By Adam Holmes
A group advocating for more marine protection areas is disappointed that discussion on the issue quickly deteriorated once again, saying the Greens lacked enough detail in their policy, and the Liberals were being misleading.
Mike Jacques, who runs Tasmanians for Marine Parks, has been calling for a respectful discussion since the Hodgman Government introduced a moratorium shortly after taking office.
Marine parks make up 6 per cent of Tasmania’s waters, but half of that includes the distant Macquarie Island, far below requirements of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.
Mr Jacques – who dives throughout Tasmania with the Seadragons Diving Group – says the marine parks offer a vital sanctuary for species, and has observed the difference in the size of aquatic life and their behaviour within their boundaries.
The Tasmanian Greens announced a policy of creating marine parks for 10 per cent of the state’s waters, as well as renewing the Marine Protected Area strategy.
This prompted an immediate response from Primary Industries Minister Guy Barnett, who said the policy would “lock up an unknown number of your family’s favourite fishing spots”, among other claims.
The debate followed a similar course to the mid-2000s, when a marine park for the Bruny bioregion – only to cover a small area – was misleadingly described as covering a vast area. It resulted in the marine park process coming to an abrupt end.
Mr Jacques said, on this occasion, the Greens’ stating “10 per cent” of Tasmania’s waters was too vague and prompted the response from Mr Barnett, which he described as “regrettable”.
“The government is correct in pointing out that at some point, (the Greens’) policy statement will need to be backed up with more detail,” he said.
“The minister gets too emotional, even equating marine parks with an assault on family outings and a harmless bit of angling at the shack. It references vague statistics which make the kinds of marine parks proposals that are actually being talked about sound bigger than they are ever likely to be.
“People who love fishing do not need to be made to live in fear. Tasmanians for Marine Parks thinks that everyone should be able to go out for a fish, and also have a reasonable chance of catching something when they get to their favourite spot.”
The group has called for small areas within each of Tasmania’s eight bioregions to be set aside for marine parks, rather than “broadscale” areas. The international standard is for a five kilometre coastal strip.
Source: https://www.theadvocate.com.au/
