Thanks to Steve for the invitation to lay out the facts - as unbiased as I can.
What's all this talk about closures to Moreton Bay? Well … no one knows for sure, but it is certain that there will be dramatic changes.
The facts as we know it:
1. Queensland Marine Parks must be reviewed every ten years and Moreton Bay is due for review in 2007. This park covers from Caloundra in the north to the southern tip of South Stradbroke. It includes the lower reaches of estuaries even as far as Coombabah Lake and at least 6 klm east of the islands.
2. Well organized and funded conservation groups have been lobbying for more than a year for 50% closures of the entire park. One Group alone, the ACF has a $7m annual budget.
3 There is a firm commitment to further restrictions and more parks. As the government web site says: In keeping with the Queensland Government's commitment to establish marine parks from the Gold Coast to the Gulf of Carpentaria, a number of new marine parks are proposed.
4 The Government has made no announcements or plans. With an election about to be called in Queensland we will not hear any unpopular news about closures until after the election.
If we don’t know what’s planned what we can learn from other recent Marine Park Closures/reviews?
1 There will be definite plans to significantly restrict recreational fishing. In the Great Barrier Reef they closed 33% in area but took nearer to 80% by taking the best areas. They did this by asking “where do you fish so we don’t take it accidentally” then zoned those exact areas as green. (no fishing)
2 In the Great Sandy Straights Park (Hervey Bay) there will be large areas that are “protected” from recreational fishing but open to commercial fishing and even aquaculture.
3 The decisions will be made in political deals and lobbying. Science was ignored, damage to business and economy was ignored up north. Petitions and protest meetings made little difference in the north. The closure of 33% of the Barrier Reef was a political deal: Howard did a deal with the Democrats to get the GST passed in the Senate.
What is being done?
Various groups are meeting, forming alliances and making plans. The pity is that that means we are 2 years behind the better organized greenies. Sunfish, Some Clubs, The Fishing Party and individuals are all calling meetings and calling for help.
What can I do?
Get one of the experts like Rick Huckstepp or the Fishing Party to speak at your fishing club - then get the club to decide to write or protest or help hand out how to vote cards at the election.
Organize letters to your local member - just say the Park needs to be fair and based on science - and not just to get the Green preferences at election.
Think carefully about your vote at the next election. It’s a tough choice.
Labor has changed from the workers party to a greenie party. Remember the Tasmanian timber workers in the last election? Labour said they would save the trees not the jobs.
Liberals and Nationals also have some green policies but will probably reduce the closures.
The Fishing Party will never win government. But if you decide to make your vote a protest vote at the other parties then they are the best choice. The more votes they get the more the government will listen to us and the less to the Greens.
Greens and Democrats? If they win then take up Golf and sell the boat quick, before the price crash.
For more government details and maps see http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/parks_and_...s/moreton_bay/
Thanks for reading this. I am not an expert but have learned a lot about politics in the last year. The above is a bland and I tried to be unbiased - accept it as that. I wont argue or comment further on this post except where clarification is sought.
Gary
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Originally Posted by Reel Nauti
