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Fishing party's rally an attempt to wedge marine communities |
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Wednesday, 01 March 2006 |
Today's rally outside Parliament House against marine parks off Bateman's Bay and in Port Stephens is an attempt to drive a wedge between conservationists and fishers to secure votes for the Fishing Party," Cate Faehrmann, Director of the Nature Conservation Council said today.
"Well known political players are behind the planning of the rally and the bulk of attendees are likely to be party political supporters of the Fishing Party," Ms Faehrmann said.
"Conservationists, fishing communities have worked constructively together in the past but the Fishing Party is attempting to divide local communities.
"Organisers of the rally are spreading misinformation, suggesting that if river and ocean water quality was cleaned up, fish populations would recover.
"River and ocean water quality does need to be cleaned up, but the rally organisers have failed to acknowledge that overfishing is the main cause of fish shortages, and that 'no-take' sanctuaries are needed to allow fish to breed.
"Fishing will still be allowed inside marine parks. But it is important to have samples of each habitat type protected from fishing by marine sanctuaries to allow fish to live and breed.
"The fishing industry actually benefits from marine parks because overall fish numbers increase both inside and outside the sanctuaries," Ms Faehrmann said.
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