Metropolitan Fishers Alliance (MFA)

Live Metro - Fish Everywhere

Position Paper Marine Park (MP) Sanctuary Zones (SZ)

Endorsed 6 June 2012

PURPOSE
To outline the position and strategy of the MFA in relation to Marine Park Sanctuary Zones.

BACKGROUND
Recreational fishing is not only a healthy lifestyle activity for developing relationships with family and friends, but also an opportunity to learn about and respect the marine environment through direct contact with it. This position paper is intended to form a foundation for achievement of good Marine Park outcomes consistent with the above mentioned overarching value statement. The paper is developed to encourage greater debate, participation and financial contribution within the recreational fishing community.

POSITION STATEMENT
This Position Statement has been developed utilizing much of the approved South Australian Recreational Fishing Advisory Councils (SARFAC) Policy document (that was drafted by some authors of this document). The following outlines MFAs principles and beliefs in relation to Marine Parks and Sanctuary Zones:1. The bi partisan Parliamentary support for MPs and SZs is acknowledged and the concepts as outlined in legislation are supported. 2. The difficulties of implementing such a complex public policy are acknowledged. 3. The implementation of SZs to the extent initially put up by the DENR for discussion is not only unwarranted but would have had a massive impact on the viability of coastal communities and the recreational fishing industry. 4. The MFA is encouraged by the preliminary SZs announced by the Premier in late April 2012 but reserves judgement until receipt of the final proposals and Management Plans. 5. The Government should allow greater time and develop proper communications and consultation plans to assist the completion of the process. The intended 6 weeks is far too short to mobilise communities into real consultation, and the initiative is too important to rush. 6. The pursuit of an arbitrary target percentage (or the implied and unstated 10% of State waters) for Sanctuary Zones, especially within the 19 parks which contain significant recreational fishing populations, was not appropriate.

7. DENR lost the trust of a huge range of people in the broader regional and metropolitan areas
during the initial processes and needs to improve its communication community engagement and consultation processes. 8. It is incongruous to place restrictions on recreational fishers in highly popular areas such as on the Yorke Peninsula without clear scientific rationale that can be applied to specific zones and at the same time, destroy by alienation the opportunity for serious community buy-in. 9. There are significant areas of pristine ecology in SA waters which are very difficult to access, mostly outside the 19 Park boundaries, which would be more appropriate for SZs than those identified in the DENR Discussion Papers published in November 2010. These areas include many exposed areas that are already greatly protected by weather conditions that limit recreational fishing, and where commercial fishing is also low.

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Metropolitan Fishers Alliance (MFA)

Live Metro - Fish Everywhere

Position Paper Marine Park (MP) Sanctuary Zones (SZ)

Endorsed 6 June 2012 10. There are significant areas of ecological importance within the Park boundaries that have been excluded by the current MP zoning which local communities could identify if they were better consulted and empowered. 11. The Marine Park Council is overwhelmingly biased towards conservation and a more balanced Council membership to provide balanced strategic advice to the Government should be implemented.

12. A whole of Government perspective needs to be applied to the development of SZs and
responsibility for the program should be delegated to a body representative of all Government interests (e.g., Conservation, Primary Industries, Major Projects, and Tourism etc.), i.e., the group would be given responsibility, not be just a reference group as previously.managed. 13. The SZs have been driven more by political agendas and conservation idealism but should be driven forward by specific scientific and socio-economic rationale.

14. Government must acknowledge that initiatives such as the burgeoning aquaculture industry,
desalination plants, storm water run-off, and commercial long lining fishing, mining, etc., have a much greater impact on the marine environment than recreational fishing. 15. The finalisation and implementation of SZs should involve a timely, professionally designed and managed community engagement strategy that would be widely publicised and include techniques such as: Conferences Fact sheets Websites Open houses Information days Focus groups Surveys Public meetings Workshops Advisory Committees Consensus building Participatory and delegated decision-making. Groups/Recreational Fishing Internet Forums and Fishing

16. The negotiation of SZs in a three tiered framework (with delegated authority) is supported: Local Focus Clubs/Groups Local Councils State Government. 17. Realistic social and economic impacts should be conducted on a Park by Park basis and are only possible when the draft SZs have been published. However, resources should be provided to each MP Local Focus Group and Local Council to assist in the development of models which minimize these impacts. 18. The work of Local Focus Groups or Advisory Committees is critical to community buy-in and timelines for completion of this work should be generous.

19. A separate Marine Parks Consultative or Focus Group within the metropolitan area should be
established by the Government because of the significant number of recreational fishers and their families (who are affected by SZs) who live in the metropolitan area but fish in regional areas (e.g., 42% of ratepayers on Yorke Peninsula live in Adelaide or elsewhere and a greater number again travel to holiday and fish in coastal communities.

20. Public consultation should be undertaken with the above mentioned group to determine majority
opinion for the creation of a Marine Park in the Adelaide Metropolitan coastal waters. 21. Individual SZs should be accompanied by clear objectives and measurable outcomes for success.

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Metropolitan Fishers Alliance (MFA)

Live Metro - Fish Everywhere

Position Paper Marine Park (MP) Sanctuary Zones (SZ)

Endorsed 6 June 2012

22. All SZs should allow shore based and jetty based fishing.
23. No SZs should be located within a 5 kilometre radius of an established boat launching facility. 24. The notion of adequate compensation to commercial fishers affected by SZs, which is a provision of the Marine Parks Act, is supported. A similar (measurable) provision should apply to the recreational fishing sector - its participants and related enterprises - in terms of reduced capital values and financial viability. 25. Government should fund local infrastructure as part of an incentive package to encourage community acceptance and as compensation for lost recreational fishing opportunities. These infrastructure initiatives could include: Restocking programs Alternative launching facilities Financial support for local Marine Park Representative/Management Groups Better access for land based fishing areas. Artificial reefs to provide hard bottom cover necessary for kelp bed regeneration/maintaining recreational fishing opportunities where sanctuary zoning includes natural reef systems. 26. The work completed by the Local Advisory Groups (LAGs) is supported and should be referred through the three tiered framework above with delegated authority for decision making in appropriate time frames. 27. MFA supports SZs developed through the three tiered framework above provided there is no further impact on recreational fishing by other measures in the legislation, e.g.: Restricted Access Zones and Habitat Protection Zones unless there is significant compensation for the recreational fishing sector.

28. Restrictions to recreational access need to factor in current limitations such as aquaculture
zones, sanctuary zones, port facilities and the effects of weather in South Australia where this forms natural protection from recreational fishing effort. 29. References to massive increases in eco tourism as a result of MP/SZs are fanciful. Comparison of SA waters to iconic regions such as the Ningaloo Reef and the Great Barrier Reef are extreme and a misrepresentation of reality. If there was such a basis, much of it would be happening now. 30. References by DENR to consultation (with the recreational fishing sector) over the last decade are distortions of reality and border on deliberate misinformation.

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Metropolitan Fishers Alliance (MFA)

Live Metro - Fish Everywhere

Position Paper Marine Park (MP) Sanctuary Zones (SZ)

Endorsed 6 June 2012 Summary of the Key Aspects of the MFA Position: i. The work of the LAGs is supported and should be considered as a maximum contribution to the establishment of SZs. The Premier's "First Look" following the peak Stakeholder Workshops in April 2012 is generally supported subject to the above and further consultation. Any Government proposal for extending the SZs (in (i) above) into popular recreational fishing areas without clear scientific justification and socio-economic analysis will be met with a planned strategy of protest action. There must be real and extensive consultation by the Government in the next stage of SZ implementation over an appropriate timeframe. Individual SZs must be accompanied by clear objectives and measurable outcomes for success including social and economic impacts (developed in concert with Local Government authorities). A programme of scientific and socio-economic impact monitoring and measuring should be undertaken for regular reporting over a 10 year timeframe. All SZs should allow shore based and jetty based fishing. No SZs should be located within a 5 kilometre radius of an established boat launching facility.

ii.

iii. iv.

ii. iii. iv.

STRATEGY 2012
The MFA will pursue the following strategies in 2012 to hopefully achieve good Marine Park outcomes for metropolitan recreational fishers and the wider community generally: -

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DRAFT STRATEGY TABLE June 2012

Strategy 1. Establish MFA Position/Policy Actions Seek input via the FishSA, Strike & Hook and Facebook internet Forums on ideas for inclusion in this Strategy (with particular emphasis on community engagement strategies to put to the Government). Seek input from MFA members and formally adopt the Position Paper. MFA Sub Committee review the Governments announcements (including Management Plans) and develop a response (and further recommendations on planned actions). 2. Better Representation Seek and nominate members to any working party (e.g. DENR; PIRSA or SARFAC). Seek a meeting with Minister Caica to discuss this Position Paper and invite him and his officers to a meeting of the MFA. Meet with DENR senior officers and establish the credibility of MFA as a key stakeholder Ask SARFAC to put Marine Parks as a regular item on their Executive and Board meetings agenda and offer to send a couple of representatives from MFA to contribute to the discussions. Meet with the Chair of the Parliamentary Select Committee and discuss this Position Paper. Meet with the Liberal Party Spokesperson and discuss this Position Paper. Timelines April 2012 June 2012 On release Responsibility

Ongoing Mid 2012 Mid 2012 Ongoing Mid 2012 Mid 2012

3.

Real Consultation

Make representations to the Minister and DENR senior officers on the establishment of a program of extensive consultation during the next phase of SZ implementation. Seek the cooperation of SARFAC and the Government in developing a Metropolitan Conference or at least Stakeholder Reference Group to consider the Government proposals (due for tabling towards the end of 2012). Ask SARFAC to make representations to the Government for the establishment of a Sanctuary Zones Conference and suggest contributions from: The Marine Parks Council The Minister DENR The Marine Parks Alliance

Mid 2012

4. Increase Networking

Leading academics/advocates such as Professor Kearney, Dr. Ben Giggles, Ray Hilborn and/or The Honourable Martin Salter and Professor Anthony Cheshire The Conservation sector.

Mid 2012

Provide copies of this Position Paper to relevant stakeholder groups such as Local Councils, Country Action Groups, the Select Committee and Reference and representative Groups.

Mid 2012