The Pew Nightmare

[Nete-Quette]

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[CEO]

       Funny isn't it! Had Dean Butler kept up to date by using the ECOfishers website more than 12 monnths ago, he like ECOfishers, would have been alerted to that issue then! Or is it because that particular fishing rag has a 12 months lead time?

[kingpro]

BEWARE       
        The Pew charitable trust is funded largely by big money industries and U.S, govt the PEW family has long been one of the wealthiest oil tycoon families in the U.S.
         Their primary function is to keep pressure on and maintain a high profile of fishing and other benign activities as the main threats to the oceanic environment as a means of deflecting attention away from the real threats of pollution, overdevelopment, mega agriculture, oil and gas extraction and other sources directly connected to big money.
         It is very typical of Americas protection of big industries profits at all costs.

[CEO]

  2009 BATTLE FOR THE CORAL SEA: While ECOfishers were out and about from daylight this morning, (19/5/09) sampling and testing the water quality in the flood mitigation drains that lead into the Richmond estuary, Laror's Federal Minister Garrett, was announcing a 972,000 square kilometre, "Conservation Zone," in the Coral Sea. Garrett also announced the "East Marine Bioregional Profile," which is just one of the preliminary steps in establishing another marine protected area, for the east coast.
  Recreational fishers will still be able to fish the area, under Qld state fishing regulations and there is no ban on fishing - at this stage!
   Clearly folks and fishers, this could be The BATTLE for THE CORAL SEA round 2! The last mob who tried to take it from us, lost that blue too. This time though, the Yanks are on the side of our opposition.

[kingpro]

In yesterdays Newcastle Herald is an article  "Bid To Save Coral Sea" the federal government has announced a new conservation zone in the Coral Sea while the area is assessed for further protection. The area covers 972,000 sq kilometres.
Environment minister Peter Garret says it will protect the area.
Its looks like the procerss to close this area to fishing is already well advanced.
Kingpro

[billfisher]

       Funny isn't it! Had Dean Butler kept up to date by using the ECOfishers website more than 12 monnths ago, he like ECOfishers, would have been alerted to that issue then! Or is it because that particular fishing rag has a 12 months lead time?

Speaking of that 'rag' they haven't published or replied to my letter re their so called 'balanced view' on marine parks. I therefore tried putting it up on their website via their comments section. Guess what - it didn't see light of day there either!

[SOBA]

Hi all,

I had it reported to me that the last 2-days in Cairns has seen the Dept of Environment & Heritage meeting with stakeholders on the Coral Sea/East Coast Biodiversity Regional Plan. The feedback was this is basically a done deal and nothing but lip services was given. Pew had a strong showing there and it seemed that nothing was stopping them in their quest.

So by 2010 the area in Stage 1 to be reclassified (and I bet a no take zone too) is from the Southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef which is around Agnes Waters/1770 from the 3nm mark out to the 200nm mark then extending soutward. How far south you say, well if you live in Port Macquarie you are at the end of the line!

Let me just say it again so it sinks in - a conservation zone from roughly half way up the QLD coast at 1170 to roughly halfway down the NSW coast Port Macquarie. 

This is a major issue and will require consistant, non stop barrages of emails & letters to politicians and news outlets, meetings with local bait shop, tackle shop, chandlery, mechanics etc. This will kill tourism in small villages along the coastlines; camping grounds, caravan parks and more. The economic impact will be devistating for regional areas. There will be another meeting held in Brisbane in July; I am trying to get details.

So we have to stand up and be counted now and hit these people where it hurts most - the ballot box! 

Cheers,
Chris Ryan
President
Ecofishers Queensland Inc.

[CEO]

Thanks Chris. We need to clearly establish exactly where  the Coral Sea finishes and the Tasman Sea begins. Any ideas out there?