Great Sandy Marine Park

[BigEnuf]

The new zoning is going to become law mid 2006.

http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/media/parks_and_forests/marine_parks/great_sandy_zoning_plan.pdf

I would be interested in any comments. I will use your feedback in my next correspondance. Below is a letter I felt I had to send to the local member.

Mr Andrew McNamara

I¡¦m a regular visitor to the Hervey Bay and Fraser Island region and I am a property owner in Tin Can Bay. After seeing the new area zoning restrictions for the Great Sandy Marine Park (GSMP) I can conclude that our governing bodies and regulators are out of touch. I note the Article in the Hervey Bay City Independent page 6, April 20 2006, penned by yourself in relation to the GSMP. ¡§I noted with interest that the caravan parks and beaches were abuzz with activity during the period (Easter) and I thought to myself that this level of activity clearly indicates how Hervey Bay is pushing forward as a favourite destination for holiday makers, which can only bode well for the future¡¨ ¡V Do you, Mr McNamara, know why all these people visit the Fraser Coast? Do you, Mr McNamara wish to be re-elected?

We are faced with the opportunity to create a tourism mecca of unprecedented proportions. Eco Tourism on Fraser Island, Whale Watching, Dugongs and Turtles if managed well will keep the cash registers working. You add to this the unique opportunities for the recreational fisherman ¡V winners all round.

The zoning is a mixture of inequity, inefficiency, confusion, thoughtlessness and lack of foresight. The future that bodes so well according to you, Mr McNamara, will do so on the back of trawling and netting these waterways. There are so many fundamental flaws in the proposed GSMP zoning I can¡¦t possibly list them all, however here are some obvious ones:

„± There is little consistency in the GSMP zoning and that of the GBRMP ¡V users of the waterways will undoubtedly run foul of the law simply through these inconsistencies
„± How can you conserve an area and maintain commercial netting ¡V Did you, Mr McNamara, think of this all by yourself?
„± Fraser Island is World Heritage Listed! Just make sure you do not venture past the high water mark where you are quite likely to end up in a commercial net.

How do I go about getting a shooters license for Fraser Island?

The future of this area is Tourism. By far the largest pillar supporting the local economy will be centred on the fact that you can go and see a Whale, a Dolphin, a Dugong, a Turtle and catch a fish with your family.

Mr McNamara ¡V I hope you have plans outside of politics.

Rob Watkins

[BAIT_MAN]

Rob,

I agree with what you are saying. When I read the article on the 20 February 2006 by Malcolm Cole, the State Political Correspondent where it was quoted that Premier Peter Beattie and Minister Desley Boyle were quoted stating that zoning issues were to be deferred "because we wanted to give people the chance to put their case to us .... before that decision is made" I was indeed hopeful that government was going to pay attention to the voices of the people who actually use the region.

Forgive me if I have missed something, but I seem to have missed the "public consultation" between 20 February 2006 and today. Where, When and How was this consultation take place? Who was consulted? I may not live in the Great Sandy Straits region, but I am a regular visitor to the area and fail to see how allowing commercial netting to continue, yet restricting the activities of recreational fishermen can be considered a balanced conservation/management effort.

[BigEnuf]

Shane
Only just got your post!

I will be doing what I can to raise public awareness of these issues. Public consultation has been sloppy at best. The sad fact is that if these changes are enacted you can bet they will roll into the rest of Southeast Queensland. The result is a backward step for our fisheries.

I have spoken to many who generally agree with me but no one seems to make any noise. I hope there are some Ausfish people that are prepared to do something. At lest post their concerns. When these types of changes start to impact Moreton Bay it will be too late.

Rob

[lippa]

¡V Do you, Mr McNamara, know why all these people visit the Fraser Coast? #Do you, Mr McNamara wish to be re-elected?

How do I go about getting a shooters license for Fraser Island?

love these comments, by the wat did you get an answer to your letter?

keep up ya hard work

cheers

lippa

[lee8sec]

Has anyone seen a detailed map yet? Like to see where the actual boundry is for the differant areas. Leigh

[Derek_Bullock]

Sorry to put a damper on your enthusiasm folks but the public consultation finished early last year. Following that was "behind closed doors" consultation with everyone but recreational fishing groups.

You have missed the boat as it is now finished and a done deal.

You can see all of the details on heaps of threads here if you care to read them.

The EPA website at http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/parks_and_forests/marine_parks/great_sandy_marine_park/ has all the details.


Derek

[karana]

Yes, "public" input has finished.

If you put in your input that did not agree with the 'desired' outcome by the planners it was ignored and behind closed doors any input that agrred with the desired outcome was lionised.

This is a further case of rorting a system. Can perhaps Sunfish give us their idea on what they did and what their views were and curently are? I have heard they are prepared to go along with whatever is agreed because agreeing with the status quo doesn't put their sell out money, oops government funding, at risk.

[karana]

Yep I have seen it but perhaps an explantion of 'does not get the protection it deserves" really mean. Are they only talking about protection from commercial fishermen or are others considered?

I remmber full well when Sunfish joined forces with Greenpeace to help defeat the shale oil project. Greenpeace still celebrates that day. We got fully sold on a cheap stunt on that day and it has got progressively worse.

[tshort]

Talking with some of the locals on the weekend, they seem to think that the pro's now have greater areas to net eg. in the burrum and creeks where were previously no go for them. I cant remember reading about this, who knows if its true.