Hon Carmel Tebbutt, Deputy Premier,
Minister for Conservation and the Environment,
Level 31 Governor Macquarie Tower.
1 Farrer Place,
SYDNEY. NSW. 2000.
RE: TWEED COAST NATURE RESERVES.
Minister,
The NSW Labor Govt. has in recent time introduced Plans of Management for 3 Coastal Nature Reserves in the Tweed Shire and in so doing has banned 4WD Vehicles accessing the intertidal areas on the beaches in front of these Reserves. Fishermen and women who are resident in the Shire have not accepted the reasons given for this ban, and strongly contest their grounds for refusing access to these areas.
Initially our objections to these plans were presented to the Government through Don Page, Member for Ballina back in 2004. Successive approaches to various Govt Ministers including the then Minister for Dept of Fisheries, Hon. Ian Macdonald, who confirmed his support for our position, have continued in an endeavour to obtain minor concessions to these Plans of Management.
During a Govt Cabinet Meeting held in Tweed Heads, prior to the last election, members of EcoFishers Tweed Branch were fortunate to obtain a meeting with the Hon. Ian Macdonald to discuss their concerns over the refusal to grant access to these intertidal areas fronting Coastal Nature Reserves. His comments were positive and he believed matters could be resolved amicably. Our efforts since then to enter into dialogue with the former Minister for the Environment have been met with total silence.
I refer you to the last letter forwarded to the Hon. Verity Firth dated 31/7/08 copy of which I attach for your information and consideration. In response to all of our appeals to this DEC the silence has been deafening. A par in the ?Sun Herald? last weekend suggested the previous Minister had suffered ?paralysis? in the Environment Portfolio. We would agree with this opinion.
Attached for your information are the following:
1. Copy Letter to Verity Firth dated 31/07/08
2. Letter from Parliamentary Secy for Primary Industries
3. Extract from PoM Wooyung Nature Reserve
4. Map of Area affected by Ban.
The interested parties involved in seeking a resolution to the problem of access of the intertidal areas fronting the Coastal Reserves are:
? Pottsville Fishing Club
? Tweed Fishing Clubs Assn
? Cabarita Bait & Tackle
? EcoFishers (Tweed) representing the above as well as all fishers in NSW.
This request is not an open assault on the Management Plans for the Reserves, but a regulated approach to satisfy both parties. The Plans already cater for Commercial activities and as Amateur Fishermen?s Vehicles have accessed the same areas since sand mining was carried out in the area some 50 years ago, without any damage being done, these fishers should not be discriminated against by this exclusion.
Vehicle access to the beaches in the Tweed Shire is limited to those who purchase a Beach Vehicle Permit at a cost of $232.50 yearly. The vehicles are monitored by Tweed Shire Council Rangers and the record of behaviour of Licensed Permit Holders, cannot be faulted. No damage to any part of the beach, by Licensed Permit Holders, has been reported since the Permit system was introduced some 30 years ago.
The NPWS does not have the time or resources to enforce the current PoM, particularly as it applies to intertidal areas, whereas the Shire can and does monitor any vehicle seen on the beach
I refer you to a quote by the new Premier, Nathan Rees
?I think the public are absolutely fed up with SPIN and I?ll be addressing that quickly.?
I would like to assure the Minister that this is the case here ? ?SPIN?. An illogical rule that has no substance, yet causes much resentment against your Government.
All we are asking of you as Minister, is to have your Dept. include in Management Plans, Licensed Amateur Fishermens? Vehicles access to these areas, as has been done with Commercial Fishermens? Vehicles. This would resolve this dispute. (Refer extract of PoM Wooyung attached).
I look forward to an early and favourable reply. We would welcome your visiting Tweed Heads to hold discussions with members of EcoFishers NSW on other concerns of fishers throughout the State, many of whom are disenchanted Labor voters.
Yours Sincerely,
David Cranwell
Spokesperson for EcoFishers Tweed Branch
Tweed Fishing Clubs Assn
Pottsville Fishing Club.
