RECFISHWEST, the peak recreational fishing body in WA, has slammed a report the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) is using to push for further fishing no-go zones. (Related story here).
“A common trick of these groups is to use emotive images of species under no threat to base sensational claims that the marine environment is in imminent danger if they are not heeded,” said Recfishwest Executive Director, Frank Prokop.
“The public have been force fed rubbish masquerading as science by self-interested groups at every opportunity.”
“Rather than bemoaning the state of our marine environment, we should be celebrating our many achievements. It is actually on the land, where green activists have been rampant for decades, that Australia’s true shame lies.” Prokop said.
“We are calling for a candle of truth to be lit to allow the community to see who the real supporters of responsible marine management are – and recreational fishers are the real unsung heroes.”
Prokop cited a number of uncomfortable truths which the green radicals don’t want the
public to know:
• There has not been a SINGLE extinction of a marine fish or invertebrate in Australia.
• Australia has more marine areas in sanctuary zones than ANYWHERE else in the
world.
• When the current marine planning process is finished, Australia will have more
sanctuaries than the rest of the world combined.
• Almost all of Australia’s waters will have some form of additional management, much
of it ensuring sustainable fisheries through the appropriate management agencies.
• The auditor in Victoria determined that each sanctuary zone cost approximately $1
million to implement and had uncertain benefits. He questioned their use.
• The WA Department of Conservation’s own audit on Jurien Bay Marine Park has
shown that despite 24 per cent being closed to line fishing there are no clear benefits after
10 years of lock-up.
• Most of the claims to lock up the ocean derive from a single paper by Boris Wurm
who has since retracted his postulations stating that his assumptions did not measure
up.
• Claims that the South-West bioregion has up to 80 per cent unique species are wrong and unable to be substantiated. The only written reports, included species such as Port
Jackson sharks which have a wide range in Australia and are found in New Zealand.
• Seals, sea lions, dolphins, whales and turtle numbers are increasing and already
protected species. In places like the Swan River, dolphin numbers are impacted by
activities which are clearly outside the marine planning process.
• Whales are definitely not under threat in Australia as ALL Australian waters are
already the biggest whale sanctuary possible.
