WHILE Australia’s network of marine parks will effectively see fishing banned in much of the Coral Sea, the federal Government and Green groups are being criticised for not doing enough to protect the Great Barrier Reef.
Rec fishing groups are understandably highly critical of conservation groups such as Pew who lobbied long and hard to have fishing banned in the Coral Sea, while “real” environmental problems affecting the reef – chemical run off, pollution and large scale industrialisation – are seemingly not being addressed.
In this week’s Sydney Morning Herald Environment Editor Ben Cubby writes of the ongoing degradation of the Great Barrier Reef, describing it as “a national disgrace of the highest order”.
Cubby writes “whether we like it or not, Australians have a responsibility for looking after the reef.”
With massive development for the fossil fuel industry set to commence on the North Queensland coast and the threat of major spills onto the GBR from associated dredging works looming, Australia’s anglers may well be wondering why so-called conservation groups like Pew have now fallen silent?
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/failing-duty-to-protect-treasure-20130710-2pqhc.html#ixzz2YhNqQLTc
