Latest Marine Park Plan fails to find balance
For immediate release - 18th April 2006
The latest Great Sandy Marine Park Plan, released by the State Government over Easter, has some improvements for the tourism industry but is also more detrimental for tourism operators in other areas.
Fraser Coast South Burnett Tourism General Manager Damien Massingham today said that despite receiving a comprehensive and balanced submission from the Tourism Industry, which was endorsed by most stakeholders, the State Government has failed to take heed of some of the key recommended solutions.
"The Plan released on the weekend does not provide full details so there are still some unanswered questions", Mr Massingham said.
"From the information that has been provided there are some positive improvements in this latest Plan which include
Restrictions on bait gathering deleted
Increased areas of Marine National Park Zones
Increased areas of Habitat Protection Zones
Increased area of Conservation Park Zone off the Hervey Bay foreshore
Tourist fishing restriction changed in Conservation Park Zone (where non-conforming activity allowed) from 1 line / 1 hook to 3 lines / 3 hooks"
"Some of the negative components of the Plan include
Still 1 line / 1 hook restriction on tourist fishing in Conservation Park Zones. Tourism Industry submission recommended bag limits instead, as these are more effective and enforceable
Beam trawling and commercial netting allowed in the Mary and Burrum Rivers and most of the Great Sandy Strait
Conservation Park Zone has not been extended from Gatakers Bay to Theodolite Creek, but still allows beam trawling and commercial netting in this area which will severely restrict tourist fishing in the Toogoom, Burrum Heads and Woodgate areas
Trawling is still allowed to continue in Platypus Bay which impacts sensitive marine life and sends the wrong message to the tens of thousands of tourists who go whale watching in this area every year
Conservation Park Zones on the western beach of Fraser Island have been deleted while Beam Trawling and commercial netting has been allowed in these areas, which is a backward step for tourists
Sportfishing Charter operators seem to be severely impacted due to tourism submission recommendation on Zones around Little Woody Island and Duck Island being ignored
Charter Fishing Operators severely restricted due to tourism submission recommendation on zone location at Rooney’s Point being ignored
No system established to allow commercial fishermen currently operating in the Fraser Coast to choose to continue their operations or accept a voluntary buy back of their license while restricting any further commercial fishing operations in the Fraser Coast"
"Also the current Plan does not provide any detail on proposed Go-Slow areas or proposed restrictions on Whale Watching operators."
"The Fraser Coast Tourism Industry provided 28 recommendations to assist the State Government to find workable solutions to the many issues surrounding this proposed Plan. Some of these recommendations have been implemented and for this the Government is to be applauded. It would seem though that this latest Plan does not find the balance required between all users of the Marine Park area," Mr Massingham said.
Government Response to Recommended Solutions
[ Download- Gov Response File ] (Adobe Acrobat - 237.572KB)
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