Burke's Coral Sea Plan

[Gad]

Link to draft of marine reserve and relevant details

/>http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/mbp/coralsea/

I have severely cropped the original article.

Taken from 25-11-11 Fishing World Email Newsletter

25 Nov 2011

By Jim Harnwell

AUSTRALIAN anglers are set to benefit from the proposed creation of what is essentially a massive sportfishing-only zone, following the release today of the federal Government's long awaited draft plans for the Coral Sea.

However, political pundits are warning that anti-fishing groups will stage a last ditch effort to ban angling in the Coral Sea as well in other areas around the nation.

The proposed Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve covers almost a million square kilometres of ocean. Under the draft plan, significant areas of the outer Coral Sea will be closed to all fishing, providing important protection for iconic species and habitats. However, sportfishing opportunities will be enhanced across the western half of the zone with major reductions in commercial effort and the creation of Catch & Release zones around key reefs.

However, the Government's plans for the Coral Sea will likely face stiff opposition from environmental groups which for the past two years have pushed for the entire area to be closed to all fishing. Angling activists are concerned that anti-fishing groups will now unite to put pressure on the Government to place more restrictions on the Coral Sea.

"It seems that extremist groups like Pew have been rightly ignored by the federal Government in favour of the balanced approach put forward by sensible mainstream voices in both the recreational fishing sector and the grown up environmental movement," said Martin Salter, the former British MP who this year produced the landmark Keep Australia Fishing report.

"The plans released today seek to protect a fragile and important ecosystem whilst recognising the very real differences between the impact of commercial and recreational fishing. This is something we argued for in our Keep Australia Fishing report along with the designation of special rec-only Catch & Release areas to facilitate responsible and sustainable sportsfishing.

While there seems to be no doubt that the next three months of public consultations will see robust debate about the future of the Coral Sea, sportfishing leaders Fisho spoke with today reveal that Tony Burke's plans for our federal fisheries are regarded as "innovative" and "positive".

Damon Olsen, the owner of Nomad Sport Fishing, the internationally regarded charter operation which for the past decade has pioneered C&R sportfishing in the Coral Sea, describes the Burke plan as "the best" he's seen.

"I think the draft plan is a major success for recreational and charter fishing interests, and shows the global significance of this area from a sportfishing perspective," Olsen said.

"This is quite likely the best proposal for any marine reserve I have ever seen tabled in Australia, including the 2004 rezoning of the GBR, and shows a lot of serious thought, effort and understanding from the team behind it. I particularly think that the proposal of a catch & release, or sportfishing, zone in the Coral Sea is a significant step forward for fisheries and marine area managers in Australia.

Olsen told Fisho that he believed "the severe limits placed on potential longline fishing in most of the Coral Sea is also a massive environmental leap forward in regards to protection of all pelagic fish in the Coral Sea".

"This is sure to see improvements in yellowfin tuna stocks locally. The overall summary of the plan is that it effectively provides access for non-damaging or non-extractive activities, while still protecting huge areas of the Coral Sea. It offers a solution that not only protects the Coral Sea, but one that allows (recreational fishing) to be actively promoted and to benefit from the new zoning."

Details of the public consultation process can be found at www.environment.gov.au/coasts/mbp/coralsea.

[tugger]

This is good news and a step forward in the right direction

Limiting longlining can only be a good thing lets hope it passes through with little change