Marine plants a better view than expensive court visit

[Fisheries Queensland]

Queensland Government
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

4 February 2014

Marine plants a better view than expensive court visit

A Springwood man has been fined $10,000 in the Caboolture Magistrates Court after being found guilty of damaging protected marine plants to improve the view at his Pumicestone Passage property.
Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) officer Vaughan Heath said the fine reflects the seriousness of the offence.
“Cutting down or destroying marine plants on Queensland shores is illegal and incredibly destructive to Queensland’s fisheries resources,” Mr Heath said.
“The Fisheries Act 1994 protects all marine plants in Queensland including mangroves, seagrass, salt couch, and in specific circumstances Melaleuca and Hibiscus species, regardless of whether marine plants are on private, leasehold or public lands, or alive or dead.

“It is illegal to:

• hedge, trim, lop or spray marine plants with herbicide
• remove marine plants for river views or other aesthetic reasons
• remove mangroves or salt couch from a beach or foreshore
• run machinery over marine plants
• fill tidal lands
• dump garden waste (e.g. grass clippings and pruning) onto tidal areas.”

Mr Heath said the future sustainability of Queensland’s recreational, commercial and indigenous fisheries was at stake if fish habitats were not protected.

“With 75 per cent of Queensland’s fish species dependant on estuaries and fish habitat areas for part of their life cycle, these environments are incredibly important for fishing,” he said.

“Disturbances to marine plants, however minor, have a cumulative effect that can lead to a long-term decline in local fish production and general aquatic health.

“Even hedging can change the productivity of the mangroves and reduce the number of animals that live beneath the canopy due to excessive shading.

“We hope this prosecution will make people think twice about damaging protected habitat areas.
“Damaging marine plants can carry a maximum penalty of $330,000.”
Residents are encouraged to help protect marine plants and report any damage to the 24 hour, toll-free Fishwatch hotline 1800 017 116.

For more information on marine plant protection, visit www.fisheries.qld.gov.au or call 13 25 23.

Follow Fisheries Queensland on Facebook and Twitter (@FisheriesQld).

Media: Jodana Anglesey, 3087 8601

[Lucky_Phill]

Thanks for the information FQ.

Hope the same rules apply to the proposed second runway in Brisbane that appears to want to destroy many acres of mangrove foreshore ?

cheers LP

[Bobpen]

Toondah Harbour: Lest we forget.
http://www.baysidebulletin.com.au/st...revamp/?cs=213

[Ausfish]

“Disturbances to marine plants, however minor, have a cumulative effect that can lead to a long-term decline in local fish production and general aquatic health."

Hmmm, does this apply to Toondah Harbour, Curtis Island, Airport Runway........... ?

[Camhawk88]

Not if they are classified State Significant Projects and are rubber stamped by the CG.

The best you can hope for is offsets which are invariably a donation to the Ecofund which is used to fund many offsets but hardly any of them of fisheries value.

For example, a heap of prime fisheries habitat (mangroves) can be removed in Brisbane with the offset being used to fund a new national park declaration on Cape York. Hardly going to help fisheries habitats is it.

And that is not the fault of FQ either- I'm sure that is a bone of contention for many who work in the department.

[Bobpen]

Re: State Significant Projects:
I can see some point in fast tracking essential Port infrastructure but water front units and marinas. Give me a break. If the channel needs dredging go for it but the rest is nonsense.
For Cleveland locals the tallest Norfolk Island Pines at Toondah are about 30 metres or ten stories.

Regards BobPen

[Hossfish]

Hi guys.

I think it is very important to protect marine habitat but is it just me or do the penalties seem a little severe.

It dosn't say if this guy was a first time offender or not so i assume he is. $10.000.00 for a first offence with a maximum of $330,000.00 when compared to some very lenient penalties for other crimes in the community i.e coward punching, just seems a little excessive.

Don't get me wrong, as i said preserving marine habitats is very important its just that I'm not sure the penalties are commensurate with the offence compared with offences to the community in general.

Safe boating to all.

Cheers Greg

[Haji-Baba]

I wonder how the mangroves along the "Bribe Passage" in front of "Clarks Oyster Shed" will go when the new develpoment gets started ???????

How will the Fisheries and local Council re-act to any clearing???? I think I already know.

And while we are on the job has any one had a good look at "Wrights Creek" lately ?????

It was a good creek till some one put in two pipes in place of the bridge that was originally there. Definately stopped the tidal flow to the complete detriment of the creek.
Now full of sand and it won't be long untill the whole creek is completly stuffed.

Just saying.

Have fun Haji-Baba.

[Haji-Baba]

Mangroves slowly receding from each side of "Clarks Old Jetty" Bribie Passage".

May not be long before they all catch some very isolated disease.

Just saying.


Have fun Haji-Baba