Have your say in regional marine planning and no fishing areas for WA's south coast

Department of Environment and Conservation  26/09/07  Media Statement

A series of workshops will be held over the coming months to enable community input into planning for one of WA's natural treasures.

The South Coast Regional Marine Planning Advisory Group has been formed to advise the WA Government on the development of a strategic plan for south coast marine waters. Chairman of the advisory group, Roger Lewis of Esperance, said the marine environment of Western Australia's south coast provides a range of social, environmental, economic and cultural values.

"The South Coast Regional Marine Planning process aims to ensure the many benefits of this unique resource are available for all time," Mr Lewis said.

"The community workshops will provide an opportunity for interested groups and the general public to find out more about the planning process and to provide input about the things that are most important to them."

Mr Lewis said the members of the advisory group were drawn from a diverse range of marine users.

"Their interests cover commercial and recreational fishing, aquaculture, marine conservation, tourism, the maritime industry, diving, boating, Aboriginal interests and petroleum exploration," Mr Lewis said.

"The group will provide advice on a strategic plan for the waters of the south coast from Cape Leeuwin to the South Australian border.

"We need to get this right, so we are able to protect the incredible diversity of our Southern Ocean, while still reaping recreational and economic benefits from the sea.

"The strategic plan is a first for WA State waters and the advisory group with a multi-agency team of Government representatives should be ready to present a draft copy around June 2008."

Dates for the community workshops are:

2007
Esperance            Wednesday 10 October         Esperance Bay Yacht Club
Kalgoorlie              Thursday 11 October             Kalgoorlie Town Hall Banquet Room
Manjimup               Monday 22 October              The Gallery (Community Centre)
Kojonup                 Tuesday 23 October              Shire Memorial/Lesser Hall
Albany                   Wednesday 24 October         Princess Royal Sailing Club
Perth                     TBA                (venue TBA)

2008
Hopetoun          Wednesday 16 January              (venue TBA)
Bremer Bay       Thursday 17 January                  (venue TBA)
Denmark           Wednesday 23 January              (venue TBA)
Augusta            Thursday 24 January                   (venue TBA)

Light refreshments will be provided.

For further information or to register your interest in attending a workshop, please contact Peter van Schoubroeck on 9842 4500.
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I have included and no fishing areas just in case people didn't realise that marine planning/Marine Parks/Marine Protected Areas (nearly) always include no take, no fishing areas.

The conservationists want 50% of the entire coastline as no fishing including estuaries like Oyster Harbour and Wilson Inlet. That's their real target, but they will fight very hard for 30% closed as an absolute minimum. How do you think 34% of the Ningaloo Marine Park ended up as closed no fishing areas?????

You may be told that the South Coast Marine Planning process has learnt from the mistakes of the past, particularly Ningaloo, and you will be told it will be different.

Let's accept that is the intention, but recreational anglers need to get involved and keep a close watch to make sure it is done differently and is done properly.

Check out http://www.recfishwest.org.au/SouthCoastMPAPresentationSept07.html to show you that Recfishwest is ALREADY working and looking after your interests.

It's early days yet, BUT what do you think will happen if there is no Recfishwest???? and that's a real possibility if recreational anglers are not prepared to put a measly $20 in.

Recfishwest and a few other dedicated recreational fishermen worked very hard and kept the closed areas in the coming Capes Marine Park to just 11% and in Walpole/Nornalup to 0% which is an outstanding achievement considering the possibilities.

Who will do that for the South Coast if there's no Recfishwest???? Will all those people who couldn't be bothered supporting Recfishwest suddenly get organised??? Not likely.

Who's prepared to take the risk???

Some conservationists see the Walpole result as a sell out and will be working very hard to get other areas closed in "compensation".

And they'd love to see Recfishwest disbanded because then recreational anglers would be just disorganised rabble who could be easily ignored.....

Recreational anglers want sustainable fishing and good fishing experiences and a FAIR GO!.

Informed Recreational anglers aren't opposed to Marine Parks.

Informed Recreational anglers aren't opposed to sanctuary/no fishing zones in the right places for the right reasons.

Informed Recreational anglers want to protect nursery areas, spawning fish stocks and spawning fish aggregations, but these don't need total closures all year long. Example:- Cockburn Sound Pink Snapper seasonal spawning closures championed by concerned recreational anglers.

Recreational anglers want to protect the environment, but locking up large areas is not the only way to protect the environment.

Informed conservationists would talk about the outcomes they want, and not just keep promoting one of the methods which might achieve them and ignore all the other methods........

Just telling it like it is.

Watch this space.....

TerryF
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Beavering away in the background......

Recfishwest - looking after YOUR recreational fishing future. http://www.recfishwest.org.au/

You need Recfishwest to look after your recreational fishing interests. Who else has the time, the knowledge, the professional approach, the realistic alternatives, the willingness and the contacts?

Recfishwest needs YOUR support. We would really like you to become a member, get involved and help us.

For $20, you can join by post, by phone 9246 3366, by email , in person, or fill in a website form. See http://www.recfishwest.org.au/MembershipDet.htm

Tell us what you think and ask us to explain anything you don't agree with - you may give new details which will change Recfishwest's decision.

You are the ones who benefit when Recfishwest succeeds, or you will lose out when Recfishwest is ignored.