So Debus reckons no economic impact of Marine Parks? Bollocks!!!

From Narooma News (emphasis added):

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Trawlers bow out
By Stan Gorton
Wednesday, 26 July 2006

THE Batemans Marine Park appears to be the final blow for an already suffering trawl industry with the majority of the fleet expected to tie up for good.

But the impact on the other smaller operators who make a living from inshore waters ranging from line and net fishers in small boats to abalone divers is not so clear.

The trawlers which have for generations dragged flathead and other species off the seabed would be the biggest producers of seafood from marine park waters.

But according to the chairman of the Bermagui fishing co-operative Rocky Lagana all but one or two of the dozen trawlers currently licenced to operate between Ulladulla and Bermagui will probably accept the State government buy-out.

As part of the Bateman Marine Park planning process the depart of Primary Industries is making available $8.5 million for fishing operations most affected by the park zoning with the maximum pay out capped at $350,000.

With many of the trawlers struggling the make a living with declining catches, higher costs and the uncertainty of the marine park, Mr Lagana said the buy out could come at just the right time for some operators.

Then were however one of two trawlers still making good money and these operations could stay on the water, however there was still a great deal of uncertainty for all involved.

Batemans Marine Park manager Cameron Westaway said while trawling would be banned from the habitat protection zone that made up much of the park, other types of fishing including line fishing would still be allowed.

Fish traps, not kingfish traps, would also be allowed while those set lining for school and gummy sharks would no longer be allowed to use unlimited numbers of hooks with specific hook restrictions coming into play.

These and other restrictions would impact on the small-scale inshore fisher such as Ron Snape who fished estuaries in winter and the coastal waters around Montague Island and other park waters in summer.

Mr Snape said debts he owed on his business meant he was not able to stop fishing but the uncertainty were making him think perhaps he should just cut his losses.

"I want to know what the vision of Environment Minister Bob Debus and the State Government is, do they actually see fishermen working these waters in years to come or do they just want fishing to stop altogether," he said.

A spokesman for State Fisheries Miniter Ian McDonald said it was not appropriate for the minister to describe his vision given the buy out and zoning was a work in the progress.

The spokesman did however say experienced Fisheries Department staff who had worked on buy outs at Sydney Harbour and Byron Bay would be processing and approving the buy out applications, which were due by August 18.

Mr Westaway said he was confident that the buy out would be fair and timely.

"There will still be commercial fishing in the marine park and hopefully the buy out will remove enough of the effort to ensure a viable fishery for those who remain," he said.