Marine Parks News

[Nete-Quette]

MP questions marine park plan

The NSW Government has come under attack for its 22,000 hectare Cape Byron Marine Park plan.

The park extends from Brunswick Heads to Lennox Head.

More than half of it will be open for general use, 27 per cent is protected in sanctuary zones and 19 per cent has been identified as a habitat zone.

Tweed MLC Jon Jenkins says recreational angling will be wiped out.

He says legitimate alternatives were available to the Government.

"These weren't just suggestions against the marine park, these were alternatives, legitimate scientifically-based alternatives for the zoning regulations based on good protection of fish breeding grounds, but still allowing fishermen who fish for food or for recreation or for both to access reasonable fisheries," he said.

"As its stands at the moment they've basically got nothing."

http://abc.net.au/news/australia/nsw/northcoast/200512/s1520509.htm

[mad mitch]

question ?

              will the general use zone, only be zoned in the marine desserts or will it incorporate reefs headlands etc ......

cheers mitch

[Tarki]

Mad Mitch, 
            About 50% of the Cape Byron Political Park is General Use Zone. It is all sand, mile after mile of it and of no use to any one except the destructive trawlers. It is kilometres offshore and of no General Use to anyone else. The trawlers get to use it 365.25 days a year while the offshore family fishers have been given 28 ha of intermittent reef in exposed ocean waters for ony FOUR months each and every year. The Labor government calls that" conserving the biodiversity and balancing sustainable use." What bloody hypocrites. Check it out for yourself on the Marine Park web site at mpa.nsw.org.au    That's the type of thing we are fighting against. I've joined ECOfishers Newcastle,lend my support to an essential cause. I'm not old enough to play bowls or Bridge. So how about joining and giving us a hand?