According to Neil Armstrong of the Independent SA Fishing & Lifestyle group, South Australia’s proposed marine parks are a “cruel hoax” being played on the state’s citizens.
Armstrong and Paul Tippins are the independent party’s candidates for the Legislative Assembly in SA’s upcoming state election.
According to a press release from the group they stand on behalf of all South Australian fishers – commercial, recreational and charter – plus aquaculture, divers, marine and tackle businesses and others who feel disenfranchised by the potential loss of lifestyle/livelihoods with the introduction of marine parks in SA.
Armstrong says the proposed marine parks are a disgusting waste of taxpayers’ money and a “cruel hoax” being played on all South Australians, because they are based on hard to find “unbiased” marine scientific comment.
Paul Tippins
In the release Armstrong adds marine parks/sanctuary zones do nothing to prevent, polluted stormwater run-off, hyper-salinity from desalination plants, storms, oil spills, climate change, other pollution, or ship groundings.
Their “primary effect is to prohibit fishing and aquaculture” which in SA is the main economic use of our marine biodiversity/resource, and which is at a level that is far below the sustainable limit in most areas.
Armstrong says up to 6,000 South Australian jobs and over $1000 million in the fishing, boating and associated industries are at stake with the introduction of marine parks.
SA’s state election is on March 20.
