Forum on Shoalwater/Pt Peron Fishing Closures
Only just received notification of:-
COMMUNITY FORUM ON THE SHOALWATER ISLANDS MARINE PARK – DRAFT MANAGEMENT PLAN 2006
When: Saturday 16 September 2006, 10 AM to 3:30 PM
Where: Rockingham Regional Environment Centre Safety Bay Rd, Peron
Programme
10:00 - Welcome
10:15 - Overview of the Draft Management Plan (Leanne Thompson)
11:00 – Morning Tea
11:15 – Launch of ‘Making Waves – A Guide to Marine Conservation in Western Australia (Chris Tallentire).
11:30 - A recreational fishing perspective on the Draft Management Plan (Howard Gill).
12:00– A commercial fishing perspective on the Draft Management Plan (Guy Leyland).
12:30 PM – Lunch
1:10 PM - A tourism perspective on the Draft Management Plan (Tourism Rockingham Centre).
1:40 PM - A conservationist perspective on the Draft Management Plan (Nic Dunlop)
2:10 PM - Discussion of process and the Ministerial proposal for a sanctuary zone at Point Peron.
3:30 PM - Close
People wishing to participate should RSVP to Naragebup, Rockingham Regional Environment Centre by 10 September. Naragebup phone is 95913077 eMail
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Details of the Marine Park etc http://www.naturebase.net/national_parks/marine/shoalwater/index.html
Additional protection for the Point Peron area.
The Point Peron area is popular for shore-based snorkelling and swimming and a snorkel trail has
been installed. The area has significant value for tourism and recreation. The area is also important
for education and scientific uses, being an ideal ‘outdoor classroom’ for students of all ages to
learn about the marine and coastal environment.
The area is also popular for recreational fishing, as well as other beach and boat based
recreational activities. Commercial rock lobster fishing occurs further offshore.
Some extractive activities in this area may be incompatible with the snorkel trail’s aim of
providing an accessible nature appreciation experience and also with the tourism, educational
and scientific study values of the general Point Peron area. Separation of these potentially
conflicting uses may be desirable and the creation of a sanctuary zone is one possible mechanism
to achieve this. The location and design of a sanctuary zone could provide for a level of shorebased
fishing to continue given Point Peron’s popularity for recreational fishing.
From a conservation perspective, the establishment of additional sanctuary zones to
more fully represent the range of habitats found within the marine park would be beneficial.
Consequently, the Government is seeking your feedback on the possible future establishment of
a sanctuary zone in the general Point Peron area.
TerryF
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Beavering away in the background......
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15610
Date Joined: 29/11/05
Sanctuaries
More sanctuary zones hey, well well well. Wonder where the next area for lock up is going to be.
On a side note, the Nornalup/Walpole marine park plan has me wondering about the areas they are going to close. We are considering offering the government the option, on behalf of a friend, to purchase the salmon/herring license back on the Bellanger penninsula. I guess we'll see how much they really value fish conservation.
Site Admin - Just ask if you need assistance
TerryF
Posts: 489
Date Joined: 11/08/05
Point Peron Sanctuary Zone Details.
Replacement post for the one lost in the site crash on 29/11.
More details have been released about the proposed Point Peron Sanctuary zone on the Dept of Environment and Conservation website at http://www.naturebase.net/national_parks/marine/shoalwater/clarifying.html
"Clarifying information on the idea of an additional sanctuary zone at Point Peron.
The Minister for the Environment, Hon Mark McGowan, has advocated the establishment of an additional Sanctuary Zone at Cape Peron. He requested that public comment on this proposal be sought through the 'Have Your Say' brochure and newspaper advertisements as part of the public comment period for the Draft Management Plan (DMP). Submissions received during the public comment period indicated strong in principle support.
The Shoalwater Island Marine Park Focus Group met on Tuesday 7 November 2006. At this meeting many members stated that it was difficult to provide comment on the proposal without clear zone objectives or any indication on size or boundaries.
The consensus from the Focus Group was that an additional meeting was required to specifically discuss the proposed Cape Peron Sanctuary Zone. Focus Group members requested that DEC clarify with the Minister for the Environment the zone objectives, size and boundaries of the proposed sanctuary zone and that this information be sent to members prior to the next meeting on Thursday 23 November.
The Minister for the Environment has subsequently provided a defined proposal for boundaries and objectives for the proposed Cape Peron Sanctuary Zone.
Objectives:
To protect a representative area of high diversity macroalgal dominated subtidal reef and the intertidal reef habitats (which are not adequately represented in the other sanctuary zones in the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park).
To provide accessible areas of diverse habitat and species for local schools, tertiary institutions and the community for marine education programs.
Provide divers and snorkellers a unique opportunity close to Perth where they can view a wide diversity of large fish and invertebrates by swimming straight off a readily accessible beach. To protect the existing Pt Peron snorkel trail.
To maintain a portion of Cape Peron for families and individuals for shore based fishing.
To facilitate the monitoring and research (in collaboration with Perth's tertiary institutions) of representative intertidal and macroalgal dominated subtidal reef communities.
The proposed Cape Peron Sanctuary Zone is a large zone of about 220 ha that meets its objectives through:-......" See more details on that DEC website link..... and the map "Point Peron aerial topographic map/photo with illustrated zone" at http://www.naturebase.net/national_parks/marine/shoalwater/pdf/point_peron_map_view_2006.pdf
That Focus Group meeting was held Thursday 23 November, but many people from various organisations could not attend due to the very short notice.
Some have advised that they cannot provide comment on this proposal at such short notice and without a chance to give the public and their members the details like in that DEC link to people so that they can comment - hence DEC agreed to place that info on their website.
To ensure that the Shoalwater Management Plan (SMP) is not delayed any further the conservation sector, Recfishwest and WAFIC agreed that the proposed Pt Peron sanctuary zone is dealt with separately in a proper community consultation process and that the SMP is implemented ASAP.
TerryF
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Beavering away in the background......