Lucky_Phill
04-03-2009, 08:22 PM
This is a extract from the AFANT News
Afant News
AFANT Email InDepth #5 (http://www.afant.com.au/blog/?p=105)
March 3, 2009 on 3:33 pm | In Fishy News (http://www.afant.com.au/blog/?cat=4), InDepth (http://www.afant.com.au/blog/?cat=5) | AFANT Email InDepth #5
4 March 2009
RECREATIONAL FISHING IN NT MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
Minister Kon Vatskalis made a very significant announcement at the AGM concerning the future of recreational fishing in Marine Protected Areas that are planned for NT waters. Warren de With had the following to say:
“Another challenge which could threaten our access is the development of marine protected areas by both the Commonwealth and NT Governments.
Our fishing colleagues in other states have been locked out of large areas of some of their best fishing locations often for no better reason than political pandering to green voters and the so-called conservation movement. The more radical of these groups will not be satisfied until they have virtually wiped out recreational fishing.
Their latest push is to have recreational fishing banned from the whole of the Coral Sea and to also have it banned or severely restricted in a new marine park that they want in NSW to run from Wollongong to Newcastle.
The current catch cry from these groups and the governments who are implementing their agendas is that we have to remove all human impacts in some areas in order to ensure biodiversity conversation — they will simply not ever accept that biodiversity conversation and properly regulated recreational fishing can happily coexist.
There is no reason why recreational fishing should be subject to this same type of action in the Northern Territory — our fisheries have so far been well managed, our fish stocks are healthy, our water quality is excellent, our marine biodiversity is not under threat and the vast majority of our recreational fishers are responsible in terms of their concerns for our fish and the environments they live in.
This could well emerge as a major issue in 2009 and we will all need to make our position very clear to government if it does.
We should not allow ourselves to be put in a position where unjustified access restrictions will be put in place by our own government — particularly as they gave us a further commitment to “boosting fishing infrastructure and access” in the 2008 election campaign.”
Minister Vatskalis responded as follows:
“I would like to say yes the government is prepared to close areas but the government is not prepared to have the same issues like in other states. If areas are to be closed, amateur fishermen will go fishing and I will go with them. So no marine protected areas closed off to amateur fishermen. The only intention is to close areas to the commercial sector and, for obvious reasons, for the protection of species.”
This was a very welcome response from the Minister and it is significant news. It means that we can now move on with the planning for Marine Protected Areas in the NT with some confidence.
FYI, the AFANT rang me today to ask for access to photos of our Protest rally to be used in their News letter. Our fight has gone national. It IS on the front page.
SOBA , Eco-Fishers and recreational fishing in general is becoming a known force and gaining respect within the various Government bodies.
Cheers Phill
.
.
.
.
Afant News
AFANT Email InDepth #5 (http://www.afant.com.au/blog/?p=105)
March 3, 2009 on 3:33 pm | In Fishy News (http://www.afant.com.au/blog/?cat=4), InDepth (http://www.afant.com.au/blog/?cat=5) | AFANT Email InDepth #5
4 March 2009
RECREATIONAL FISHING IN NT MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
Minister Kon Vatskalis made a very significant announcement at the AGM concerning the future of recreational fishing in Marine Protected Areas that are planned for NT waters. Warren de With had the following to say:
“Another challenge which could threaten our access is the development of marine protected areas by both the Commonwealth and NT Governments.
Our fishing colleagues in other states have been locked out of large areas of some of their best fishing locations often for no better reason than political pandering to green voters and the so-called conservation movement. The more radical of these groups will not be satisfied until they have virtually wiped out recreational fishing.
Their latest push is to have recreational fishing banned from the whole of the Coral Sea and to also have it banned or severely restricted in a new marine park that they want in NSW to run from Wollongong to Newcastle.
The current catch cry from these groups and the governments who are implementing their agendas is that we have to remove all human impacts in some areas in order to ensure biodiversity conversation — they will simply not ever accept that biodiversity conversation and properly regulated recreational fishing can happily coexist.
There is no reason why recreational fishing should be subject to this same type of action in the Northern Territory — our fisheries have so far been well managed, our fish stocks are healthy, our water quality is excellent, our marine biodiversity is not under threat and the vast majority of our recreational fishers are responsible in terms of their concerns for our fish and the environments they live in.
This could well emerge as a major issue in 2009 and we will all need to make our position very clear to government if it does.
We should not allow ourselves to be put in a position where unjustified access restrictions will be put in place by our own government — particularly as they gave us a further commitment to “boosting fishing infrastructure and access” in the 2008 election campaign.”
Minister Vatskalis responded as follows:
“I would like to say yes the government is prepared to close areas but the government is not prepared to have the same issues like in other states. If areas are to be closed, amateur fishermen will go fishing and I will go with them. So no marine protected areas closed off to amateur fishermen. The only intention is to close areas to the commercial sector and, for obvious reasons, for the protection of species.”
This was a very welcome response from the Minister and it is significant news. It means that we can now move on with the planning for Marine Protected Areas in the NT with some confidence.
FYI, the AFANT rang me today to ask for access to photos of our Protest rally to be used in their News letter. Our fight has gone national. It IS on the front page.
SOBA , Eco-Fishers and recreational fishing in general is becoming a known force and gaining respect within the various Government bodies.
Cheers Phill
.
.
.
.