Weedy Sea Dragon. Photo: Nature Coast Marine Group Facebook.
Conservation groups are outraged at the relaxation of rules within the protected waters of the Batemans Marine Park.
Member for Bega, Andrew Constance and NSW Agriculture Minister, Adam Marshall last week announced that five sites had been identified for increased access prior to the summer school holidays – Brou Lake (South), Clarks Bay (Freshwater Bay), Forsters Bay, Montague Island (East and South) and Nangudga Lake.
The changes include:
Brou Lake South
• Catch and release recreational fishing will now be permitted.
Montague Island South and East
• Recreational fishing activities will now be allowed (including line, spear, trap & net, hand haul prawn net).
• Fishing will be restricted to protect grey nurse sharks between 1 November and 30 April each year
Clarks Bay – Freshwater Bay and Forsters Bay
• Recreational fishing activities will now be allowed (including line, spear, trap & net, hand haul prawn net).
Nangudga Lake
• Recreational line fishing and prawning using a hand held scoop net will now be permitted.
Mr Constance also flagged further changes with a broader review of the Marine Park currently underway.
“Tragically a lot of these areas weren’t locked up for any sound ecological reason, meaning recreational fishers missed out simply because of senseless politics,” he says.
In response, the National Parks Association of NSW (NPA) and the Nature Coast Marine Group say there are no good reasons for the changes. Both groups are concerned that the widening back of the rules has happened prior to the bigger review of the Marine Park being completed or presented to the community.
“At a time when the community is demanding governments lift their game on environmental protection, Minister Marshall has taken a huge step backwards, removing protections from the breeding fish stocks that drive the productivity of our South Coast fisheries,” NPA Executive Officer Gary Dunnett says.
“Astonishingly, the Minister’s media release acknowledges that they are stripping protections before a review of the Batemans Marine Park management plan is completed. The Marine Estate Management Act has strict requirements for public consultation, yet here we have a Minister rushing to a dreadful decision before completing the statutory review triggered by his government.
“Sidestepping the statutory process shows that the Minister is unwilling to confront the science – these sanctuaries are essential to the health and productivity of our southern coasts.”
The Nature Coast Marine Group says it saw the changes coming and has been trying to stop the push by local member Andrew Constance over the last 12 months.
“Recreational fishing will henceforth be permitted in sanctuary zones at Montague Island, Wagonga Inlet, Brou Lake and Nangudga Lake,” spokesperson Bill Barker says.
“There are good reasons why these sanctuary zones exist. They allow for protection of biodiversity in the wide variety of habitats in the marine park, they promote conditions for the flourishing of marine flora and fauna and protect threatened species, including grey nurse sharks, black rockcod, shorebirds and seagrasses. All these values will now be undermined.”
“No scientific justification has been put forward for the changes, which in addition undermine the integrity of the zones as scientific reference areas.
“In addition, these cut backs to sanctuary zones have not been considered by the Batemans Marine Park Advisory Committee, on which we are represented, or any other forum representing the wider community.
“We are particularly disappointed because we met with staff from the offices of both Agriculture Minister Marshall and Environment Minister Kean in the past couple of months to express concern about the Constance proposals.
“Mr Marshall subsequently wrote to us to say that “any proposed change to sanctuary zones would need to be subject to public consultation for a minimum of two months as required by legislation.”
Mr Barker and the Nature Coast Marine Group are encouraging those concerned to write to the Member for Bega and NSW Agriculture Minister.
Batemans Marine Park extends from the most northerly point of Murramarang Beach near Bawley Point to the southern side of Wallaga Lake entrance at Murunna Point. For more check the DPI website.
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