Sydney marine life in the crosshairs
By Simon Black
Environmental groups say the NSW Government has ignored overwhelming scientific evidence and community support with their decision to endorse a five-year moratorium on new marine parks in NSW.
The Marine Parks Amendment (Moratorium) Bill was introduced to Parliament in June by Robert Brown of the Shooters Party and stops both the creation of new parks and changes to the sanctuary areas in existing parks.
The move has been criticised by a coalition of 38 conservation groups who say the creation of new marine parks are essential to the sustainability of fish stocks in Australia.
“Marine parks play an absolutely essential role in maintaining the long-term health and sustainability of our oceans,” said executive director of the National Parks Association of NSW, Kevin Evans.
“Only last month, more than 263 scientists from 39 countries confirmed their support for the creation of large-scale ocean marine parks as the best way to help fish stocks recover.”
The bill would also block the creation of a marine park in Sydney Harbour, the first of its type in the world.
“Sydney Harbour has an amazing diversity of marine life including more than 580 species of fish,” said CEO of the Nature Conservation Council, Pepe Clarke.
“Compare that to Europe that only has 350 and 200 round the coast of New Zealand.”
“A marine park off Sydney harbour would be the only one of its type in the world, and the only one with this kind of bio-diversity.”
The moratorium flies in the face of the target set in 2003 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and signed by Australia to set out a minimum of 20 per cent fully protected marine sanctuaries worldwide. At the time of writing this article only 6.7 per cent of NSW waters were protected in this fashion.
The move has also drawn criticism from local recreational fishing groups who are angered they are being used to justify the bill.
President of the Fishers for Conservation, Josh Coates, said the sanctuaries help to create spawning grounds and would be better for fishing in the long-term.
“Marine parks in places like New Zealand are now scientifically proven to be effective and are broadly supported by fishers, many of whom were initially opposed to their creation,” he said.
“The claim made by anti-conservation groups that the parks will ‘lock up the ocean’ is misleading, NSW marine parks are multiple use, meaning most of the park area will remain open to recreational fishing and even some areas where commercial fishing activities are limited, recreational fishermen will still be able to fish.”
In some cases these multiple use sanctuaries designate up to 80 per cent of the park for access to recreational fishermen.
A spokesperson for Environment Minister, Frank Sartor, said in a statement “the NSW Government is committed to the ongoing management and scientific research programs currently underway in the six existing marine parks.”
The Marine Parks Amendment (Moratorium) Bill will return to parliament in August.
