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NAROOMA PORT COMMITTEE

Chairman  Dr. Philip Creagh BVSc.

Secretary  Mr. John Moore

PO Box 596, Narooma, NSW



Contact Dr. Philip Creagh  4476 3604



MEDIA RELEASE …… MEDIA RELEASE



Dr. Kelly leaves the fishing industry in the dark on the Commonwealth Marine Park.



Dr. Creagh, Chair of the Narooma Port Committee stated: “Dr. Kelly, at three public hearings, has not calmed the fears of South Coast recreational or commercial fishers in relation to the Batemans ‘Area For further Assessment’, between Ulladulla and South of Bermagui.  He has repeated a simple mantra, ‘the Howard Government introduced the policy’, ‘the Batemans Area for further assessment is nothing to worry about it is only for scientific research’ and ‘trust us we will do the right thing’. 



“We trusted NSW Labor in the zoning of the State Marine Park, and our area was gutted.  There are many empty shops and closed businesses due to the Batemans Marine Park.  We can’t afford any more from a Commonwealth Marine Park Dr. Kelly.”



Dr. Creagh continued  “the position of the Liberal party is much more straightforward.  There will be a moratorium and consultation will take place in the same way that happened with the Commonwealth South East Marine Reserve system eight years ago.  Significantly, there will be extensive involvement with the Commonwealth Department of Fisheries” 



“Most importantly there will be a rigorous study to determine the REAL threats to Marine biodiversity .. NOT just fishing closures based on pre-determined percentages.”



“The Commonwealth agency in charge of this process is the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and Arts (DEWHA) under Minister Garret.  He has had several meetings with the American based PEW Foundation and the Australian Conservation foundation, none with Commercial or recreational fishers.”



“With the Commonwealth waters starting only five kms. from land there is a window of opportunity to develop innovative programs against the severe effects of land based pollution that is destroying fish eggs, embryos and juveniles.”



Dr Creagh concluded “If Minister Garrett listens to the Greens and green conservationists then we will be doomed to more of the same old “lock it up and lock ‘em out” mentality that typifies the six NSW Marine Parks that have proven to be such expensive environmental failures in conserving NSW’s marine habitat.”



END

Australia 's 2010 Forest Forum – Bateman's Bay – Free entry

Speakers include Professor Ian Lowe, Prof. Brendan Mackey, Dr. Judith Ajani and more experts. Others invited include Peter Garrett, Greg Hunt & Bob Brown. Ecopella Choir. Brass Band, Art, Video & more!

Where : Batemans Bay Soldiers Club
When : Door-opening 10am sharp on 11 September 2010

Lunch available.

For more information, please visit: www.nature.net.au

Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW




The 2010 Federal Election and Recreational Fishing



There are many issues to consider when deciding who to vote for this weekend, but in an election that seems devoid of sensible policies and leadership, you might like to consider how your vote will affect recreational fishing. Many emails and chats on forums have been passed between recreational anglers during the past few weeks, now its time to act as a united group.



The Greens

We believe that the Greens are a serious threat to our fishing in NSW and around Australia. The Greens want fishing bans via  the National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas program and want legislated targets of a minimum of 30% ‘no take’ areas per bioregion by 2012. The Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW is opposed to the introduction of this Green Policy without proper consideration and scientific support. We are also opposed to heavy handed use of no-take zones as a fisheries management tool.



There is no science behind the Greens’ magical one-size-fits-all 30% figure.

You can click here to read the details of the Greens Party - Marine and Coastal Policy



Liberal/National Coalition

You can read the Coalition’s policy at Liberal - Marine Protected Areas Policy and at Real Action Plan



Labor

Labor has released a statement on Fishing and Seafood and can be viewed by clicking here.


You have two votes

The first is the smaller GREEN ballot paper for the House of Representatives, where you can vote for the local candidate you want in government, eg Labor, Liberal, National or Independent. On this paper you will need to number every box. By ensuring that all Green votes are nominated last in numerical order you will then be aiding in blocking The Greens gaining the power they require to lock anglers out of their traditional fishing areas.



Your second vote is the large WHITE ballot paper for the Senate election. The Senate reviews all legislation by the House of Representatives. If the Greens hold the balance of power in the Senate, it is possible they will influence decisions on recreational fishing in Australia.



If you do not want this to happen, you can choose to vote BELOW THE LINE on the large ballot paper, and number every candidate of your choice, with your last votes going to the Greens. Alternatively, you may wish to consider a party who is supporting the fishing cause (The Shooters and Fishers Party —a vote above the line for that Party will automatically ensure that none of your preference votes go to the Greens.)



It’s your decision, but if recreational fishing is important to you and your family, we strongly recommend that you do not vote in a way that will support the Greens.



THINK CAREFULLY AS THE GREENS MARINE PARK POLICY HAS BEEN THE GREATEST THREAT TO RECREATIONAL FISHERS WE HAVE SEEN. PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ONTO OTHER PEOPLE WHO CONSIDER FISHING AS IMPORTANT AS YOU DO.

Dr Phil, We have a great deal to worry about if Mike Kelly is re elected the south coast will be gutted of all commercial and recreational fishing. Many shore based  businesses will go to the wall as well.

Have been to a meeting with Marten russell, his statement to those present you are going have a federal marine park as Garret has signed for this to be brought to fruition by March 2011.

Russell stated up to 30% will be no take zones and would not be negotiated, please tell us where you fish and we wont take your favourite spots.

We heard all this from our state polititions and look what we have now, so be carefull on election day that labour and greens candidates are put to the bottom of the ballot paper.

Dr Phil, i can tell you one thing for certain Mike kelly WILL NOT answer you before the Election, and HOPEFULLY, he will not be required to after.
This Election is crucial for ALL people who want to continue our way of life, and have the right to catch a feed of FRESH FISH.
It is an Election where we must stand up for our selfs, forget about who your Father or Uncle harry told you to vote for, this could be one of the last chances we have.
For if we don't we only have our selfs to blame.

[QUESTION:What effect will the Coalitions Marine Park policy have on the area?]

In NSW the six Commonwealth 'Areas for further Assessment' are ALL adjacent to NSW State Marine Parks.

The Batemans 'Area' is in the Federal seat of Eden-Monaro held by Labor's, Dr. Mike Kelly. I prepared the following list of questions, with our answers.

Kelly maintains that we have "nothing to worry about" in relation to the 'No Take' zoning .. which we heard from the Labor Government in NSW when the Batemans Marine Park was zoned.

QUESTION:
What effect will the Coalitions Marine Park policy have on the area?
NAROOMA PORT COMMITTEE: If the Coalition succeeds on August 21 we expect a moratorium on producing the draft zoning (including ‘No Take’ zoning) in early 2011. We would expect a thorough study into what aspects of the Marine environment are threatened in the ‘Area for further Assessment’, and what it is threatened by. The present proposal by the Labor party will merely draw lines on maps based on a predetermined percentage closure listening to the advice from Minister Peter Garrett, Greenpeace and the PEW Foundation.

QUESTION:
What effect would the Greens policy of a 30% fishing closure of Australian Territorial waters have on the local economy?
NAROOMA PORT COMMITTEE: This will be an economic and social catastrophe for the Eden-Monaro electorate.

The Greens appear determined to declare an economic jihad on the South Coast of NSW, as well as all of regional and rural NSW.

Despite Australia having the most sustainable and regulated fishing industry in the world, the Greens have instead listened to the unrepresentative green environment groups and believe the best way to protect fishing is simply to ban it! No thought to the effects of pollution from land, sewerage or agricultural run-off .. The Greens will simply ban fishing .. This simply hoodwinks the public.
Measure #20 on their policy document states quite clearly:

20. Ensure that the National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas program has legislated targets of a minimum of 30% ‘no take’ areas per bioregion by 2012.

This means that NSW will have a 440% increase in no take fishing zones. This WILL lead to the closure of the Ulladulla, Bermagui and Eden Fishermen’s Co-ops. Fishermen will have no means to get their catch to the Sydney or Melbourne markets as Fresh fish, hence this completely ecologically sustainable fishery will wither and die after 140 years of existence.

QUESTION:
Dr. Kelly has repeatedly stated that the ‘Area for further Assessment’ is simply that. There may NOT be areas that are of significance or require protection, and hence there may not be any closures.
NAROOMA PORT COMMITTEE: The members of the Narooma Port Committee and every fisherman I have spoken to do NOT believe him on this point.

Without any doubt the external boundaries of the ‘Area’ will form the “Commonwealth extension of the Batemans Marine Park”

At a public meeting with Mr. Boxhall and Mr. Martin Russell, from DEWHA, it is patently clear that ‘no take’ zoning would occur within the established boundaries. Recreational, Charter and Commercial fishers were asked to provide details of areas that they ‘couldn’t afford to lose’.

It was also made clear that State Batemans Marine Park ‘sanctuary zones’ that went to the 3nm. Limit would be ideal to continue out into the Commonwealth area as a ‘linking’ or ‘connectivity’ of sanctuary zones. There is NO plausible science in NSW, or even Australia for this assertion.

If Dr. Kelly is so sure on this point then perhaps he could explain why each of the five Commonwealth ‘Areas for further assessment’ in NSW are ALL adjacent to NSW State Marine Parks?
Byron, Solitary Islands, Port Stephens, Lord Howe, and Batemans Marine Parks.

QUESTION:
Dr. Kelly also has stated that this process was started by the Howard Government in 1998, so Labor in fact is not to blame.
NAROOMA PORT COMMITTEE: He is correct.

However the Marine Protected Area program under the Howard Government started in the South-East Australia region, from the Victorian border around the southern tip of Tasmania to the mouth of the Murray. The ‘Areas’ were established in about 2002 and finalized in 2006.

Much input was done by DAFF, and little by DEWHA

Much consultation was done with Commercial fishers and fair and reasonable compensation figures were established. This continued onto land based industries affected by these Marine Reserves

There is NO Sanctuary zone, closed to recreational fishing, within 100kms of the Coast in the 13 Marine Reserves in Australia’s South-East.

QUESTION:
Surely, as has occurred with the South-East Marine Reserve system, there will be an appropriate compensation system in place?
NAROOMA PORT COMMITTEE: One does not even need to do a careful reading of the ‘Displaced Activities” report, available on the DEWHA website, to realise that the Government has commissioned a biased report to decide their policy on that. The report makes it absolutely clear that there is no requirement to compensate Recreational or Charter boat operators or associated businesses .. as these can ‘move’ to non affected areas. Commercial fishers are also due for an unpleasant surprise.

The Federal Labor Government will, as far as is possible, avoid paying compensation to affected industries.

In the case of the Howard Government, restructuring the South East Fishing industry during the South East Marine Reserve system cost about $200million in compensation. Restructuring industry affected by the increase in ‘no take’ zoning on the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park has cost taxpayers in the order of $240million.

QUESTION:
What is the problem with the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and Arts (DEWHA) being the lead authority in this issue?

NAROOMA PORT COMMITTEE: As with the NSW Government and its Marine Parks policy there are absolutely NO fishery scientists involved at the level of local Advisory Committees or input into zoning.

DEWHA, as it is a ‘conservation environment’ body, WILL attract environmental zealots, as the NSW DECC and Marine Parks Authority does. Could I refer you to Professor Booth and Assoc. Prof Andy Davis for evidence of that.

Finally the Minister is Peter Garrett. I have not heard of anyone who has confidence in his position or competence to do his job. To put it quite plainly he has been promoted way above his competency level.

It has been shown that he takes an inordinate amount of advice from the Pew foundation, and the Australian Conservation foundation.

It is interesting to read the comments from some of the senior Fisheries scientists within DPI to the State Marine Parks.

Yesterday 14/8/2010, i attended the Q&A session in Batemans Bay for the Federal Election that is being held next Saturday.
5 candidates put them selfs up for public scrutiny in front of a large crowd.
It was pleasing to see that the crowd asked the Liberal candidate David Gazard most of the questions, obviously wanting to get to know David better, and test his knowledge on a range of issues, which i thought he did very well.
I like most thought it was a disgrace, when sitting member Mike Kelly proudly spouted the he and the Labor government had created over 200 permanent jobs in regard to the new Centerlink complex being built, but Mike was quickly reminded that NEITHER HE or the Labor party had anything to do with it, it was the work of former Liberal member Garry Nairn.
Catherine Moore from the Greens gave us a great insight into how the Palerang shire is being run with her help, but really Catherine this is a Federal election and we are in the seat of Eden-Monaro.
All the Greens candidate had to offer was the fact that there will be NO new dams, there will be fishing restrictions, a carbon tax, just to mention a few.
Ursula Bennett, Christian democrat's, Tom Gardwell, Family First and Ray Buckley Independent all had some good points also.
But please think VERY carefully where you put your crosses on the ballot paper, as it will be us that has to carry that cross until the next election.

PROPOSED MARINE PARK CLOSURES
Monday 8th August
Businesses Australia wide need to be aware of what is happening to our coastline with regard
to marine park closures. If you are unaware, as are many other people, of the processes
that HAVE ALREADY been put into place by the Labor government in a deal struck with
the Greens Party, then you need to read this press release as it will hopefully inform you of
the urgency of the situation. Please look at the map enclosed with this information package
and you will see that closures suggested cover excessively large parts of the Australian
coastline. If these marine park closures come into affect, businesses and families not only
stand to lose a substantial portion of our fishing and recreational coastlines, but also the
revenue that these areas generate.
The Labor government have sprung these closures on us just prior to the election, giving
businesses very little time to gain a full understanding of the far reaching ramifications
that this proposal will have on industry across Australia. They have chosen these areas
on a quota basis with no scientific evidence to support their decision. The closures are
simply a deal made with The Greens to secure preferential votes in the upcoming election to
assist the Labor party in winning the election. The Global financial crisis although deemed
to be over, is still significantly affecting industry across Australia, yet Labor and The Greens
still deem it a viable proposal to discriminate against Australians through taking away
their livelihoods by simply removing their places of work. These proposed closures are no
different to the government saying that you will no longer be allowed to build houses in
Coffs Harbour, sell fuel in Newcastle or build boats in your factory. What they are proposing
with these marine parks by closing large areas of ocean is exactly that. Businesses in any
way related to the fishing and boating industry will suffer! As will other businesses that rely
on these industries for their livelihoods.
Don’t assume that it is just the fishing and boating industry! If you have a careful look at
the map you will notice that many of these proposed areas can easily be linked to already
established national parks, something that will surely happen if Labor returns to power. We
will then lose the beaches and surrounding waterways as well. The effect will then be even
more far reaching.
We understand that marine parks are a necessity. If we intend to protect our Australian
coastlines and provide for our future generations, we need to establish sustainable policies
using scientific evidence gained by appropriate environmental studies and consultation
involving the correct people, NOT by randomly drawing lines out into the ocean with a
complete disregard for the businesses and people that it will affect.
In Mackay on Tuesday (July 27) Opposition Leader Tony Abbott announced the Coalition’s
policy. He announced there would be an immediate halt to Labor’s marine park roll-out so
that processes could be restructured to ensure a better say for all anglers and recreational
enthusiasts in park design and management.
He also announced that the Coalition’s Fisheries Minister would be a full partner in the
process with the Minister for Environment, and all decisions would have to be jointly agreed.
The full Coalition policy is available at www.liberal.org.au.
This issue should not be a political debate but unfortunately this has been used as a platform for
Labor to secure votes to remain in power. We don’t have a lot of time left before the upcoming
Election Day so the time to act is now.
Please forward this information to as many people as possible to ensure they are aware
of the proposed changes and can make an informed choice on 21st August, 2010.

John, the story that was in the Queanbeyan Age was a ripper.
The reporter is obviously a CADETTE, and does NOT know the real John Perkins.
Taking a month out of your life ??
And talking to a retired BULLDOZER, was it a D9 or a D7
And WHO is funding this epic journey, i hope IT'S NOT us the TAX PAYER

I wonder would Julia, Peter or Bob eat this, but then ALL the so called environment carers say they DO love eating fish.

Greenies want us to consume less local seafood and lock up the ocean. They are perfectly content for us to look overseas for food. 70% of Australia's seafood is imported. The largest proportion comes from SE Asia and the most popular is bassa (catfish) from the Mekong river delta.
Before you gobble down those yummy fillets you got from the supermarket, have a good look at this video clip:
http://www.vimeo.com/11817894