South Australia needs World Class Sanctuary Zones

The South Australian Government has released draft proposals of the size and location of sanctuary zones in South Australia's marine parks.

The proposed sanctuary zones will not protect the regions unique marine life or help make fishing activities sustainable.

Marine sanctuary zones will be the parts of South Australia's marine parks that protect marine life by preventing all extractive activities such as fishing and drilling for oil.

At the 2010 state election, the Labor government committed to put in place sanctuary zones in marine parks that meet international standards based on management design principles that are proven to protect marine life.

These management design principals are not being followed as many of the proposed sanctuaries are too small, some are in the wrong place and many are too fragmented to ensure marine life is protected.

Importantly, they will not help make South Australia's recreational or commercial fishing activities sustainable.

Fish stocks are under increasing pressure in South Australia.

Catch-rates for the iconic Rock Lobster in the southern zone have been in decline for seven years so sanctuary zones would act as an insurance policy to help underpin a sustainable fishing industry in South Australia.

Marine science proves that by following a few simple rules, South Australia could have world class marine parks that will conserve marine life and ensure industries dependent upon the marine environment are sustainable for future generations.

You now have a real opportunity to call upon the State Government to honour its pledge from the last election and establish sanctuary zones that meet International Standards.

Below is a link to a literature review of over 350 'peer reviewed' scientific papers on Marine Parks. Well worth reading
http://adelaide.academia.edu/MelissaNurseyBray/Papers/39394 /More_than_Fishy_Business_A_Literature_Review_of_marine_parks


also please find a link to a fact sheet highlighting the 'Tall Stories' being told about marine parks. again well worth reading.
http://www.wilderness.org.au/pdf/TallstoryFINAL.pdf

For more information on what you can do email sa.marine@wilderness.org.au

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• sanctuary
• marine
• zones
• wilderness
• society
• fishing
• recreational
• extractive
• unsustainable
• labor
• commercial
• marine parks

[TJwildernessSA]

We need marine sanctuaries so that all marine species to be able to exist in their own right. It is about building the resilience of our marine environment and protecting the important areas for ecosystem functioning to be able to be sustainable. Fishery management is different from conservation management!But they can complement each other. It is long over due our marine environment was given protection

[TJwildernessSA]

@MICKSWINCH I agree there is alot of misinformation going around - one that marine parks are completely no take - this is a complete untruth. As i am involved with the campaign material production I would be interested in what information you are referring to? and whether you opinion is based upon personal opinion or fact.

[fr33zie187]

Become a fan of "SA marine parks" on facebook and show your support.

[danstancobra]

Considering that the smaller species, that spend most of their lives living in the areas that are mostly effected by the things we do on land, and as most reports show are the species in most danger and in greatest need for protection, your no take areas will do nothing to protect them but instead increase the pressures on them by having a larger number of the their predators in the area, and what will happen to the species anglers target when they run out of food in that area?

[MICKSWINCH]

Michael Pengillymp for finness – The Wilderness Society have sent me correspondence which is absolute garbage. There are many stories going around, which most are incorrect.



[danstancobra]

how will a no fishing area protect the species that are eaten by the fish angler’s target?

[danstancobra]

@MICKSWINCH Very good point, be carful that our attempt to improve the our ocean isn’t responsible for the destruction of other countries oceans, and the health of our kids, by importing more poor quality polluted sea food from developing countries. Who have very poor fishing practices, look at what the push for eco fuels has done to them, land which was once used to grow there food is now used to grow fuel for rich countries. We feel good about our selves but their kids are starving

[danstancobra]

@TJwildernessSA in less then 500 characters

[danstancobra]

You talked about the difference between environmental management as oppose to fisheries management. We have fisheries management to look after the species we target already, yes! they probably could be improved as I’m sure they will as we learn more. We all understand that generally if you remove fishing from an area, it will have a greater number of species anglers target, please explain one thing to me, how will a no fishing area protect the species that are eaten by the fish angler’s target?