EFFORTS protect the coastal environment are being let down by the ‘fishy tactics’ of the state’s recreational fishing industry lobby group, the chairman of Clean Up Australia, Ian Kiernan, said last week.
Mr Kiernan said he was concerned that claims made by the recreational fishing lobby group RecFishWest about the State Government’s new Ngari Capes Marine Park are out of step with the views of the community and the majority of recreational fishers.
“Almost 35,000 West Australians rolled up their sleeves and took action to protect their local environment on Clean Up Australia Day last month. Their efforts have been let down by the negative tactics of RecFishWest to try and block progress toward a safe and healthy future for WA’s unique marine life,” he said.
Mr Kiernan said RecFishWest continues to use “old and tired tactics” to try and undermine efforts to safeguard the marine environment.
He highlighted claims RecFishWest has made that it was not consulted about the new Ngari Capes Marine Park and that the State Government’s decision was based on old science.
“The community has moved on from the old way of thinking that RecFishWest pursues. The fact was that the organisation had been extensively consulted. There is also overwhelming evidence and support for sanctuaries to protect the feeding and breeding areas for fish and marine life, and this is includes fishers.”
Studies undertaken by respected WA-based Patterson Marker Research in 2011 found that six out of 10 regular fishers in Western Australia believed fish stocks and marine life were in decline, with 72 per cent supporting the creation of marine sanctuaries off the southwest coast to protect fish stocks and other marine life.
Mr Kiernan said a network of sanctuaries protecting key feeding and breeding areas was “the missing piece of the puzzle in WA to ensure fish stocks and marine life remain healthy into the future alongside sustainable fishing regulations that ensure West Australians can keep fishing.”
Mr Kiernan said his concerns about the health of fish stocks in the southwest were confirmed by commercial fishing industry figures showing catches in the south west have fallen by 62 per cent since 2005.
“Gillnetting, which indiscriminately sweeps clean the ocean floor, is the biggest problem harming marine life. It’s led to the decimation of dhufish stocks in Geographe Bay, pushed Australian sea lions towards extinction in South Australia and is destroying dolphin populations.
“Sanctuaries are urgently needed to prevent further declines in fish numbers due to damaging commercial fishing. We need lobby groups like RecFishWest to look after fishers by supporting a healthy future for the oceans.”
