QUEENSLAND Nationals Senator Ron Boswell has warned that more fishing bans can be expected if the federal Labor government is re-elected.
“Environmental activists are pushing for huge new fishing bans – beyond even the massive bans Labor has already promised from 1 July 2014 – and history shows that, under Labor, what these activists want, they eventually get.
“Recreational fishing representatives have drawn up a map showing vast areas right round the Australian coast where activists are still lobbying to lock out all fishing. Since this map was published in the press on Monday, the environmental activist organisations involved have not denied they want fishing banned in these areas.
“Likewise, Labor Environment Minister Mark Butler refused to comment on the map and on the activists’ ongoing demands for fishing bans. The silence of both the activists and the Labor Environment Minister on this issue is ringing alarm bells amongst fishing groups.”
Senator Boswell said the Keep Australia Fishing map revealed activists wanted massive fishing bans in the Coral Sea, off Fraser Island, off the NSW coast, around Victoria and Tasmania, across at least half the waters round the Great Australian Bight and south-west WA, and over large important fishing grounds along WA’s west coast and north-west coast, and round the Northern Territory and throughout the Gulf of Carpentaria.
View the Keep Australia Fishing map HERE.
“Labor already plans from July 1, 2014 to impose 2.3 million square kilometres of new marine parks, including big swathes of ocean where anglers will be locked out. Despite this, environmental activists are demanding further huge areas where fishing will be banned.
“Anglers cannot trust Labor. Everyone knows that under Labor, the environmental activists always get what they want eventually.
Senator Boswell said the Coalition supported fishing. “We voted against Labor’s planned marine parks and want to see proper scientific assessments of marine parks and full socio-economic impact assessments on local communities. Under Labor, fishers can expect more fishing closures and no proper consultation. That won’t happen under the Coalition.
“What we need is the support of fishers across Australia at the upcoming election, especially in the Senate, because without a majority in the Senate, it will be more difficult to undo the damage from Labor’s existing planned fishing bans.”
Nationals Senator Ron Boswell.
