Fishing For Our Funds While Limiting Access

Newcastle Herald

Wednesday August 17, 2005

Peter Sanderson

RECREATIONAL fishing is increasing in popularity across the country, but is faced with changes that will have a marked effect on the way we approach our much-loved sport.

I've visited Asia and Europe in recent years in an attempt to experience fishing that apparently untouched coastlines have to offer, only to find fish stocks all but depleted from overfishing and lack of control.

We too are faced with change, but these changes should not be made without consultation with licence- holders.

Anglers are presently subjected to government legislation that requires a compulsory fee be paid in the form of the recreational fishing fee. Non-compliance will cost you a $200 fine.

The Government has established that more than 1 million anglers a year access the publicly owned resource in NSW, with a licence compliance of 98 per cent.

The NSW Government has been collecting in excess of $80 million a year in GST from the sport of recreational fishing. From this there is very little returned and at the same time Department of Primary Industries (Fisheries) budgets are being drastically reduced.

Angler licence funds are now directly employing and paying public servants, giving the impression that introduced extra fees are a replacement public service income source.

Coincidentally, government legislation is being introduced and amendments made to acts of Parliament that will enable other taxpayer funds to be made available specifically for the creation of new marine parks (with no-take zones) and for conservation groups, but not for fishing.

In 2004, the NSW Marine Parks Authority released a final report titled the "Broadscale Biodiversity Assessment of the Manning Shelf Marine Bioregion", which identifies ecological options for marine parks.

The areas identified in the report encompass the coastline from Stockton Beach north to Nambucca Heads and three nautical miles seaward. It also includes a list of estuaries and lakes, namely Karuah River, Myall Lakes, Smiths Lakes, Wallis Lakes, Fullerton Cove, Hunter River, Lake Cathie, South West Rocks Creek and Camden Haven River.

Offshore reefs and islands included are Fish Rock and Green Island near South West Rocks, the Cod Grounds near Laurieton, the Pinnacles and Latitude Rock near Forster, Big and Little Seal Rocks and of course our favourite weekend getaway spot of Broughton Island near Port Stephens.

The report also highlights concerns for birdlife and grey nurse sharks in the bioregion. Some birds are listed as endangered.

The report defines a marine park as an aim to conserve marine biological diversity, habitats and ecological processes.

Marine parks are also designed to provide for the ecologically sustainable use of fish and marine vegetation (including commercial and recreational fishing) and provide opportunities for public appreciation, understanding and enjoyment.

Marine parks consist of four zones: sanctuary zones; habitat protected zones; general use zones and special purpose zones. However, the Solitary Islands at Coffs Harbour and Fly Point at Port Stephens, for example, are marine parks but are zoned as sanctuaries, which means there is no line-fishing permitted.

The study concludes that the current system of marine-protected areas for the Manning Shelf does not provide comprehensive, adequate or representative protection for biodiversity or ecological processes.

The option for exactly where the marine parks should be established are relatively flexible for all but a few criteria. So there is potential to apply reserve design criteria to achieve more effective management and to accommodate, and even promote, a range of sustainable human activities while still meeting conservation objectives.

Note, there were no creel surveys performed. A creel survey indicates the catch rates, numbers and results of fish species in a given area.

A meeting was held last Wednesday night hosted by Newcastle District Anglers Association and open to the public to inform of the report and to call for persons to form a consultative committee called the Newcastle arm of ECO Fishers.

Tonight will see the first meeting to elect the office-bearers and create an action plan.

The general consensus of most people I have spoken to is "yes" to the instigation of marine parks, but with the proviso that much more research be carried out.

It always seems too easy for our Government to just close off areas to fishing when we all have paid for a licence.

Peter Sanderson owns the Fishermans Warehouse and is a member of the ECO Fishers committee formed to create an action plan for the marine park.

© 2005 Newcastle Herald

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