Mood:
energeticTopic: election nsw 2007
MEDIA RELEASE
9 January 2007
NSW fisheries headed for disaster under Debnam
Greens MP Lee Rhiannon called on Opposition Leader Peter Debnam to use his visit to Port Stephens to stop playing politics with the future of NSW's fisheries.
Ms Rhiannon said: "The Opposition has made political mileage in
coastal seats by opposing marine national parks and no-take zones. Yet the Coalition has no plans to ensure that NSW's fisheries will survive through the next decade.
"If we believe what they are saying, a Debnam government would give into a small but vocal minority and remove or savagely dilute the few protections that are coming into force. They would condemn the oceans to lifeless future.
"Recreational angling, Sunday night fish and chips and commercial
fishing would become distant memories if the Coalition wins the state election in March.
"A long history of poor management practices has stretched this
state's fisheries resources beyond carrying capacity. Nearly all
marine and freshwater resources are either fully exploited or
over-exploited.
"There have been serious declines in important commercial fish
species, such as southern bluefin tuna, southern shark, orange roughy and gemfish.
"Marine national parks with no take zones are an important component of an overall strategy to steer the fisheries away from collapse and onto the path to recovery.
"The Carr/Iemma government has taken an important first step by
creating a number of marine national parks but much more is needed if the fisheries are to be brought back from the brink.
"Fish stocks have gone into collapse in other parts of the world.
Global warming will inevitably place even greater stress on fish
populations. Now is not the time for the Opposition to be playing
politics with the future of NSW's fisheries," Ms Rhiannon said.
..................
[The editor is aware of quite strong advice from the Canadian fishery of industry recovery as a result of judicious marine refuges with a 5 to 10 year turn around. Here are some dated references for example via google, and one expects much more recent data also available:
BENEFITS OF MARINE PROTECTED AREAS FOR MARINE BIODIVERSITY: A BIBLIOGRAPHY...
PREPARED FOR PARKS CANADA BY WENDY SZANISZLO
MARCH 1998, UPDATED OCTOBER 1998, JUNE 1999
and
http://www.fisheries.ubc.ca/publications/reports/report5_1.php
