ADD YOUR OWN COMMENTS IN THE SECTION BELOW THE LETTER
AND THESE WILL INTRODUCE THE EMAIL SENT ON
YOUR BEHALF.
The Director, Select Committee on Recreational Fishing
Legislative Council, Parliament House
Macquarie St, Sydney, NSW 2000
[We'll insert in here the comments you make in the 'Letter
1 - Additional Comments' box in the form below]
SUBMISSION TO THE PARLIAMENTARY RECREATIONAL FISHING INQUIRY
Introduction
To protect our oceans for future generations we need to improve
our marine management and ensure our fishing practices are environmentally
sustainable. This will help ensure we have healthy and thriving
NSW oceans for us all to enjoy.
Fishing is an important part of the social and economic lives
of communities in NSW, and with proper management this can be
balanced with environmental needs.
Terms of Reference
A. Regulatory, policy and decision-making processes in relation
to the management of recreational fisheries in NSW
- I fully support NSW's marine parks, the immediate creation
of a multiple use Sydney Marine Park and Grey Nurse Shark Sanctuaries,
and improved zoning outcomes for the Jervis Bay and Solitary
Islands Marine Parks.
- The various forms of marine protected areas (MPAs) are confusing
for community members. Better communication from government
agencies is needed about what MPAs and their benefits are.
- More security is needed for the protection offered by marine
park zones with them their objects being transferred from the
Marine Parks Regulations to the Marine Parks Act to ensure they
are protected by legislation.
- All zoning types of marine parks should be standardised so
they can be more easily interpreted by community members
- The staged process of marine park creation currently works
well, with public consultation on zoning options enabling stakeholders
to input to marine park zoning once the park is announced.
- NSW needs to continue to build its MPA system. Of particular
importance is the creation of a Sydney Marine Park.
B. The effectiveness and efficiency of the current representational
system of trusts and advisory committees
- Some of the current information arising from these sources
is misrepresented and at odds with scientific opinion, economic
statistics and community opinion. Efforts should be made to
eliminate bias from these committees.
C. The value of recreational fisheries to the economy in
NSW
- Recreational fishing, along with other marine-based recreational
activities is good for the economy and holds an important place
in the social and economic future of NSW. Multiple use marine
parks and fisheries management tools can be compatible with
ongoing recreational fishing businesses, together with a more
sustainable future for all marine based industries in NSW.
D. The gaps in existing recreational fisheries programs
- Recreational fishing programs need to include MPA educational
information to help gain widespread understanding and support
from the recreational fishing community, for the establishment
and management of MPAs.
E. Sustainability issues related to improving recreational
fisheries
- Further studies should be done to assess any impacts of
recreational fishing on the environment. This will enable more
sustainable management of marine waters to be achieved. Studies
could include any effects of selectively removing larger fish,
targetting of certain species of fish and survival rates of
fish that escape before capture or are released post capture.
- Positive steps have been taken to reduce the impacts of recreational
fishing waste, in the form of lost gear, bait bags and other
litter. However, this still remains a problem. Research is needed
to benchmark current impacts and efforts made to reduce it.
There needs to continue to be improvements in this area.
- Fish stocking should only be used as a last resort as it merely
serves to temporarily mask the real causes of fish decline and
can hamper recovery efforts. Stocking of non-native fish damages
the natural environment and is harmful to native species and
is not supported.
Conclusion
Most activities have some impact on the natural environment.
Recreational fishing, by its very nature, has a direct impact.
That impact is manageable and need not conflict with environmental
sustainability. However,improved research and management is
needed to ensure we get the correct balance between fishing
and conservation.
Yours
sincerely,
[your name, email address and postal
address will be inserted from the form below]
