Derek_Bullock
12-03-2006, 04:03 PM
Once again the AMCS uses unsound scientific information to push for increased fishing closures. See the following press release.
MEDIA RELEASE
1 March 2006
Scientific Panel Declares Commonweath Marine Parks a Failure
A report released yesterday, prepared by the Australian Government’s South-east Scientific Reference Panel has declared the Australian Government’s proposed system of marine protected areas a failure.
The report states, ‘The {proposed marine park} system fails to meet the {biodiversity} design specifications and is unlikely to achieve the Comprehensive Adequate and Representative aims fully…’.
The report goes on to suggest that the areas excluded from protection are, ‘those most under threat from human impacts, especially from direct fishing impacts…’ and that, ‘the highly productive areas of the south-east have been largely excluded’.
Kate Davey, Director of the Australian Marine Conservation Society, who has been leading the conservation campaign on this issue said, “this comes as no surprise to the conservation sector who has been concerned for some time that the Government is only playing lip service to biodiversity protection and sustainable fisheries’.
‘We are now in a situation where the Australian Government’s proposed marine park system fails to protect marine life and marine habitats from their greatest threats – overfishing, seabed trawling and mining.”
Ms Davey continued, “The Australian Government is proposing to protect a tiny 3.1% of the continental shelf and upper slope in no-take fully protected areas. However, this is where most of the wildlife is found and most of the fishing occurs’.
The World Parks Congress in 2003 recommended that to contribute to a global target for healthy and productive oceans at least 20-30% of each marine habitat is fully protected.
‘Given the Scientific Panel’s findings, the Australian Marine Conservation Society now sincerely hopes that the Environment Minister, Senator Ian Campbell, will reconsider his options and ask Australia’s marine scientists to develop a system of marine parks in the south-east that meets this conservation target’, concluded Ms Davey.
Contacts: Kate Davey – Office: 07 3393 5811 or mob: 0409 986 897
Summary of Report Findings by the South-east Scientific Reference Panel
Reference: General Comments on the Proposed Candidate Marine Protected Areas, South East Region, February 2006 by the South-east Scientific Reference Panel to the Australian Government
MEDIA RELEASE
1 March 2006
Scientific Panel Declares Commonweath Marine Parks a Failure
A report released yesterday, prepared by the Australian Government’s South-east Scientific Reference Panel has declared the Australian Government’s proposed system of marine protected areas a failure.
The report states, ‘The {proposed marine park} system fails to meet the {biodiversity} design specifications and is unlikely to achieve the Comprehensive Adequate and Representative aims fully…’.
The report goes on to suggest that the areas excluded from protection are, ‘those most under threat from human impacts, especially from direct fishing impacts…’ and that, ‘the highly productive areas of the south-east have been largely excluded’.
Kate Davey, Director of the Australian Marine Conservation Society, who has been leading the conservation campaign on this issue said, “this comes as no surprise to the conservation sector who has been concerned for some time that the Government is only playing lip service to biodiversity protection and sustainable fisheries’.
‘We are now in a situation where the Australian Government’s proposed marine park system fails to protect marine life and marine habitats from their greatest threats – overfishing, seabed trawling and mining.”
Ms Davey continued, “The Australian Government is proposing to protect a tiny 3.1% of the continental shelf and upper slope in no-take fully protected areas. However, this is where most of the wildlife is found and most of the fishing occurs’.
The World Parks Congress in 2003 recommended that to contribute to a global target for healthy and productive oceans at least 20-30% of each marine habitat is fully protected.
‘Given the Scientific Panel’s findings, the Australian Marine Conservation Society now sincerely hopes that the Environment Minister, Senator Ian Campbell, will reconsider his options and ask Australia’s marine scientists to develop a system of marine parks in the south-east that meets this conservation target’, concluded Ms Davey.
Contacts: Kate Davey – Office: 07 3393 5811 or mob: 0409 986 897
Summary of Report Findings by the South-east Scientific Reference Panel
Reference: General Comments on the Proposed Candidate Marine Protected Areas, South East Region, February 2006 by the South-east Scientific Reference Panel to the Australian Government