Dugong and turtle zone fines

[mackmauler]

Saw in the paper yesterday, the authorities were making noise about fining boaties $300 for exceeding the 6 knot speed limits in the vast area of southern moreton bay in the zone.

I saw dugongs in the rainbow channel last Sunday week that were far less concerned by the boat than the ones in the shallows, Me thinks a good fright in the shallows would make them more aware all the time in the channels of boat noise, they didn't say how many the numbers hit have dropped since the zones were in place but the fact is they are still being hit but the report said 4 times the number had died from causes not related to boat strikes ???

Cheers

[Jewmaster]

Its hard to find the middle ground, I agree that they need to be protected, especially the dugong as they have limited options for places to live and feed becuase they need particular enviroments, but $300.00 is a bit steep and how heavily is it policed.

Where we have the option to go and drive our boats or go fishing anywhere we want, the dugong doesn't really have that many options.

Good luck to everyone involved to come to a reasonable solution.

[Vern_Veitch]

It's the law and whether we agree with it or not, we should abide by it as responsible fishers and boaters. I do not agree with the speed limit in many places on our roads but unless I have a damned good reason to go faster because it is safer to do so (such as when passing a semi), then I do my best to comply.
Same goes on the water.
Vern

[mackmauler]

It is the law and that is the law, not to concerned with the restriction as I am always a law abiding citizen fair enough if it helps. Turtles are sitting ducks in the shallows.

If the Stats were true the dugongs must have far bigger problems than boats though, possibly natives... would of liked a mention of this in the report, anyone no why so many are perishing?

Cheers

[Vern_Veitch]

Have a close look at the photos in the paper. That is a bloody big prop and where are the skeg marks? I suggest that this animal has been hit either by a big cruiser or even a barge. This looks to be about a 3 blade 24 or even 4 blade 32 inch pitch. Not many trailer boats run props that big.
Be interesting to get the full details on this incident.
Vern

[skippa]

Vern,

yep, have to agree with you , the 'prop marks' on the dugong look a lot bigger than a ordinary trailer boat could inflict, and I'm not sure that many cruisers are capable of travelling across the banks north of Peel.

If this guy was hit by a cruiser, or anything bigger, you can bet he was probably in a channel. But, as they say a picture is worth a 1000 words, and if you are going to use a picture to prove 'a' point you might as well use a good one!


cheers,
skippa 8)