SURFERS WANT TO FILLET ABBOTT

MEDIA RELEASE: July 28, 2010

The peak coastal organisation Surfrider Foundation Australia has come out strongly against Tony Abbot’s sudden ban on new marine parks and has accused him of “eco vandalism” and “dog-fish-whistling”.

“The claim that marine parks harm tourism and fishing is totally untrue and irresponsible” said the Chairman of the Surfrider Foundation Australia Board Dr Rex Campbell.
“Fishing and fish stocks improve greatly near areas where marine parks and sanctuaries have been created.”
“While Mr Abbott was filleting the 4kg Barramundi yesterday, I had to ask myself, was he fish-mongering or scare-mongering?” said Dr. Campbell. “Plus I wondered if the barramundi got to be 4kg only because it grew up in a protected sanctuary?”.

Surfrider Foundation is calling on all political parties to proclaim more marine sanctuaries, not less, to ensure protection against overfishing, oil spills, shipping hazards, whaling, offshore pollution and to grow tourism.

It would appear that Mr Abbott is purposefully blurring the line between marine parks and No Take zones, which typically are a small percentage of any marine park. Marine parks themselves constitute a miniscule amount of Australia’s nearly 36,000 kilometres mainland coastline and the 24,000 kilometres of island coastline.

Marine parks are multiple-use, meaning that a wide range of activities, including fishing, are allowed in many areas.

Marine sanctuaries are smaller areas within the marine park and are no-take, meaning that fishing and extractive activities such as oil drilling, is not allowed.

“The fishing industry scare campaign surrounding marine parks has been very successful, but the facts do not back up the fears. Marine sanctuaries  actually help tourism and help recreational fishing.”

“I was heavily into fishing and diving long before I rode my first wave”, says Surfrider Foundation Australia Director Gene Hardy.
“I’ve recently been holidaying in an area within the iconic Ningaloo Marine Park, and enjoyed incredible fishing near large marine sanctuary areas.”

“It’s a simple concept, preserve some reasonably large areas as breeding / conservation areas and you are going to get spill over into your mixed fishing zones.”

“It’s not about stopping people fishing – sanctuaries work.”

“In fact the last thing anybody wants, especially serious fisherman, is to decimate our fish stocks so that no one can go fishing.”

“I want my daughter’s children to be able to catch their dinner the same way I have.” Said Mr Hardy.

“Surfrider Foundation fights for a clean oceans, not “cleaned out” oceans and calls on the Coalition to review this policy as this proposition simply will not stand up. Where these things are in place, coastal communities do well.” said Dr Campbell.

Media contact:

Dr Rex Campbell 0423 889 899
Brendan Donohoe 0422 900 501

info@surfrider.org.au

More Information:

Marine parks are multiple-use, meaning that a wide range of activities, including fishing, are allowed in many areas. Marine sanctuaries are smaller areas within the marine park and are no-take, meaning that fishing and extractive activities such as oil drilling, is not allowed.  They protect fish stocks and provide safe breeding grounds for fish and other species.  Spillover from these sanctuary zones enables sustainable fisheries and allows for fishers to come back year after year and catch their quotas.  Sanctuaries become an ‘engine room’ for fish production.  One recent study shows that one large female dhufish of 98cm was capable of producing the equivalent number of eggs as 11 60cm dhufish. (StJohn, 2009).

Ningaloo Marine Park in North Western Australia is an example of a marine park.  34% or 88, 365 acres are made up of sanctuary zones.  The remaining 66% is made up of general use, recreation, and special purpose zones.  Recreational fishing is allowed in all of those areas.  Rottnest Island off of Perth hosts a successful marine park and the one of the sanctuary zones (Kingston Reef) have 50x more legal lobsters and 100x higher egg production (Babcock et al., 2007).

Babcock, R.C., Phillips, J.C., Lourey, M., Clapin, G.  Increased density, biomass and egg production in an unfished population of Western Rock Lobster (Panulirus cygnus) at Rottnest Island, Western Australia. CSIRO Marine Research, Private Bag No. 5, Wembley 6913 WA, Australia

R. Lenanton, J. StJohn*, I. Keay, C. Wakefield, G. Jackson, B. Wise and D. Gaughan Spatial scales of exploitation among populations of demersal scalefish: implications for management. Part 2: Stock structure and biology of  two indicator species, West Australian dhufish (Glaucosoma hebraicum) and  pink snapper (Pagrus auratus),  in the West Coast Bioregion Final FRDC Report – Project 2003/052

Surfrider Welcome the Plastiki!

Surfrider Foundation Australia were proud to welcome and cheer on the arrival of The Plastiki at Darling Harbour this morning.

The Plastiki and crew have reached the end of their epic voyage which has taken them through the Pacific Ocean on an 8,000 nautical mile adventure lasting over 130 days! The team arrived midday today at Sydney’s Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour to an excited crowd of friends, family and supporters, including members of Surfrider Foundation Australia.

The Plastiki cabin has been home to 10 members of crew over the 4 month journey; Skipper Jo Royle, Co-Skipper David Thomson, Expedition leader David de Rothschild, Olav Heyerdahl, Graham Hill, Luca Babini, Matthew Grey, Max Jourdan, Singeli Agnew and Vern Moen. All of whom have witnessed the polluted waters of the Pacific, affirming their mission to share their experience with the watching world and most importantly highlight solutions to protect our oceans and beat waste.

For more information on the Plastiki check out theplastiki.com

Surfrider reiterrate the Plastiki’s message of Reduce, reuse, recycle and rethink use of single-use plastics in Australia.

Burwood Beach Treatment plant – Have Your Say

Dear Surfriders and Friends,

Access to clean water is a fundamental desire for most surfers, and there’s an opportunity to comment on Hunter Water’s upgrade plans for the Burwood Beach Treatment plant.

Hunter Water is planning to upgrade its largest wastewater treatment plant – at Burwood Beach in Newcastle.

The plant currently services the wastewater needs of a catchment equivalent to around 180,000 people in the Newcastl

e and Lake Macquarie City areas. It discharges biosolids and treated effluent to the Pacific Ocean via a 1.5 km pipeline (outfall) which sits approximately 20 metres below the water’s surface.

Surfrider has representatives on the Consultative Committee, along with a few other surfers, and it would great to get your thoughts about what’s happening on our Coast.

Have a read of the below documents and Have Your Say in this community consulation process.

1.    fill in the brief questionnaire and submit
2.    send your comments via email to burwoodprojectteam@hunterwater.com.au
3.    contact the Project Manager, Lauren Randall, on 02 4979 9754.

Fact Sheet – wastewater treatment
http://www.surfrider.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Fact-Sheet-wastewater-treatment.pdf

Burwood CGR issues questionnaire
http://www.surfrider.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Burwood-CRG-issues-questionnaire-FINAL.doc

Surfrider Foundation Australia

Hunter and Central Coast Branches