Minister said he will honour Marine Parks Election Promises

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Taken from Fishing Worlds email newsletter

Govt comes good on marine park pledges

12 Dec 2013

THE federal Environment Minister has confirmed he will honour marine park promises made to anglers in the lead-up to the election.

The Coalition’s recommitment to its election pledges comes as a senior Labor Party MP admits for the first time that the previous government’s anti-fishing policies were a mistake.

According to a press release from the Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation, the peak body representing angler interests nationally, Environment Minister Greg Hunt said the Government would come good on its promise to “suspend and review†the controversial marine parks process initiated by Labor and the Greens.

The Minister’s announcement came at a parliamentary breakfast organised by ARFF this week in Canberra.

Senior ALP shadow minister Joel Fitzgibbon, one of four Labor MPs at the breakfast, said his party would “reconsider†its marine park policies in the aftermath of Tony Abbott’s landslide election win.

The former Labor government had planned to lock anglers out of more than 1.3 million square kilometres of Australian waters.

Minister Hunt said the review process would take up to 18 months with angling groups led by ARFF being guaranteed “close and genuine consultationâ€.

Other announcements made at the breakfast, which was attended by more than 100 federal politicians, government officials and recreational fishers, included plans for a Recreational Fishing Council to improve engagement with the recreational fishing community on key policy issues as well as the establishment of a “Friends of Fishing Parliamentary Groupâ€.

ARFF MD Allan Hansard said the breakfast “showed that recreational fishing, Australia’s largest sporting leisure activity, can and should transcend political boundariesâ€.

Full details of the 2013 ARFF Parliamentary Breakfast can be found at:
/>http://www.arff.com.au/index.php/rss/30-government-recommits-to-election-promises-for-recreational-fishers

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It's a start, which is much better than the 'end' under the Greens.

[Binder]

Be like the other conservative Govt's who have promised the same, lots of promises, lots of investigations, very little delivery.

I'd call it less of a start, more of a stopping of the advance, but still very welcome from that aspect.

[Gad]

Labor, Greens,PEW Slam Marine Park Decision
/>http://www.skynews.com.au/national/article.aspx?id=934109

Labor, the Greens and conservation group PEW have slammed what the government's decision to undo years of work by scrapping management plans for the world's largest marine park network.

In a decision announced late on Friday, Environment Minister Greg Hunt said Governor-General Quentin Bryce had re-proclaimed new Commonwealth marine reserves, invalidating Labor's management plans and exclusion zones which would have come into effect next July.

He said all Commonwealth marine reserves and parks, including the new Coral Sea Marine Reserve, would stay but there would now be new management plans, as promised in the election campaign.

'Labor's proposed changes would have meant it was against the law for recreational fishers to cast a line at some of their favourite fishing spots across the country,' he said in a statement.

Fishers welcomes the move.

Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation managing director Allan Hansard said Labor's plan to lock fishers out of vast areas of ocean was done to meet a political agenda.

'Australia's recreational fishers should not be locked out of marine reserves unless, after a thorough comparative assessment with other activities such as diving, tourism and defence activities, there is a good scientific reason to do so,' he said in a statement.

Labor environment spokesman Mark Butler said the government had used obscure powers to undo 20 years of work started under the Keating Labor government and continued under John Howard.

'The management plans for the marine reserves were based on extensive scientific analysis and informed by serious community and industry consultation - now we will see this all happen again, possibly setting these protections back by a good two years,' he said in a statement.

Pew Charitable Trust oceans director Michelle Grady said there was clear and overwhelming public support for safeguarding marine areas and the marine park process had been one of the most consultative in Australia's history.

'This decision casts doubt over a 15-year effort that garnered broad support from scientists, fishermen, conservationists, business leaders, and many others,' she said in a statement.

Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said this decision gutted Australia's marine parks.

'The Government is pretending they are committed to marine parks, but this decision effectively eliminates them. This isn't about marine protection, it is about the Government's mates in fishing and industry,' she said in a statement.

[ellicat]

Suck eggs you retards !!!! hahahaha

Cry me a river !!

[Gad]

Taken from Fishing World email newsletter

Greens Upset As Anglers Celebrate Marine Parks Win

16 Dec 2013

By Fisho staff writers

ANTI-FISHING groups are outraged that plans to lock anglers out of federal marine parks have officially been canned by the Abbott Government.

The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) and the Save Our Marine Life organisation have posted online protests saying they are “not happy†about the Government’s move last Friday to remove management plans which would have banned anglers from 1.3 million sq km of iconic sportfishing territory.

Meanwhile, the Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation (ARFF) has welcomed the Government’s reversal of the lockout plans.

“We are pleased the Coalition Government has listened to Australia’s recreational fishers and are conducting a scientific review of the proposal, which will give a sensible balance for Australia’s unique marine environment,†ARFF’s Allan Hansard said.

“It was clear that the decisions to ‘lock’ recreational fishers out of vast areas of our seas by the previous government was not scientifically based and was done to meet a political agenda.â€

The Government’s marine parks announcement marks an historic win by the recreational fishing sector against powerful international environment groups, including the US-based Pew organisation which spent millions of dollars in its failed attempt to ban fishing across huge swathes of Australian territorial waters.

Fisho understands that Pew campaigner Imogen Zethoven, the chief architect of plans to ban all fishing in the Coral Sea, no longer works for Pew in Australia.

Zethoven’s divisive policies and no compromise stance on the Coral Sea issue is considered by many pundits to have been a key factor in motivating widespread angler opposition to marine parks plans.

Fisho also understands that Pew’s local staffers now think the Coral Sea plans were a “mistake†and that Zethoven made “errors in judgement†when dealing with the angling sector.

Mainstream media reports on the weekend said Environment Minister Greg Hunt had announced that the Government would retain all national marine reserves and parks, including their boundaries, but would redraft management plans controlling activities such as recreational fishing.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported ARFF as welcoming these changes because anglers would now have a “greater say in a new marine management schemeâ€.

“I have asked my department to begin work on a marine reserves review to consider what management arrangements will best protect marine ecosystems and accommodate the many industries and recreational fishers that use our oceans,†Mr Hunt is reported as saying.

Meanwhile, the AMCS and Save Our Marine Life have come under fire for banning anglers from making comments on their social media sites. It is understood anglers making what they describe as “responsible and legitimate†posts on the AMCS and Save Our Marine Life Facebook pages have been banned.

No explanation has been provided for this action, anglers told Fisho today.

A spokesman for Keep Australia Fishing (KAF), the national advocacy organisation responsible for many of the campaigns opposing the lockout plans, said it was “understandable†that environment groups were disappointed that their marine park campaign had failed.

The KAF spokesman said groups like the AMCS and Pew should now reconsider their anti-fishing policies and work with anglers to develop better policies for marine protection.

“KAF and other angling groups are happy for the environment groups to help us enact our plans involving improving habitat, reducing pollution and stopping industrial overfishing,†the spokesman said.

“Anglers are leading the way on these and many other important issues and it’s probably time the environment groups did something positive to help out.

“They are more than welcome to get involved with us in our plans to ensure that future generations can enjoy sustainable access to clean, healthy oceans teeming with fish and other marine animals.â€

Fisho understands KAF and other angling groups have already been approached by at least one environment organisation which reportedly wants to “work with†the angling sector.

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Quote [The KAF spokesman said groups like the AMCS and Pew should now reconsider their anti-fishing policies and work with anglers to develop better policies for marine protection.

“KAF and other angling groups are happy for the environment groups to help us enact our plans involving improving habitat, reducing pollution and stopping industrial overfishing,†the spokesman said……

“They are more than welcome to get involved with us in our plans to ensure that future generations can enjoy sustainable access to clean, healthy oceans teeming with fish and other marine animals.â€] end quote.

What part of the FACT, does KAF and other ‘voices of the rec fishos’, not get. The fact is this Federal Government review has only come about due to a change of government, NOT a change of rabid green lock it up and keep locking it up policies.