Information on the proposed Marine Park from The Greens MLC Ian Cohen
Will a marine park be the death of local commercial fishing?
Why marine parks now?
Marine Biodiversity: why is it important?
Impact on local communities: a threat or an opportunity?
Recreational fishing: Cinderella of marine parks?
Zoning of marine parks
1. Sanctuary or No-take Areas
2. Habitat Protection Zones
3. General Use Zones
4. Special Purpose Zones
How much protection is enough?
They improve commercial and recreational fisheries by protecting juvenile habitats and adult breeding grounds.
They provide opportunities for research and education.
They improve opportunities for ecotourism for local communities.
They protect endangered or threatened species.
They conserve cultural heritage.
They provide opportunities for appreciation and enjoyment.
Aren’t there too many marine parks already?
Less than 3% of NSW waters are currently protected as sanctuaries. This is out of step with the percentage of NSW land under protection.
Commercial fisheries are already suffering a visible decline, due to past mismanagement and overfishing. Many popular species, all around the world, have been fished almost out of existence. The New England’s cod fisheries in the US are a classic example: overfishing of cod stock, once so vast to be thought inexhaustible, caused a total collapse of stocks in the 1990s, leaving thousands jobless. To this day some biologists doubt that New England cod will ever return in numbers capable of supporting another commercial harvest.
Marine parks are the only way to provide safe breeding grounds for marine life and to protect the habitat of juveniles, which can then safely reach reproductive age. In this way sanctuaries replenish fish stocks both within and outside their boundaries. This has positive benefits for the fishing industry, creating economic benefits for the coastal communities. A scientific study conducted on the Bouddi National Park Marine Sanctuary found that fish species richness was 63% greater and total fish density was 70% greater since the institution of the Park.
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Australia’s love for coastal living is putting increasing pressure on coastal and marine habitats. There are already many human sources of marine and estuarine pollution, such as sewerage outlets, litter from stormwater runoff, pesticides, heavy metals and fertilizers, dog faeces, contaminants from damaged sewerage piping.
On top of the human impact caused by pollution and overfishing, there is another increasing threat to our marine environments: climate change. In view of future further deterioration of our oceans’ ecosystems, we need to act now to ensure that NSW marine habitats are appropriately protected.
Currently there is one species under serious threat of extinction: the grey nurse shark. Fishing and netting are a major cause of their decline. In order to protect their habitat, no-take zones of at least 1,500m should be implemented in key Grey Nurse Habitats. A report commissioned by NSW Fisheries into critical habitat sites for the conservation of Grey Nurse Sharks, identified 12 Breeding aggregation sites, which counted for 88.5% of observed sharks. The establishment of adequate no-take zones in key breeding aggregation sites is the only hope to prevent the permanent loss of this species in our lifetime.
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Some 80% of marine species in NSW are endemic, not found anywhere else in the world. Species lost in NSW will be lost forever. The aim of marine parks is to protect biodiversity by conserving all forms of marine plant and animal species. Of all the species of fish present in NSW marine waters, only a few species are important to commercial and recreational fisheries. Nevertheless, to support these species it is necessary to protect the ecology of all marine life in a given area, with an ecosystem-based management plan.
Impact on local communities: a threat or an opportunity?
Local communities often fear negative repercussions of marine parks on the local economy, by the loss of extractive use such as commercial and recreational fishing. This position does not take into account the provisions in marine sanctuaries for non-extractive uses, such as recreation, tourism, education and research. These activities create additional economical and social benefit for the local communities. Jervis Bay Marine Park offers an example of how tourism and recreation improve around marine parks. The Shoalhaven Council has reported that the park has built a positive image of the area as “clean and green”, attracting new visitors. In Northern NSW, Coffs Harbour City Council has reported significant benefits to the tourism industry flowing from the Solitary Islands Marine Park, as well as increased fish stocks and benefit to the community through improved recreational marine pursuits. The State government has offered countermeasures to the exclusion of commercial fisheries from sanctuary zones. NSW Government has invested $7 million in a voluntary buy-out of commercial fishing licences in Jervis Bay and Solitary Islands Marine Parks. As a consequence most of these two parks are now off limits to commercial trawling and commercial fishing pressure has been significantly reduced.
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Local communities often fear negative repercussions of marine parks on the local economy, by the loss of extractive use such as commercial and recreational fishing. This position does not take into account the provisions in marine sanctuaries for non-extractive uses, such as recreation, tourism, education and research. These activities create additional economical and social benefit for the local communities. Jervis Bay Marine Park offers an example of how tourism and recreation improve around marine parks. The Shoalhaven Council has reported that the park has built a positive image of the area as “clean and green”, attracting new visitors. In Northern NSW, Coffs Harbour City Council has reported significant benefits to the tourism industry flowing from the Solitary Islands Marine Park, as well as increased fish stocks and benefit to the community through improved recreational marine pursuits. The State government has offered countermeasures to the exclusion of commercial fisheries from sanctuary zones. NSW Government has invested $7 million in a voluntary buy-out of commercial fishing licences in Jervis Bay and Solitary Islands Marine Parks. As a consequence most of these two parks are now off limits to commercial trawling and commercial fishing pressure has been significantly reduced.
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Anglers groups often protest that marine parks shove them out of their preferred fishing grounds, or reduce their freedom to fish wherever they want. People should be aware that marine parks still allow for recreational fishing outside the fully protected sanctuary zone (see zoning). Boat based fishermen can travel through sanctuary zones to get to a fishing location as long as their fishing gear is “stowed”.
Studies of the impact of existing marine parks on the experience of recreational fishers show that protests by angling groups are misinformed. The Shoalhaven Council researched the impact of the institution of Jervis Bay Marine Park on the experience of recreational anglers. It found out that the park, by replenishing local fish stock and improving the marine ecosystem, had brought a more satisfying experience for anglers, who have recorded an increase in the size, number and variety of catches. Coffs Harbour City Council also reported improved recreational fishing as a result of the 71,000-hectares Solitary Islands Marine Park.
(From the Marine Parks Authority website)
The area within NSW marine parks is divided into four different zone types, depending of the level of environmental protection required.
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Sanctuary zones provide the highest level of protection where the removal or harm of any plants or animals is prohibited. Sanctuary zones result in many benefits, including:
Refuges for vulnerable species;
Habitat protection and habitat recovery;
Development of natural biological communities;
Spill over of adults and juveniles into fishing grounds; and
Enhanced protection of offspring, which helps to restock fishing grounds.
These benefits have been observed regionally, nationally and internationally. In 2001 the world's leading marine scientists released a Scientific Consensus Statement concluding that sanctuary (no fishing) areas have significant benefits. In particular, they found that sanctuaries result in long lasting and often rapid increases in the abundance, diversity and productivity of marine organisms. In considering "spill over effects" on areas surrounding marine sanctuaries, scientists have concluded that the size and abundance of species do increase. This means that fishing can only improve with sensibly placed sanctuary areas
They offer a high level of protection, but allow for a range of recreational and some commercial fishing activities that do not harm habitat, or impact significantly on fish populations.
They allow ongoing use of most recreational and commercial activities, provided that they are ecologically sustainable.
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They are placed in areas that require specific zoning controls and management; for example, port facilities. The activities permitted in these zones are dependent upon the specific nature of the activities and management needs.
To guarantee the best outcome in terms of the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems, the zoning of marine parks need to be established on the basis of independent science. Reports from existing marine parks in NSW show that fully protected sanctuaries give the best outcomes for the community’s enjoyment and benefit.
Several international studies show what the current recommendations are for efficient marine habitat protection. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) recognises that a minimum of 20-30% of each habitat should be strictly protected to maintain and increase marine biodiversity. The Pew Institute for Ocean Management, an independent marine resources watchdog group, recognised as much as 50% of each ecosystem should be placed in marine sanctuaries. Furthermore, the integrity of the marine sanctuary must be protected by the provision of sufficient buffer zones (Habitat Protection Zones) where commercial fishing is prohibited.
Currently 27.5% of the 22,000-hectares Cape Byron Marine Park and 20% of Jervis Bay Marine Park are zoned as sanctuary
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