All of North Sydney Harbour, North Head and Long Reef could have recreational and commercial fishing lock-outs.
Earlier this year recreational fishing groups, commercial fishers and charter operators took part in community consultation on the Marine Estate Management Authority's (MEMA) plans for fishing in the Hawkesbury Bioregion. MEMA proposed 59 areas of interest to ban fishing between Newcastle and Wollongong.
It now seems that the short-list of favoured sites could include all of Long Reef and all of the North Head of Sydney Harbour. See the maps below. If they ban fishers from the safest, highest value and prized fishing areas, the government ministers responsible need to explain why anglers are being left out of the discussions.
The NSW government should be explaining:
- How Environment Minister Speakman and Fisheries Minister Blair will compensate anglers for loss of access to commercial and recreational fishing grounds.
- How Ministers Speakman and Blair will gather both pre- and post-baseline data on any sanctuary zone, when peer-reviewed overseas studies have shown that the failure to collect baseline data means 80% of the world's marine parks fail.
- Where Sydney’s increasing population will fish in and around Sydney Harbour including the elderly, the young and the disabled.
- How a sanctuary zone at North Head addresses pollution and how it deals with the dumping of raw sewege inside and outside Sydney Harbour.
Take 10 minutes to make a difference
A personal letter is more effective than an email...it gives you the opportunity to explain how fishing lock-outs will affect you PERSONALLY.
Write to the Premier and ask him for assurances decisions won't be made without adequate community consultation. Ask the Premier to guarantee the following:
- Adequate and frequent consultation before any plans for fishing lock-outs are presented to his Cabinet.
- Minister Blair and Speakman must uphold their commitment to make decisions based on scientific research.
It only takes a 10 minutes to write a short note
Write to the Premier Mike Baird:
The Hon. Mike Baird MP
GPO Box 5341
SYDNEY NSW 2001
The Marine Estate Management Authority is driving this process. It answers to both the Minister for Primary Industries and the Minister for the Environment. Write to those ministers:
Niall Blair, MLC, is Minister for Primary Industries, including Fisheries.
The Hon. Niall Blair MLC
GPO Box 5341
SYDNEY NSW 2001
Mark Speakman, MLA, is Minister for the Environment.
The Hon. Mark Speakman SC MP
GPO Box 5341
SYDNEY NSW 2001
Hear are the possible losses to recreational fishers...speak up or lose them...
North Head zones under threat:
Long Reef zones under threat:
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