There's a thread already going Chookc

yeah just came accross it..  but more to the point is there something happening for WA waters..  REc fish west etc?

I wonder how many people are going to continue to sit on their hands by not joining Recfishwest?

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These areas could be anything

UNC zones meaning tooka  while to find

http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/mpa/about/index.html

1     Strict nature reserve         Ia     Managed primarily for scientific research or environmental monitoring.

2     Wilderness area         Ib     Protected and managed to preserve its unmodified condition.

3     National park             II     Protected and managed to preserve its natural condition.

4     Natural monument         III     Protected and managed to preserve its natural or cultural features

5     Habitat/species management area    IV     Managed primarily, including (if necessary) through active intervention, to ensure the maintenance of habitats or to meet the requirements of specific species.

6     Protected Landscape/seascape     V     Managed to safeguard the integrity of the traditional interactions between people and nature.

7     Managed resource protected area VI     Managed to ensure long-term protection and maintenance of biological diversity with a sustainable flow of natural products and services to meet community needs.

Also the poo brown areas - marine parks so a non fish zone ?

The ever charming Jessica Meeuwig, who recently claimed to have witnessed sharks caring for their young in a marine park (must be some sort of marine park to defy all known scientific evidence on shark behaviour), says claims we don't harm the Trench are "bullshit".

A new network of marine reserves foreshadows another stoush with primary producers, writes David Wroe.

The Grand Canyon became a fully protected US National Park in 1919. The Perth Canyon, off the coast of Fremantle, has barely been heard of, though at 1.5 kilometres deep, it rivals its famous Arizonan cousin.

You can't visit the Perth Canyon in a campervan, but it is extremely popular with recreational fishermen. It is also popular with pygmy blue whales, which is why the Environment Minister, Tony Burke, proudly named it this week a key area to be covered by Australia's massive new network of marine reserves.

Once Burke's carefully drawn-up plan becomes law, fishing will be banned over parts of the Perth Canyon, infuriating the recreational fishing industry, which says that as many as 600,000 people - one third of the Western Australian population - enjoy throwing a line over the side.

In doing this, the Gillard government is opening yet another front in its various battles with primary producers. The government has fought cattle farmers over live exports and irrigators over the Murray-Darling Basin. On the broad environment front, it's fighting several industries on the carbon tax. Now it's in a blue with fishermen.

The industry's case is that it already fishes sustainably. In fact Australia has some of the best fisheries management in the world. If the government wants to protect our oceans, it should look elsewhere - port development, shipping, pollution, sediment run-off, climate change. Overfishing is not the culprit.

''They seem to be proud of the fact that they're cauterising an important part of our economic activity and a major export industry,'' says Guy Leyland, spokesman for the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council. ''Our fisheries are very well managed, so what's the purpose of this? It's certainly not to protect fish from overfishing because we don't overfish.

''You feel you're in some sort of parallel universe where productive activities are frowned upon and should be shut down.''

The upshot, he says, would be that imports, which already make up 70 per cent of the seafood Australians eat, would get a free kick, while the price of domestic produce would rise.

Recreational fishermen are equally bewildered, saying their activities have no impact on the Perth Canyon. Andrew Rowland, the chief executive of Recfishwest, blamed a ''green agenda''. It's a view echoed around the industry.

''The conservation values of that particular water focused around blue whales, and we believe recreational fishing posed absolutely no threat to blue whales. Unfortunately politics has got in the way of science and logic,'' he said.

Jessica Meeuwig, a professor at the University of Western Australia's oceans institute, had two words for that.

''That's bullshit,'' she said. ''They're using deepwater power winches and deepwater lines to pull up large species like hapuku from the depths.''

Physical features like the canyon are magnets to marine life, she explained. Fishing in such areas is like shooting fish in a barrel.

''Protecting the Perth Canyon is actually about saying, 'This is a key feature. We need to understand what intact marine ecosystems look like.'''

The Pew Environment Group's Imogen Zethoven - the main campaigner on the Coral Sea, which is the most prominent area receiving protection - says the best comparison is with national parks on land.

''You've got a magnificent forest, that is pristine, home to all these species of animals, and you can walk through it and marvel at it in its natural state. And then someone claims you can log it sustainably.

''That's what this is about. It's not about whether fishing is sustainable or not, it's about areas that are very precious, very beautiful and very important.''

Leyland says the industry has no problem with setting aside areas for complete conservation. They know the public wants that.

''It's just the extent of it,'' he says.

About 12 per cent of Australia's land is under some form of conservation protection, whether national or state parks, nature parks or conservation reserves. The highest level of marine protection - ''no take'' fishing areas, which are roughly comparable to land protection areas, the recent NSW government hunting decision aside - accounts for about 13 per cent with this week's additions.

This week's announcement is a big moment for the Environment Minister, who along with the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, will probably be the toast of next week's Rio+20 sustainability conference.

One matter for which nobody faults Burke is his patient consultation. Everybody with a view got a hearing, usually several. But, after all the talk, fishermen are convinced they got the raw prawn.

''I've been trawling for 40 years,'' says the Queensland Seafood Industry Association president, Geoff Tilton. ''I don't want to catch turtles and I've done everything possible to make sure I only catch what I'm chasing, which is prawns. We'll just end up importing more prawns from countries that have lower standards than us.''

Nor are they persuaded by the $100 million figure the government has floated as a financial assistance package. An earlier package for Great Barrier Reef Marine Park has cost nearly $250 million, they say

Read more:

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Here is the response I got from UWA when I questioned her comments on sharks showing parental instincts:

Good morning Scott,

I am not qualified to speak on behalf of UWA, not I have read the newspaper you mention (I am overseas at the moment), so I do not know the context for that statement.

UWA has a code of Ethics that all staff adheres to, and I am sure Dr. Meeuwig does as well.

In any case, it may be most constructive if you bring this to her attention so she can give it proper consideration and, if the statement is unsupported, be aware of this next time she is asked to comment on sharks.

I will mention this to her next time I meet her and will assess the basis for this comment with my colleagues.  

Fortunately, the basis of progress in science rests with the research published in peer reviewed journals, which is scrutinized for robustness, so comments to media - correct or incorrect - do not percolate to scientific knowledge. However, by the same token we should only report to the public on findings that have been sufficiently validated in the scientific literature.

Thank you for bringing this to my attention and for the excellent work Western Angler magazine does in informing the public on the biology and ecology of our fish.

Best regards,

It's all smoke and mirrors, those with the financial clout/backing get away with the most deception.

Disappointing, not potting anyone, but i dont believe too many goals have been scored for the 'fishing' team in the last 10 years.

For ppl to start campaining we need a general leader/organiser recfish could be doing that but are they ? their web page has a little info on the parks and barley mentiones the new BS the government has brought out

I find it really interesting everybody says how dare they do it in Qld.  Perhaps you dont realise green zones (no recreational fishing) were placed right in the heart of the Rottnest Trench and in Geographe Bay.

As Scotty said somewhere - WA Anglers apathy is staggering.

Won't worry me much I suppose, I will go fish somewhere else but not everyone can. 

Those complaining now..  did you put in a submission?  I highly doubt it.

In the end our apathy is our worst enemy.

Big John

there are a number of people in this state that have worked their guts out on this and many other issues.  Have you thrown your hat into the ring and done anything productive?

Synthos

People from recfishwest and other fishing leaders around the state were screaming at you all months ago to put in a submission.  Your too bloody late - the horse has bolted!!!

Read all the topics in this forum below - over a years worth of warnings and now we ask what we can do and is RFW doing anything.  Good grief!!!!!

I've done what I can, and I respect those who've flogged their guts out.

However, I reckon the whole have a say thing is bullshit.

Money talks and it always will.

Most rec fisho's have a job, fishing is their hobby. Greenies have no hobbies, protesting about fishing, hunting, 4wding etc is their job. It just so happens they've got a shit load of private money behind them to help propel their cause. They've hit utopia with this current spineless, green afflicted federal government.

We are trying to get this party up and running in WA (yes I am a member).

Membership is $30, chasing 500 members to register with party status for the next election.

Foundation meeting is set down for March 23rd June, 1pm at the Esplanade Hotel. More clout than recfishwest if we can get a member elected, just look at what they have achieved in NSW.

www.shootersandfishers.org.au/news/shooters-and-fishers-party-to-take-on-wa

so how do we join rec fish west is there a link somewhere...

I've just joined recfishwest I'm surprised there's not a link to it on the site. There should be more encouragment to join seeing they are the key to getting these proposed laws amended.

 Hi John

I agree with many of your latest comments,about the greens. They live to protest and we have definately not seen the end of this.

I went to a party last night and a woman there told me how fantastic these new green zones were to allow our depleted fish stock a chance to recover. Just one example how these f@$king green groups have with the help of the mainstream press brainwashed the public into thinking our stocks are in some form of dire state.  Bullsh1t they are.  See the latest state of the fisheries report.

The Western Australian newspaper has given green groups a free kick for years with numerous responses from our side ignored. So much for a balanced arguement.  

I personally would urge a boycot of the rag by all fisho's. They peddled this cr@p for years and look at the consequences.

We are unfortunately going to be on the receiving end of these sorts of decisions until we ALL get off our collective asses and do something about it. I know you just want to go fishing and so do i.

Unfortunately this aint going to fly if you want to continue to fish.  Have no doubt - you and your families future angling aspirations are under severe threat.

I am not certain, but isn't the shooters and fishers aiming at state seats? This is very much a federal issue, we need to be urging anyone who will listen that the greens should be put absolutely last in any ballot you fill out closely followed by the labour a$$holes that have done this to appease the greens and stay in power.

Enough of my rant, packing bags for Canberra today and off tomorrow to see what can be done to change this diabolical decision.

There was actually quite a good editorial from Mike Roenfeldt in the West yesterday that hit the nail on the head. As I said before this is not about the enviroment it's about the spineless pollies saving their arses with the greens. If any greens are reading this "I fish and I vote" wankers.You've pissed a lot of people off with this crap.