I just got this from a conservationist body.

Marine Sanctuaries at risk from imminent announcement.

I hadn't planned to contact you this week, but we've been told that a decision on new oil and gas leases in important marine areas is imminent and we need your help.

We've heard that on 16 May there'll be an announcement that will see the release of oil exploration leases almost wholly within areas that may become marine sanctuaries.

We all must act now - send your message of concern to the Minister responsible so that he hears, loud and clear, that you want marine protection before oil exploration.

Releasing these areas for oil exploration will put an end to any chance that these critically important areas will become marine sanctuaries.

The potential new leases are off WA, just 80 km offshore from the famous surfing beaches of Margaret River, and off SA just 50 km from the incredible wildlife refuge of Kangaroo Island.

We need your help to head off this serious threat to new marine sanctuaries, especially in a part of Australia's oceans which are less than 1% protected.

Not only will we lose the chance to have marine sanctuaries declared in these areas, but the risk of oil spills, no matter how remote, will become a factor. No matter how good technology is, accidents do happen, as we saw with the devastating West Atlas oil spill in the Kimberley late last year. We've taken the footprint of that spill and overlaid it on these proposed leases so you can see what a spill might mean down there.

Speak to you soon.

David

David Mackenzie,
Online Communities,
@ Save Our Marine Life

P.S. Don't forget to join our Facebook community at www.saveourmarinelife.org.au/facebook