16th October, 08
Hon. Nathan Rees,
Premier of NSW
Governor Macquarie Tower
1 Farrer Place
SYDNEY. NSW. 2000
Dear Sir,
I am sure that you know that the Labor Govt in NSW is looked on very unfavourably by the electorate at this present time, and I know that you are attempting to turn this view around. However I would like to bring to your attention a group of influential voters who are totally disenchanted with the policies of the Govt., and that group is the Fishing Fraternity of NSW.
This fraternity, sick of batting their heads against a brick wall to no avail, have formed the East Coast Organisation of Fishers, better known as ECOfishers. This organization has grown as a result of ill conceived policies being forced upon Fishers in NSW and ECOfishers is now recognised as the face and voice of Fishers in this State.
.The ?Green Party? whose support in the Upper House has been sought by the Govt. are growing strongly and winning over disenchanted Labor voters to earn seats and a greater voice in governing NSW. However their Environmental Policy, supported by this Government, is to ?Lock Nature Reserves up and throw away the key?. They are highly emotional and irrational if challenged on scientific grounds as to the inaccuracy of their statements.
ECOfishers believes strongly in ?Conservation through Sustainable Use? ? making people part of the Solution to environmental and ecological degradation.
To this purpose, Fishers have been endeavouring to enter into dialogue with the Dept of Conservation and Climate Change since 2004, to retain Beach Access for Licensed Permit Holders of 4WD Vehicles to the Intertidal areas fronting Coastal Nature Reserves. However the Government, in its wisdom, has ignored our approaches and worse do not even answer correspondence to them. They have taken the big stick approach ?We make the Rules ? You do as you are told?.
This is not acceptable to Residents of this area who fish for recreation, particularly when Commercial Fishermen are allowed access to these areas without restriction.
Mr. Rees, ECOfishers (Tweed), now request that you, the Premier, ask the Deputy Premier and the Minister for Conservation and Climate Change, the Hon. Carmel Tebbutt MP, to review the Plan of Management for Wooyung Nature Reserve (lately gazetted), and bans access for Tweed Shire Council Licensed Beach Permit Holders to the Intertidal Area in front of this Reserve. Amateur Fishers have traversed these beaches without causing any harm since wheels were first put on vehicles, and we who drive these beaches know how discriminatory and unjustified is this lockout.
All we are asking of you as Premier, is to have the Dept. of Conservation and Climate Change include in Management Plans, TSC 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).
Attached is a map of the Wooyung Reserve. Permit Holders? Vehicles have had their beach access area split in two. A driver can access 800m of the beach then has to return to the access point and drive out to the Coast road to the next access point 4.5kms away. This access point again only allows the fishers to traverse 800m of beach before reaching the boundary of the Nature Reserve. Beach fronting the Reserve is 2.5km. Access to the intertidal area (not the dunal area) in front of the Reserve would stop this nonsensical situation.
This Reserve that is being so protected was subject to Sand Mining and is still accessible to Commercial Fishermen, who use far more vehicles and tow boats along the area that amateur fishers are supposed to damage if they traverse the beach. I am sure that you can see what a farcical situation has developed.
These Tweed Coast fishers are the very people who helped to defeat the sitting Labor member at the last election. They are sick and tired of being ignored when they are asking for a just and fair solution. Fishers at voting points at the last election handed out leaflets and wore Tshirts advising all and sundry that the Labor Govt was banning them access to their own beaches. The reaction then was not organised but with the advent of ECOfishers, the Tweed Branch has the support of the whole State of fishers and we point out that this could have a considerable effect on the outcome of the next election.
I hope that sanity can prevail, and I look forward to an early reply from your office.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.
Yours Sincerely,
.
David Cranwell
Spokesperson for ECOfishers (Tweed Branch)
Tweed Coast Fishing Clubs Assn
Pottsville Fishing Club.
