involves constructing a vast network of evaporation ponds, crystallisers, and processing plants. Seawater would be pumped into these ponds and concentrated into salt via evaporation.
The project also proposes to dispose of 400,000m2 of dredge spoils near Cod Bank and the annual disposal of up to 5.9 gigalitres of concentrated brine 10 times the salinity of seawater near important fishing areas off Cape Preston.
Why 40 Mile matters
For generations, Pilbara residents have cherished 40 Mile as more than just a fishing and camping spot. It’s a sanctuary where families return year after year to reconnect with nature, community and themselves.
Just last weekend, Recfishwest camped at 40 Mile with kids from the Clontarf and Stars Foundations, teaching them to fish and enjoy areas that would vanish under the proposed development.
In a region dominated by industry, 40 Mile offers something rare: freedom, quiet, connection and space. It provides a vital mental health circuit-breaker, a grounding constant in a fast-changing world, and one of the few places where community spirit and wilderness still thrive.
But this project would forever alter the landscape and experience of 40 Mile. Ponds and embankments would scar the scenery, while popular four-wheel-driving, camping and boating opportunities would be lost. As the only 2WD-accessible coastal camping site in the area — and one of just two viable boat launch points between Dampier and Onslow — 40 Mile is irreplaceable for the fishing community.
Impacts on fishing and marine habitats
Beyond the shoreline, the proposal threatens prized fishing grounds like Cod Bank, a crucial demersal spot when morning easterlies blow, and a coral reef behind the Regnard Islands, valued by line and spear fishers. Both would be exposed to hypersaline brine discharge.
With the Pilbara coast already heavily industrialised, every new project further erodes the few remaining natural fishing locations. Losing 40 Mile would undermine community wellbeing, resilience and the legacy we leave future generations.
Recfishwest believes developments that strip away access, degrade habitats or diminish treasured recreational assets are unacceptable. We have urged the EPA to ensure the significant risks of this proposal are fully assessed.
Fishing is about more than catching fish, it is about connection, tradition and community. At 40 Mile, those values run deep.
Recfishwest will continue to stand up for the rights of fishers, and for the social, cultural and environmental values that make WA’s coast so special.
