jaybee
09-08-2004, 06:25 PM
Last Update: Thursday, August 5, 2004. 7:42 AM (AEST)
The number of breaches of regulations in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park have more than halved since the introduction of new protection zones last month.
Federal Government legislation closing off more than 30 per cent of the marine park to fishing activity was enacted on July 1.
Since then only six breaches have been recorded by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, compared with a monthly average of 15 before the new zones were introduced.
The authority's Bruce Kingston says he hopes that is due to the public education campaign and an acceptance of the zones by the community.
"The figures certainly show that people know what they have to do, there's usually about 15 offences recorded a month...and in the last month, July, there was only six," he said.
"Weather may have played a part in that, but certainly we think you'd have to live under a rock not to know the rule changes had been made and where to get a map."
The number of breaches of regulations in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park have more than halved since the introduction of new protection zones last month.
Federal Government legislation closing off more than 30 per cent of the marine park to fishing activity was enacted on July 1.
Since then only six breaches have been recorded by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, compared with a monthly average of 15 before the new zones were introduced.
The authority's Bruce Kingston says he hopes that is due to the public education campaign and an acceptance of the zones by the community.
"The figures certainly show that people know what they have to do, there's usually about 15 offences recorded a month...and in the last month, July, there was only six," he said.
"Weather may have played a part in that, but certainly we think you'd have to live under a rock not to know the rule changes had been made and where to get a map."