ARFF. Media Release.

[Lucky_Phill]

Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation The Voice of Australia’s Recreational Fishing Community




Media Release - 25 May 2012
Go for Gold on Marine Parks – A Superior Environmental Legacy for all Australians
During meetings with Environment Minister Tony Burke, leaders of Australia’s recreational fishing community urged that Australia’s five million recreational fishers not be ‘locked out’ of any proposed Commonwealth Marine Reserve System.
Big foreign multinational environmental groups have waded into Australia’s Marine Park planning process demanding the Government zone thousands of kilometres of Australia’s oceans to ‘green’.


“The green proposal would effectively lock Australia’s recreational fishers out of these areas forever,” said Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation (ARFF) spokesman Allan Hansard


“This would result in devastating economic and social impacts on the hundreds of Australia’s coastal communities that rely on recreational fishing.


“We asked for the Minister not to be influenced by the multi-million dollar campaigns of the multinational environmental organisations.


“A better approach, which would be in Australia’s interests, would be to turn the proposed ‘Green lock-out zones’ into ‘Gold zones’.”


Minister Burke originally proposed ‘Gold zones’ in recognition of the unique relationship between recreational fishers and Australia’s high conservation marine environment. This initial approach provided the highest environmental protection to areas of significant marine biodiversity and allowed Australia’s recreational fishers to experience these areas under strict enforceable rules.


“Why Gold is better than Green?


“Turning Green zones into Gold zones will:


 allow Australia to meet its international obligations for marine conservation and become a world leader in marine protection;
 allow superior conservation protection, monitoring and compliance for Australia’s unique marine biodiversity;
 not ‘lock out’ Australia’s recreational fishers from Marine Parks but will allow them to assist in their protection, monitoring and compliance so future Australians can experience these unique and iconic areas; and
 preserve economic and social benefits to Australia’s coastal communities.


“Minister Burke has the chance to provide a superior environmental, economic and social legacy for all Australians through the Marine Park planning process by turning green into gold. We urge the Minister to ‘Go for Gold’.


“Australia’s recreational fishers are the bushwalkers of the sea.
“Locking recreational fishers out of Marine Parks is akin to locking bushwalkers out of terrestrial National Parks – it should only be done if there is a sound scientific reason to do so. We cannot see any reason to do so.”


The Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation (ARFF) is the newly formed national peak body representing Australia’s Recreational Fishing Community and is supported by the Australian Fishing Trade Association (AFTA), Recfish Australia, Game Fishing Association Australia (GFAA), Sunfish Queensland, Amateur Fishing Association of the Northern Territory (AFANT), Recfishwest, Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) NSW, Underwater Skindivers and Fishers Australia (USFA); and the Australian National Sportfishing Association (ANSA).




ENDS
Media Contact: Alice Logan Edwards
Mob: 0419 464 270
Email: alice.loganedwards@afta.net.au

[Macks forever]

Thanks for that Phill.
First I have heard of ARFF.
Who are they exactly?
What is their relevance to Qld? Is it just another Recfish Australia? Are they going to establish a branch or division in Qld? Do they have individual members or are we looking at just another 'peak body'?

[finga]

Thanks for that Phill.
First I have heard of ARFF.
Who are they exactly?
What is their relevance to Qld? Is it just another Recfish Australia? Are they going to establish a branch or division in Qld? Do they have individual members or are we looking at just another 'peak body'?

Here's some blurb
http://afta.net.au/site/media.php?task=detail&id=0015

Funnily enough the new national peak body to represent recreational anglers don't seem to be involved in this. The National Recreational Fishing Conference
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