- Target:
- Australian Federal Government
- Region:
- Australia
- Website:
- www.ecofishersqld.org.au
A very worrying trend is starting to embed itself into the Australian way of life, and the way we are governed by our elected representatives.
Recently the Federal Government and the Department under the guidance of the Hon. Peter Garrett MP has designated the Coral Sea as a Conservation Zone without consultation with anyone other than a couple of extreme conservation groups. This happened with a huge push from an overseas group called PEW based in the USA. PEW is extremely well funded and has had full rein of the halls in Canberra for the last couple of years pressuring Ministers and anyone else who will listen that a relatively untouched part of Australian waters needed zoning off and a no take zone created.
Without talking with fisheries representatives or anyone aligned with the boating or fishing industries the Government acted on their advice and has since made it a permit only area. The No take zoning is under review.
The concerning factor with this is the non alignment of this decision with the current East Coast Bioregional Planning Review which is reviewing the whole coastline from Cape York to Bermagui and beyond in one hit. This is from the 3nm (30m depth) mark out to the edge of Commonwealth waters and each of us should be very concerned and it has already been indicated more green no take zones are coming.
Where will the new zones be? We don’t know and the other issue is we don’t know if the State Government will use this as a vehicle for complimentary closures as they did in the Great Barrier Reef marine park zoning.
If you fish on the Eastern Seaboard, be concerned and get involved in discussions with your mates, with your family and with your local Politicians because they need to know that any shutdown without any scientific merit is simply a vote grabbing exercise with the Green political preference machine.
TO THE HONOURABLE PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE SENATE IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED
The Petition of the undersigned shows:
That recreational angling, as a healthy pastime generating substantial economic benefits, is being unfairly restricted as an “easy fix” for environmental degradation in federal marine parks while major issues such as runoff and waterborne pollution caused by poor urban planning and some outdated farming practices are not being effectively addressed. The consultation process seeking public input to Marine Parks Legislation is inadequate and appears skewed toward delivering pre-determined outcomes.
Your Petitioners request that the Senate:
Begin immediately a review of the effectiveness of all Federal Marine Park Legislation in protecting the marine environment from major risks with special reference to the globally recognised minimal impact of responsible recreational angling.
We further request that the economic and social value of recreational angling be assessed, and an objective cost/benefit and social impact analysis regarding the banning or restriction of recreational angling in parks be undertaken.
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The Stop Offshore Fishing Lockout petition to Australian Federal Government was written by ECOFishers Queensland and is in the category Sports at GoPetition.