Draft Plan set to lock out rec fishers from 87% of marine parks
Tassie’s rec fishers are the greatest users (by number) of marine parks and the proposed lock outs by the Commonwealth Government fail to recognise our low impact.
TARFish does not support the draft plan and believes that consultation was critically flawed.
The draft plan:
locks out rec fishers from 87% of marine parks (up from 40%)
has not been informed by research into use and impact of recreational fishing on the areas proposed to lock out rec fishers
may have unintended consequences for: rec fisher compliance, marine debris and fish welfare
Further, consultation has not been adequate or appropriate for recreational fishing users of the marine park network and is critically deficient.
TARFish understands the importance of protecting the ecosystem in its entirety and supports that premise for the marine park but we think there’s a better way than what has been proposed.
The special habitats and species can be protected by applying “Habitat Protection Zone (IV)” and “Recreational Use Zone (IV)” rather than the proposed “National Park Zone (II)” - this will then allow ongoing rec fisher access.
Additional and specific consultation should be designed, resourced and undertaken and supported by surveys of recreational fisher park users to inform decision making.