Stop The Proposed Australian Closures Against Sportfishing!
Currently Australia is in the final stage of creating and implementing its National 
Representative System of Marine Protected Areas (NRSMPA) and for Australian anglers, particularly in the Coral Sea region and Western Australia, this could mean the loss of some of the best fishing grounds in the world. The proposed Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve is set to cover nearly one million square kilometers, with more than 490,000 sq kilometers (194,000 sq miles) of this area designated as a Marine National Park Zone that prohibits all forms of fishing. In Western Australia iconic recreational fishing grounds including the Perth Trench, Rottnest Trench, Dampier and Geographe Bay will be closed to all fishing. Australia is already perceived as a global leader in marine conservation, but implementation of the zones as currently proposed would set a precedent of unjust and non-scientifically based closures to please environmental groups.
Unfortunately, environmental groups advocating for the establishment of these marine reserves have misled the general public and have diminished the influence of important stakeholders – recreational fishermen. While The Billfish Foundation (TBF) commends Australia for pursuing a strong conservation ethic, it criticizes the government’s lack of sound scientific data and failure to incorporate socioeconomic assessments of all user groups. Highly respected scientists in Australia including Dr. Ben Diggles, have voiced strong opposition to the proposed marine reserves arguing that restricting users from such vast areas does not address the more overarching threats of pollution, shipping, and climate change. Within the Coral Sea and areas off Western Australia, no evidence thus far justifies prohibiting anglers from an area that would provide little protection for highly migratory species, which remain vulnerable to overfishing from adjacent countries and the remainder of their migrations.
The recreational fishing industry represents key stakeholders and marine stewards deserving equal representation with all other interests in the design of marine reserves for responsible management and conservation of the resources. According to the National Recreational and Indigenous Fishing Survey, Queensland alone has one million anglers who spend more than $300 AUD million annually and when combined with the rest of Australia’s anglers generate more than $20 AUD million from license fees that go towards improving fisheries management. It is crucial that anglers worldwide, not just in Australia, are mindful that Australia will set an international precedent, either a responsible one for marine conservation or an overreaching one to please extreme environmentalists.
Australia’s reputation as a “top sportfishing destination” could turn into a “stop sportfishing destination.” Currently anglers travel from all over the world to fish Australia’s productive fishing grounds, the economics of this should not be ignored. Almost three quarters of the charter boat clients for Queensland and NSW come from abroad, representing an influx of foreign capital to Australia’s economy. Despite this, The PEW Environment Group is advocating for an almost complete prohibition of charter and recreational fishing within the entire Coral Sea Conservation Zone (an area that currently allows fishing). TBF encourages anglers to take a strong, assertive position in the second round of the public consultation process for the Commonwealth Marine Reserves. Awareness must be raised as to the economic value of the recreational fishing industry, its number of participants and rich history in Australia. Anglers with political clout must establish the importance of recreational fishing as a vital industry that generates economic benefits and supports fishing related jobs. TBF encourages anglers to contact politicians, secure professional representation, and utilize media coverage to raise awareness about the recreational fishing industries’ issues and help get others to take action. Tony Abbott and the Australian Marine Alliance have begun to lead the way and take a stand. We need others like them to continue the opposition and ensure that we FISH FOREVER!
