Sail-World.com : Recreational fishing and boating sectors applaud Coalition policy
Recreational fishing and boating sectors applaud Coalition policy
'No-take marine parks threaten recreational fishing and boating, as well as an explosion in fish populations (and sharks!)'
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The Boating and Fishing Council of Australia (BFCA) today welcomed the announcement by the Coalition to completely re-visit what is unanimously viewed as a structurally flawed and poorly handled policy under the Ministerial leadership of Labor, namely the Marine Bio-Regional Planning Process.
National Spokesperson Dean Logan commented, 'Today’s announcement is a win for commonsense and a massive win for the marine environment.
'Under Labor we have seen arbitrary lines drawn around the Australian coastline map that lack scientificcredibility, primarily to appease fringe environmentalists. Key scientists have not been apart of the process, data has been kept ‘confidential’ and communities have been removed from the process.
'The Labor solution – backed by the Greens – has been to lock recreational fishers and boaters out of millions of square kilometers of ocean in the name of ‘marine bio-diversity’, with no credible scientificfoundation.
'Our argument has always been that we will deliver far greater environmental outcomes if we all work together. The Coalition must be applauded. They have taken aspects of the USA system that deliver serious benefits to the environment to form today’s policy announcement.
'The establishment of four Bio-regional Advisory Panels is one such move. This is an outcome supported by fishers, boaters, scientists, industry and importantly the Australian community.'
The Boating and Fishing Council of Australia is Australia’s most unified representative alliance for the marine, recreational fishing, trade & tackle, outboard and boating sectors. Established to address a continual disregard toward boating and its recreational fishing interests, the Council continues to work with policy makers to develop strong balanced and scientifically based policy.
Logan continued, 'The policy launched today comes on the back of a preference deal between the Labor Party and the Australian Greens.
'We also know that fringe environmental groups along with the Greens are aggressively advocating the immediate closure of 30% of every bio-region around Australia.
'The battle lines are now drawn and very clear - Labor’s preference deal with the Greens is a win for fringe environmental groups and a win for more marine LOCKOUTS.
'It’s now up to Labor to come clean and tell the 5 million recreational fishers many of whom live in marginal coastal seats and 80% of boat owners who fish, what their policy is. Will commonsense prevail and a spirit of consultation, or will the environment yet again suffer as it’s used as an arbitrary political football.'
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