Australia announces new marine park plans

The announcement is the culmination of four years of debate over the massive marine park. According to the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council Inc (WAFIC), it will provide relief for some and despair for others as they examine the final boundaries of the sanctuary zones to see if they have a future in the industry or not.

WAFIC Chief Executive Officer Melissa Haslam said it is a day of mixed emotions.

“It’s been a hard-fought debate, and tensions have been high, and I’m pleased to advise that the government has accepted a number of our key concessions, which will ensure the continuation of fishing businesses that were otherwise doomed for exit,” Haslam said.

The final plans show removal of Point Hood and Kepa Kurl sanctuaries, along with reductions and other changes to critical fishing areas within Cape Pasley, Eastern Group Islands, Salisbury-Cooper Islands, Cape Le Grand and Eucla sanctuary zones. 

WAFIC said it hopes the changes will support the viability of purse seine, abalone, crustacean, octopus and gillnet and longline fisheries on the south coast.

After originally seeking marine sanctuaries of approximately 25%, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) settled on a model that will secure approximately 20% of the 1,000-kilometre-long marine park as sanctuary zones.

Haslam said no one in the industry was ever going to be thrilled over a politically-motivated marine park, however it is clear from this decision that the government has taken local voices into its decision-making process reducing the no-take sanctuary zones to approximately 20% of the marine park. WAFIC worked with its industry members to identify these critical areas.

The four-month public consultation process received more than 20,000 submissions.

“There’s still a lot of work ahead, including a review of comments made in the submissions by local stakeholders, and the assessment of cumulative impacts on fishers who work across multiple zones. We will now work with government to identify the full economic impacts the marine sanctuary zones will have on local fishers,” Haslam said.

“Ultimately there may be fishers who are no longer viable. This will be tough, and we will not rest until everyone is looked after, and compensated appropriately.”