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Scientists criticise marine parks

Posted on March 16, 2009, 2:02pm

A panel of internationally respected marine scientists has declared the government’s two proposed marine parks in the South East as unnecessary and costly with few, if any, quantifiable benefits.

The panel of scientists from Canberra, Tasmania and Monash University revealed their findings in Adelaide via the Marine Parks Boundaries Report to Wildcatch Fisheries SA, only days before Environment Minister Jay Weatherill is to visit the South East to calm growing anger over the introduction of two marine parks across 70pc of the South East’s coastline.

According to their findings, the proposal for marine parks in the South East fails to address current and potential threats to the marine environment with no evidence that the proposed marine parks will contribute substantially to protecting and conserving the marine ecosystem and biota against current and potential threats.

The panel claimed the marine parks had the potential for subsequent governments to exclude recreational and commercial fishers from any, or all, waters contained within the marine parks outer boundary without going back to the community or parliament.

“Based on the information provided by the Government, the threats to the marine ecosystems and biota within the region generally have been assessed by the panel, taking into account conservation values, existing closed areas, conservation parks and existing legislation and the vulnerability of the ecosystem and biota,” the panel stated in a news release.

The panel claimed significant threats to marine biodiversity and the marine environment in the South East were agricultural run-off, especially from drains, generally impacting the inshore marine ecosystem throughout the region, and reduced water volumes and quality that impact on waterbird and migratory wader breeding colonies in several areas.

“Other threats, of a lesser significance, that were identified include the physical disturbance of sealion haul-out sites at Penguin Island, Beachport and also at Baudin Rocks and the physical disturbance of migratory wading bird and penguin breeding sites in other areas or the South East,” they said.

“The need in the South East, as in the rest of South Australia, is to properly identify the threats to the marine environment and its biodiversity and then to address those threats through an appropriate management response.”

South Eastern Professional Fishermans Association president Joel Redman welcomed the report.

“The report sets a direction we can all get behind; that is to look at the 10 hot spots of high conservation value, assess the effectiveness of current management arrangements in protecting these areas, properly identify the threats to the marine environment and its biodiversity and then to address those threats through and appropriate management response,” Mr Redman said.

“We remain committed to working with the Government and will meet with Mr Weatherill this week to present the report and more importantly to agree on a more sensible and effective approach for the South East.”

Conservation Council backs Government

Meanwhile, the Conservation Council of South Australia (CCSA) has reaffirmed its support for marine parks.

“CCSA commends the SA Government for taking long-overdue action to ensure the unique, fragile and precious marine environment that we enjoy and love today can be passed down intact to future generations of South Australians, the council’s chief executive Julie Pettett said.

“After years of inaction, and a decline across all species in terms of ecosystem health and resilience, the long-awaited marine parks rollout across South Australia’s waters is critical to safeguarding the ecological sustainability of our oceans.

“Despite ambit claims from self-interested parties looking to protect their own commercial interests, the marine parks process will be a win-win for all South Australians.”

Ms Pettett said sanctuary zones must be established to ensure the long-term protection of breeding stocks and the resilience of key habitats.

“These zones are essential if we are to protect and preserve the health of our ocean ecosystems into the future,” she said.

“CCSA notes that concerns raised by some commercial fishers are misplaced. The commercial sector is just one group among many with an interest in this area.”

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