The Great Sandy Straits Closures

[BAIT_MAN]

17 September 2006

The Great Sandy Straits Closures

I am concerned about the accuracy of the report by Gary Fooks on Dave Downie’s radio program this morning in relation to closures and restrictions in relation to the Great Sandy Straits and Fraser Island.

My understanding from the documents available on the Internet and also the Great Sandy Straits Marine Park map which I have in my possession – copies of which are readily available to the public in the Great Sandy Straits region, provide the following in formation:

The Marine Parks (Great Sandy) Zoning Plan 2006 was

1. Approved by the Governor in Council on 24 August 2006
2. Notified Gazette and effective on 25 August 2006
3. Commenced on date of notification with remaining provisions commenced 31 August 2006 Restrictions effective on 31 August 2006

Given this information, anyone heading to Fraser Island and the Harvey Bay Region should assume that the new marine park regulations are in place and should regulate their activities accordingly to avoid unnecessary confrontations with authorities and fines.

Regards Shane Boese

[Poodroo]

Hey there Shane, after having seen first hand the amount of litter on Fraser Island this year when I was there earlier I am not surprised that there are more and more closures. People (mostly tourists and backpackers I think) are visiting the island with disgusting habits and very little respect for the beauty of these places and I have always thought that one of two things were going to happen. Either closures or total banning from the Island. The point is if I notice how much litter there is then the rangers and police would also be noting it. The bad always spoil it for the good.

Poodroo

[seatime]

Hi Shane

Here's the legislation concerning the Great Sandy Marine Park ; in force 31st August 2006. hope it helps

regards
Steve


http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/Se...oc/06SL229.pdf

[Gorilla_in_Manila]

Derreck gave the heads up when it happened:
http://www.ausfish.com.au/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1157022068

(as well as bringing the topic up on the proposed closures at the time to make submissions).

I was surprised to find it had already fallen back to page 3. Buried under the weight of all the election posts.

Cheers
Jeff

[fishingjew]

DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR ?


11. Government Protecting Overfishing in Sandy Straits Marine Park –Marine Group Claims
Source: Australian Marine Conservation Society
9 November 2005
Today, the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), Australia's leading marine conservation organisation, called on the QLD Government to protect more of the Great Sandy Marine Park from the ravages of overfishing.
Craig Bohm, National Fisheries Campaigner with AMCS, said "The draft zoning plan for the Great Sandy Marine Park will still allow fishing in over 95% of the park. This is not sustainable, not scientific and should not be tolerated."
"AMCS has reviewed the scientific report on overfishing recently released by the National Parks Association of QLD, and we concur that commercial fisheries in the Great Sandy region are in decline." Bohm continued.
"The QLD Government must protect a minimum of 20% of each marine habitat in Great Sandy Marine Park in 'no-take' green zones. This is what scientists for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority recommended, and in the end we saw the Australian Government protect 33.4% of this park in green zones" Bohm said.
AMCS was a co-convener of the Great Sandy Conservation Workshop held last Sunday and Monday at Hervey Bay. The workshop saw over 40 conservationists gather to review the QLD Government's draft zoning plan for the Great Sandy Marine Park (Northern Region).
Bohm said: "We heard from marine scientists at the workshop that overfishing in the Great Sandy Marine Park can be addressed through using an independent scientific process to develop the park's zoning plan. Unfortunately, the draft plan reads like Swiss cheese - lots of holes in it and very little to protect our fish stocks or marine environments."
Bohm concluded "There are too many trawlers, gillnets, traps, pots and lines. It is no wonder it is getting hard for a recreational fisher to occasionally catch a feed of fish in the area". WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT WHEN ALL THEY WHAT TO DO IS LOCK RECREATIONAL FISHERS OUT I KNOW THIS IS OLD BUT SOUNDS THE SAME AS WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO IN MORETON BAY

[Derek_Bullock]

DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR ?


11. Government Protecting Overfishing in Sandy Straits Marine Park –Marine Group Claims
Source: Australian Marine Conservation Society
9 November 2005
Today, the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), Australia's leading marine conservation organisation, called on the QLD Government to protect more of the Great Sandy Marine Park from the ravages of overfishing.
Craig Bohm, National Fisheries Campaigner with AMCS, said "The draft zoning plan for the Great Sandy Marine Park will still allow fishing in over 95% of the park. This is not sustainable, not scientific and should not be tolerated."
"AMCS has reviewed the scientific report on overfishing recently released by the National Parks Association of QLD, and we concur that commercial fisheries in the Great Sandy region are in decline." Bohm continued.
"The QLD Government must protect a minimum of 20% of each marine habitat in Great Sandy Marine Park in 'no-take' green zones. This is what scientists for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority recommended, and in the end we saw the Australian Government protect 33.4% of this park in green zones" Bohm said.
AMCS was a co-convener of the Great Sandy Conservation Workshop held last Sunday and Monday at Hervey Bay. The workshop saw over 40 conservationists gather to review the QLD Government's draft zoning plan for the Great Sandy Marine Park (Northern Region).
Bohm said: "We heard from marine scientists at the workshop that overfishing in the Great Sandy Marine Park can be addressed through using an independent scientific process to develop the park's zoning plan. Unfortunately, the draft plan reads like Swiss cheese - lots of holes in it and very little to protect our fish stocks or marine environments."
Bohm concluded "There are too many trawlers, gillnets, traps, pots and lines. It is no wonder it is getting hard for a recreational fisher to occasionally catch a feed of fish in the area".

Yep, sounds familiar because it is. Old news, look at the date. It came out last year. We were well aware of the views of the AMCS when The Great Sandy Marine Park was being debated back then.

It's law now and the Govt wont be changing it. What we have to be careful of is that they dont increase the current 4% of closures up there. That they could do without any furthur consultation now that it is formally gazetted as a Marine Park.


Derek

[davo]

The bottom line for Sandy Straits is that restrictions have been made to Rec. fishos in the yellow zones but those little red lines on the map mean that the pros can go for it

[Derek_Bullock]

The area you refer to (yellow and red stripes) is called the Great Sandy Designated Area. Below are the restrictions.


Derek

Great Sandy Designated Area
The Great Sandy designated area recognises the importance of commercial and recreational fishing by allowing for commercial net, line and beam trawl (in the Mary River only) fishing and recreational fishing at 3 lines/rods per person with a combination of 6 hooks.

[RASA]

Wide Bay Rural Report
Wednesday, October 4, 2006


Marine park map mayhem
There's been no fines or infringement notices issued to users of the 'Great Sandy Marine Park' since the State Government's new zoning plan came into effect at the end of August.
Fishing has been heavily restricted and conservation area's boosted in waters off Fraser Island and along the Wide Bay coastline, but both recreational and commercial fishers are confused, claiming they still don't have clear maps or signage outlining where they can or can't fish.
The green zones are strictly no take area's while the yellow zones allow limited commercial netting.
Urangan Branch chair of the Queensland Seafood Industry Association, Des Finlay, says knowing the exact location of the zones is proving difficult especially for those without GPS technology.
A Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services (QPWS) spokesperson says maps are currently available on the EPA website and the EPA is currently double-checking the coordinates on the zoning map.
Once these have been confirmed the spokesperson says hard copy maps will be available and distributed.
Currently there is no signage in the region but QPWS says it will install markers and implement signage for the marine park later this year.


Bob Smith