What do the scientists say about Moreton Bay

[BAIT_MAN]

What do the scientists say about Marine National Parks?
University of Queensland, Ecology Centre Director, Professor Hugh Possingham - 2006
“Only 0.5 per cent of the Bay was fully protected”, UQ ecology centre director Hugh Possingham said.

“No-fishing zones in Moreton Bay need to be expanded 20 times just to meet the lowest international standards for protecting marine areas”

Source - Article in The Courier Mail - 26 August (2006)

James Cook University Ecologist, Professor Gary Russ – 2006
James Cook University ecologist Gary Russ said “0.5 per cent was inadequate [level of no-take protection for Moreton Bay - ed], and lessons could be drawn from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, where 33.4 per cent was set aside for total protection”.

"We could learn lessons from our own state. At least (the GBR 'green' zones) give us a guideline on what can be achieved in Moreton Bay," Professor Russ said. "These won't be fish in a glass cage. Some will move out of the protected areas”.

“The area set aside for no-fishing zones in Moreton Bay is totally inadequate and merely a token gesture, ecologists claim”

Source - Article in The Courier Mail 2 September 2006

[Adamy]

Huh?? Was that

“The area set aside for no-fishing zones in Moreton Bay is totally inadequate and merely a token gesture, ecologists claim”

???

So theres areas set aside??? Which areas?? or are they talking about the areas like flat rock that are already no-go zones??

Can anybody clarify??

Adam

[dfox]

I'd say places like tripcony in the bribie passage would be one, thats a no take area...foxy

[seatime]

Huh?? #Was that

“The area set aside for no-fishing zones in Moreton Bay is totally inadequate and merely a token gesture, ecologists claim”

???

So theres areas set aside??? Which areas?? or are they talking about the areas like flat rock that are already no-go zones??

Can anybody clarify??

Adam

Hi Adam

There are Protection Areas at:
Tripcony Bight
Peel Island
Willes Island
Swan Bay
and McCoys Creek in Moreton Bay.

Outside the bay there is a Protection Area at Flinders Reef, and the GNS protection zones.


regards
Steve

[seatime]

Here's the link to the map of zoning in MB.

http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/media/park.../mbzonemap.pdf

Here's a link to a recent paper on 2 of the above protection zones.

http://www.amcs.org.au/default2.asp?active_page_id=307

sampling criteria isn't mentioned ? and THEY think if THEY use the word 'empirical' enough times someone may believe THEM and THEIR studies.
They failed to highlight the many variables involved in sampling, like time of sample, conditions when sampling etc, they were happy with the muddies however.

regards
Steve.

[Adamy]

Oh OK... I'll call the dogs off... been doing too much conspiracy theory stuff... I thought Shane was talking about some NEW areas that had been set aside (as a token gesture)... my bad!!

[T1]

Righto fella's, the good oil is that the proposed closures of 50% is bulls%it!? Was speaking with someone in the EPA last week and that person stated that the EPA was very peeved off at these unfounded allegations that were started by the Greens! The person went on to state that if they could get 1% of Moreton Bay closed to protect fishing stocks they would be ecstatic!

Please don't shoot me for this post - i'm simply passing on a conversation i had with someone from within last week.

Take Care T

PS: please also don't ask for further info about the source - it is strictly confidential....

[Derek_Bullock]

Thats very interesting considering just about 1% is already green zones.



Derek

[T1]

Thats very interesting considering just about 1% is already green zones. #



Derek

Derek, they claim that the current green zones represent 0.5%.

Take Care T

[The_Walrus]

The real problem that has to be fixed in the bay is polution and rampant developement destroying the fore shores.

Fix the water and most problems would be well under controll.

Of course, fishing closures and more restrictions based on dubious 'science' is much easier that fixing polution.

Luc

[Hornblower]

Greetings and Salutations fellow Ausfishers,

Got to agree with you Luc, but it needs to go further then that and I don't mean wholsale closures. I mean, as well as the pollution issues, we need to fight de-salination - more the dumping of the excess salt from this process into the bay, give more resources to our fisheries officers people and police in order to fight those irresponsibles who take the undersized fish in nets etc. - not having a go at professional fishermen but more aimed at that minority of grubs of a certain ethnic background who take everything from the water and use it in their restaurants (not having a go at that ethnic minority as a whole of course - just the environmental rapists.

It is easy to over react with the recreational fishermen - why?? Because we are the most visible people out there. Those irresponsible so and so's will be fishing the no take zones, as well as taking undersized fish etc, it will not phase them in the slightest, and they will not be affected. It is not fair that it is always us that get targeted.

Cheers