"Have Your Say" in Narooma News

[ACTAngler]

Divers study seafloor
Wednesday, 20 December 2006
Stan Gorton


A TEAM of scuba divers spent last week diving on sites off Montague Island and in waters south of Narooma as part of a long-term research project to monitor life on the seafloor.

The joint project between the University of Tasmania and the Marine Park Authority is meant to gauge the impact of the Batemans Marine Park on the marine ecosystem.

The observations from dives over recent weeks will provide a "baseline" of information so that researchers can detect changes on specific sites over upcoming years and decades.

Leading the project is research scientist Dr Neville Barrett from the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute.

Dr Barrett said the baseline study would help detect changes in the barren, sea urchin infested areas around Montague Island and whether these areas would become more biologically diverse in future years.

Recent overseas studies have found that urchin barrens are often due to the removal of key urchin predators by overfishing and researchers say it will be fascinating to see if a similar pattern is found in southern NSW.

Marine parks and reduction of fishing pressure on species such as crayfish did appear to have a big impact on the seafloor including urchin numbers in locations from Tasmania to New Zealand, he said.

"It is a long-term study as we are examining changes that often occur slowly. In five years we may see the numbers of some target species such as snapper, lobsters and abalone increasing," Dr Barrett said.

"By year 10, we may see a big increase in the average size of these species and by year 20 we might really see some more widespread ecosystem changes such as seaweeds and sponges returning to the urchin barren areas.

"All this information helps us understand the overall extent of human impacts on our coastal ecosystems and fisheries, and will hopefully help to sustainably manage NSW coastal marine resources."

He has spent the last 15 years monitoring changes in marine life in marine parks from Jurien Bay in Western Australia to Encounter Bay in South Australia and closer to home Jervis Bay.

This most recent trip to the Batemans Marine Park saw the four divers complete 30 dives in the area with divers doing 200-metre transects were both mobile fish as well as more sedentary species such as urchins and algae were counted.

The divers had already picked out and dived on 11 sites in park waters last year and hoped to have a total of 40 sites in all areas of the marine park to monitor over up coming years.

The research is made possible with a grant from the Australia Research Council matched dollar-for-dollar by the Marine Park Authority.

http://narooma.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=general&story_id=541524&category=general&m=12&y=2006

[ACTAngler]

They snuck this one on the website on the 16th.

Better outcomes for native vegetation, biodiversity, land, rivers and coastal waterways
Statement from Environment Minister Bob Debus

The Batemans Marine Park zone plan released today, December 13, will remove trawling from the park, provide better access to fishing havens for recreational fishers and improve overall conservation of the south coast's marine environment.

Releasing the plan, Environment Minister Bob Debus, said the new zones would come into effect in June 2007, giving summer tourists time to adjust to any changes.

"We have worked extremely hard to deliver a balanced outcome that addresses the needs and feedback from fishing, environmental and other stakeholders," Mr Debus said.

"The Marine Parks Authority (MPA) held more than 90 meetings in towns such as Batemans Bay, Narooma, Bermagui, Ulladulla and Moruya to get the best possible local feedback about zone boundaries inside the new reserve.

"These submissions, plus the meetings, led to many changes compared to the original draft document - changes that deliver strong conservation outcomes while still ensuring locals and tourists can enjoy their favourite activities."

Mr Debus said that under the final zoning plan:

? All commercial trawling will be removed from the park reducing competition for recreational fishers and protecting breeding communities and nursing grounds to repopulate depleted areas

? Commercial netting will be removed from the Clyde River (Batemans Bay) and Durras Lake at the request of local conservation and recreational fishing groups

? Recreational fishing will be allowed in 80% of the park, including fishing havens such as Tomaga River, Tuross Lake, Lake Brunderee, Muammaga Lake and Little Lake and most of the waters off Montague Island.

? Sanctuary zones will cover about 19 per cent of the park, habitat protection zones 43 per cent and general use zones 37 per cent

? Important sanctuary zones at Brush Island, Murramarrang Coast, Burrewarra Point and Mullimburra Point will be retained

"Like every other marine park in NSW, swimming, diving and commercial activities such as estuarine netting will continue in the Batemans Marine Park," Mr Debus said.

NSW Minister for Primary Industries Mr Ian Macdonald said the Government had made major  concessions for recreational fishers during the extensive consultation process.

"Removing commercial fish trawling and dredging for shellfish is a major change from the draft zoning plan and a big win for the recreational fishing industry," Mr Macdonald said.

"To remove trawling from the park the Government has provided an extra $2.2 million to buy out up to 14 commercial trawling licences, which will help to reduce commercial fishing pressure in areas next to the park.

"The total buy back package for commercial licences in the reserve is now $10.7 million and will be rolled out beginning in March. "

"It is important to note that these changes come into affect in six months from now, and there will be no restrictions whatsoever on fishing in the area this summer. The plan itself will be reviewed in 5 years."

The NSW Government has committed $150,000 to Eurobodalla Shire Council for use on a marketing and education campaign for the Batemans Marine Park.

Mr Debus recently met with representatives from Eurobodalla Shire Council, including Mayor Neil Mumme.

"This commitment by the Iemma Government has been made after strong and constructive representation from council," Cr Mumme said.

"Council are rightly concerned about the affect a marine park misinformation campaign is having on people planning holidays on the South Coast."

The 85,000 hectare Batemans Marine Park stretches from just north of Brush Island, north of Batemans Bay, to Wallaga Lake, south of Narooma.

It includes key natural features such as: the Murramarang coast; coastal lakes such as Durras, Tuross and Wallaga; the Clyde River and Batemans Bay; Tollgate Islands and the waters around Montague Island - a South Coast icon renowned for seals, grey nurse sharks, penguins and many other seabird species.

Maps of the new zone plan will from today be on the Marine Parks Authority website www.mpa.nsw.gov.au, at the MPA office in Narooma and at local National Parks and Wildlife Service and Department of Primary Industries offices.

Batemans Marine Park Fact Sheet

Consultation process

The State Government announced a new 85,000 hectare multiple-use marine park on the NSW south coast to protect important marine habitats, bolster fish stocks and boost tourism in the area in November 2005. It was formally gazetted by the NSW Government earlier this year.

The Marine Parks Authority have held more than 90 meetings in towns such as Batemans Bay, Narooma, Bermagui, Ulladulla and Moruya to get the best possible local feedback about zone boundaries inside the new reserve.

The draft zoning plan was placed on public exhibition on 14 July 2006 with the submission period closing on 15 October 2006.

The MPA received around 1400 submissions from individuals and groups including, recreational fishers, scuba divers, charter vessels, commercial fishermen, business people, conservationists and the general public, and another 3500 form letters from recreational fishing groups.

Beneficial changes between the draft and final zoning plans for Batemans Marine Park Commercial fish trawling and dredging for shellfish has been excluded from the entire marine park. This is a major change from the draft Zoning plan and a big win for recreational fishers.

Recreational fishing will be improved in the marine park through the commercial exclusion as breeding communities will be protected and depleted nursing grounds given a chance to repopulate.

Commercial net fishing has been excluded in all of the Clyde River and all of Durras Lake. The Clyde is a major recreational fishing resource and very important to the tourist economy of Batemans Bay.

Compared to the draft, the final plan also:

? Removes a number of small sanctuary zones (Belowla Is, Bengello Beach, and South Broulee)

? Removes areas of sanctuary zones in Wallaga Lake and reconfigures sanctuary zones in Wagonga Inlet. These changes improve fishing access to the upper reaches of these two estuaries.

? Improves access to sheltered fishing locations in the lee of headlands, most notably on the northern side of Batemans Bay and the south side of Burrewarra Point

? Removes the Flat Rock sanctuary zone but includes some compensatory changes to the sanctuary zone around the Tollgate Islands and around North Head.

The zoning of all coastal and estuarine locations near coastal population centres, caravan parks, boat ramps and other focal points has been arranged to maximise access for recreational activities while protecting important communities of animals and plants.

Zoning

The Batemans Marine Park is divided into four different zone types, based on the level of environmental protection required. They are:

- sanctuary zones (19 per cent) , "no take zones" provide the highest level of protection where the removal or harm of any plants or animals, including recreational fishing is not allowed People can still swim, dive, sail and snorkel in sanctuary zones.

- habitat protection zones (43 per cent), which also offer a high level of protection. Recreational fishing and some commercial fishing is allowed.

- general use zones (37 per cent), which allow most recreational and commercial activities, provided they are ecologically sustainable.

- Special purpose zone (0.4 per cent) provide for activities like aquaculture, marinas and research opportunities within the marine park.

General Facts

Recreational fishing will still be allowed in 80 per cent of the Batemans Marine Park.

The NSW Coastline is approximately 2137 kilometres long and now almost 622 kms of coastal shoreline is incorporated within marine parks. In total approximately 34 per cent of the state's waters (out to three miles are incorporated into multiple use marine parks).

Benefits of marine parks

A report titled 'A Review of Benefits of Marine Protected Areas and Related Zoning Considerations', prepared on behalf of the Marine Parks Authority Research Committee identified a range of advantages and scientific research justifying marine parks.

The report lists benefits cited in scientific studies that may result from the implementation of marine protected areas such as increases in the abundance, biomass, diversity and productivity of many species. A copy of the full report is available at: http://www.mpa.nsw.gov.au/research.html

http://narooma.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=general&story_id=540644&category=General&m=12&y=2006

[hobo]

Nemo free zone

[ACTAngler]

Mayor reflects on 2006
Thursday, 28 December 2006
Stan Gorton


EUROBODALLA Shire Council mayor and Narooma resident Neil Mumme sat down with the Narooma News last week to discuss the highlights and lowlights of 2006.

Here are Mr Mumme's thoughts in order of discussion:

Batemans Marine Park

It's taken a lot of the Council's time. I recognised early on in the piece that the State Government was not going to budge, so we opted to negotiate heavily with them to secure the best outcome for our community and businesses.

Whilst not satisfying everybody, the result we achieved through hard negotiation is pretty good, most notably the removal of ocean trawling as well as commercial fishing from the Clyde River.

It's time to talk the coast up as opposed to talking it down because continual negative talk will have far more impact than the park itself.

http://narooma.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=general&story_id=543204&category=General&m=12&y=2006

[Red]

Neil, there is no need to talk at all. The unjustifiable restrictions on fishing in your area will do all the talking that's needed. Fishermen aren't fools. They will find the fish, as always. With 80% of your fishing spots locked up, that's most likely to be somewhere else.

[ACTAngler]

Businesses pleased with visitor numbers
Wednesday, 3 January 2007
Stan Gorton


CONCERNS that a range of factors from the drought, to high petrol prices and the new Batemans Marine Park would impact on visitor numbers seem to be unfounded.

Accommodation providers and tourism-related businesses are pleased with number of tourists in Narooma with observations that the town and region are as least as busy as last year.

Hotels and campgrounds leading up to New Year were booked out with not one room available on December 28 and 29.

Numbers did fall slightly after New Year's Day, possibly due to the weather.

Lyn Field manages Easts Narooma Shores and the Van Village across the road and said her camping grounds were filled to overflowing with around 1000 people calling the grounds home.

She said she turned away around 15 car loads of campers on Thursday night, even though the Van Village has been rearranged to make 30 extra spots available.

"Christmas to New Year is always the busiest but this year we've had to find some extra spaces," Mrs Field said.

Even with the weekend's rain, she said she was really surprised that all the campers were staying with only two families departing.

Equally pleased with visitor numbers was Jason Beard at the Island View Beach Resort, who said he was just about full and people were staying longer, even with the rainy weather.

The town's hotels and motels also experienced good numbers with the Visit Narooma co-operative setting up its own duty roster to direct guests to available rooms.

Co-op spokesman and Holiday Lodge owner Peter Wilkins said the system was working well with the co-op's own seven members given priority but all other accommodation houses were on the list to be called once co-op members filled.

"It works a treat - an absolute treat," Mr Wilkins said.

"There are real flow-on benefits to the community with each dollar spent rolling around the community four or five times."

The Narooma Visitor Centre meanwhile had its own duty roster for its paying members with about half the town's accommodation businesses on that list.

Manager Narelle Bate also said her staff were forwarding accommodation requests to the Visit Narooma co-op's duty roster.

"It's pretty much the same as last year," Mrs Bate said last week about the numbers, and she was expecting another busy week this week.

Back at the caravan park, Mrs Field said the Batemans Marine Park was not a big issue with the Christmas visitors with little or no comment on the park.

However, she said the park may have a bigger impact for the more hardcore fishers that came later in January and February.

http://narooma.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=general&story_id=544387&category=General&m=1&y=2007

[ACTAngler]

Abalone poachers caught red handed
Wednesday, 3 January 2007

THREE men and a juvenile who allegedly poached 81 abalone from the Glasshouse Rocks area last week were caught red handed with one man facing up to $25,000 in fines and or three months in prison.

NSW Fisheries officers and Narooma police stopped a vehicle on Glasshouse Rocks Road on Thursday at 10.30am with four individuals inside allegedly in possession of the illegal harvested abalone.

The four individuals, three of whom were from the Batemans Bay area and the other from Newcastle, were three men in their 20s and one 16-year-old juvenile.

The abalone found included 79 shucked or shelled abalone, two still in their shell with 53 of the shellfish undersize.

A NSW Fisheries spokesperson said one of the men, who is known to Fisheries, was identified as allegedly being responsible for harvesting 53 of the shucked abalone, and as such is facing the most serious charges.

He was charged with exceeding the bag limit, which carries a fine of up to $10,000, possessing prohibited size abalone, which carries a penalty of $10,000 and or three months in prison, and also shucking abalone in or adjacent to the water, which carries a fine of up to $5000.

The man was summons to appear in Narooma local court.

Scuba diving gear found in the vehicle was also confiscated. Recreational fishers are only allowed to harvest two abalone a day and only using snorkel gear.

The 16-year-old received a formal caution, while the two other men, who allegedly dived in a separate group, received penalty notices for shucking and exceeding the bag limit, which carries a fine of $200 and $300 respectively.

The two men were also cautioned about having undersize abalone.

http://narooma.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=general&story_id=544389&category=General&m=1&y=2007

[ACTAngler]

Great white, grey nurse sharks sightings
Wednesday, 3 January 2007
Stan Gorton


DALMENY resident Ray Binskin has seen many sharks in his lifetime at sea working on fishing boats.

But the great white he saw on Thursday while reef fishing five kilometres out from Tuross was the most impressive.

A large shark was also spotted the next day, Friday December 29, at Kianga beach, he said, but there was no confirmation whether it too was a great white.

Mr Binskin said the shark he saw was larger than his 4.3 metre boat and it circled his vessel three times then hovering almost motionless at the rear of the boat even when he started the engine.

"It would have to be the biggest shark I've seen - and the healthiest," Mr Binskin said.

The passengers he had on board were equally impressed. Mr Binskin is the ex captain of the sea rescue squad at Brunswick Heads, where he also worked on trawl and trap fishing boats.

He said it was very unusual for the shark to remain motionless at the back of the boat for so long.

SCUBA divers last week spotted grey nurse sharks in the shark gutter at the northern end of Montague Island.

Operator of Montague Island Diving Rhys Kenna said he saw a 2.5-metre grey nurse shark and a smaller 2-metre shark while diving in the shark gutter on Thursday, December 28.

The next day he saw another grey nurse shark in the same location.

Mr Kenna said he saw the sharks on several occasions last summer, but these were the first two grey nurses spotted at the island this season.

"It is a difficult spot to get into because of the weather and the prevailing north easterlies," he said.

The Batemans Marine Park has created a special grey nurse protection zone on the northern end of Montague banning bait fishing in the summer. There are only believed to be several hundred of the sharks remaining off the East Coast.

The sharks he saw last week were only in the distance and he could not see whether they had any fishing gear in their mouths.

Mr Kenna said the divers on his tours followed shark diving protocols such as not diving at night and not scaring sharks out of the gutter, while he also anchored his vessel away from the gutter.

He also spotted grey nurse sharks on the western side of the island at locations known as Pebbly Bay, the Pinnacle and Bubble Cave.

http://narooma.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=general&story_id=544395&category=General&m=1&y=2007

[Dr. Phil]

Greetings All ... This letter, published in the Narooma News, was in response to one of the inlets near Narooma being made into a SZ  and also the NPWS closing off access tracks within an area East of the Princes Highway, in a National Park extending to the beach (a distance of about 1km). It was one of the "gifted" NPs done by Carr/Debus when the RFA's were done in this area. 

Mr. Kelly, the Batemans Marine Park manager was reported as stating, Narooma News, 10th January, page 7, that "the whole of Nangudga Inlet right up to the ocean would be closed to protect an entire estuary system."  When looked at closely this statement shows the absolute unscientific poppycock the Marine Parks Authority is starting to claim as "Science"

The Marine Parks Authority state as two of their primary objectives of Marine Protected areas are to "protect unique and critical habitats and ecosystems", and to "conserve representative biodioversity". 

How can Nangudga Inlet be classified as falling into either of these two categories?

If ever an inlet showed major degradation from the effects of adjacent timber and agricultural clearing, as well as the presence of an unsealed road (Old South Coast Road), and the road to Handkerchief beach, then Nangudga Inlet fills the bill.  How could Nangudga Inlet have been classified as an example of a system worth conserving with "lock it up and lock 'em out" status when the land adjacent to the inlet has, and will continue to cause, major degradation in the form of agricultural run-off, as well as acid soil run-off and mud from the unsealed roads?
 
Instead of trying to address the real problems with Nangudga inlet, the Marine Parks Authority has removed forever a safe prawning and fishing spot for visitors and locals.  Nangudga has been used for more than 100 years for fishing related activities without ANY damage to the system, or biodiversity.  This has to be a prime example of Authority incompetence in the planning of the Batemans Marine Park.

Meanwhile the National Parks and Wildlife Service have quietly started restricting access to the beaches South of Nangudga Inlet and Corunna Lake with large earth barriers on the tracks from the Princes Highway to the Coast.  Of course this has nothing to do with the fact that this whole coastline is now a sanctuary zone on the sea, and a National Park on the land side does it?.  These tracks have been in use for many years, when suddenly they have been identified as "sources of erosion and need to be shut down so the environment can return to normal", or similar weasel government phrases. 

[Dr. Phil]

Two weeks later I received a response from Tim Shepherd the Regional Director of NPWS in SE NSW.  Note there is NO refrence to the stupidity of Nangudja inlet being made into a SZ.  Shepherd was HEAVILY involved in the "internals" of the Batemans Marine Park.

Phillip Creagh?s claims regarding the alleged closure of  beach access tracks in the area south of Nangudga Lake in Eurobodalla National Park  are wrong (Narooma News Jan 17, 2007).

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS)  has spent a considerable amount of time and money improving access to the beaches in this area and at the same time providing protection to the important wetland at Nargal Lake.

As a direct consequence of this work access to Bogola Head, Fullers Beach and Honeysuckle can now be achieved using a conventional two wheel drive vehicle instead of what had only been accessible previously to four wheel drives. The park users spoken to over the Christmas holiday period have been very happy with the improved access.

The ?large earth barriers? Mr Creagh refers to were installed by the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) due to safety concerns for vehicles entering and exiting the Princes Highway in areas where there was insufficient sight distance.

The numerous informal vehicle tracks in the vicinity of Nargal Lake were closed because of the environmental damage being caused to this unique freshwater lake and its immediate catchment. These tracks didn?t provide access to beaches in the area and had never been properly constructed with adequate drainage. They were only accessible to four wheel drive vehicles and motor bikes.

I invite Mr Creagh to come in and discuss the management of this area and go on a tour of the area so that he will have a better understanding of the management decisions relating to this area. It will be quite obvious that the work carried out in this part of Eurobodalla National Park has nothing to do with the marine park and everything to do with responsible park management.

Tim Shepherd
Far South Coast Regional Manager
NSW NPWS

[Dr. Phil]

This is my response to Shepherd.  It contains about 10% of the ammunition I have about NPWS, both public and "not so public", from various sources.  I had to restrain myself.

Mr. Tim Shepherd, Regional Manager, National Parks and Wildlife Service, claims that I am "wrong" in my assertion that the tracks within the Eurobodalla National Park on the East of the highway, south of Nangudja down to Corunna, is another example of the NPWS closing tracks that have been used for many years by locals and tourists in accessing the eastern side of the highway (NN 14th February 2006).

Is it purely coincidence then that it is barely six months since NPWS decided to start acting the "benevolent father" and heavily restricted access to the tracks to favored fishing spots through Ben Boyd National Park, causing a furore in Eden, or is this an agenda that the senior management of NPWS have on the Far South Coast of NSW?

The issue of access to areas within National Parks first started in 1970 when the NPWS (barely 3 years old then) decided that to prevent the "environmental damage" caused by trout fishermen accessing rivers in the Kosciusko NP, the National Parks management decided to cut all access off the Alpine Way.  This led to the first fight between fishermen and the NPWS.  In those days, many of the fishermen were senior Public servants, Politicians and even Judges.  As I remember this "management decision" lasted about 6 months.

Since those days, most of the senior staff are recruited from the School of Environmental Sciences at some University.  Many of the people in the service who had gone to the "School of Common Sense" were gradually levered out, and not replaced.  Consequently, many current incomprehensible decisions, such as spending $10 on bullets to get rid of the goats on Montague Island as soon as NPWS took control, have subsequently necessitated hundreds of thousands of dollars being spent on remedial works, together with the deaths of hundreds of Penguins.  Many people believe that this could have been prevented simply by seeking advice from common sense locals, such as the Conley's, rather than a bureaucrat from Sydney.  However this "hush hush" slaughter was done without any local advice, or even an Environmental Impact Statement ... the NPWS "knew best"!

It may come as a surprise to Mr. Shepherd that the NPWS is distrusted by many people who live on the Far South Coast of NSW, as well as bushfire fighters from Dubbo, horseriders from the Snowy Mountains and one million fishermen up and down the whole coast of NSW.  This is principally due to the Minister for Conservation, Mr Debus, who has allowed his Departmental bureaucrats to be brainwashed by the extreme Green conservation groups rather than scientists, when it came to zoning within the Batemans Marine Park, amongst many other issues.

In relation to the earth barriers adjacent to the Highway, Mr. Shepherd claims this was a decision by the RTA due to "safety concerns with insufficient sight distance".  Is it mere coincidence that this is the ONLY place where the RTA decided "for safety reasons" to close off access to these roadside tracks into National Parks, between Batemans Bay and the Victorian border, or am I just being cynical?

[CEO]

   GOOD STUFF, PHIL. I remember "Timid Tim," from the huge public meeting at Batemans Bay where he tried to make a "presentation," abvout Labor's marine parks and the crowd started the chant, "Bullsh_t, bullsh_t, bullsh_t."  I'll bet he remembers that meeting too. He then turned up at the Narooma meeting, the next night but was much more subdued......remember?

[Ken]

The issue of access to areas within National Parks first started in 1970 when the NPWS (barely 3 years old then)

In relation to the earth barriers adjacent to the Highway, Mr. Shepherd claims this was a decision by the RTA due to "safety concerns with insufficient sight distance".  Is it mere coincidence that this is the ONLY place where the RTA decided "for safety reasons" to close off access to these roadside tracks into National Parks, between Batemans Bay and the Victorian border, or am I just being cynical?[/i]

In 1970 I was a member of St George Sportfishing club when access tracks in the Royal National Park were closed 'due to vehicles making their own way off the existing tracks due to unusable rough tracks'.  When asked why not maintain the tracks we were told 'there's no money and besides the best National Parks were those with NO-ONE in them'.
Times haven't changed have they!!
I don't believe you're cynical, no more so than the "Iemma party's' adds.
Being cynical would be Environmental scientists saying 'we need marine (or any) parks so that the Government can hire us to either study it or be in charge on the government payroll.' what do you know they have said that!!!