SUBMISSION TO THE REPORT OF
INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC AUDIT OF MARINE PARKS NSW
JUNE 2012
INTRODUCTION
The NSW Marine Estate is owned by all people and has to be managed for all people.
NSW Marine Parks Management traditionally has fallen short of gaining wide spread community support
which is essential for a Management Plan to work. The recommendations proposed in the report appear to
be a win for sensible and achievable marine conservation. Not the” ban all forms of fishing” that Marine
Park conservation policies have implemented in the past.
The two over-arching recommendations Executive Summary page VIII are highly commendable. Actions of
which I endorse.
Recommendation A: The key word is re-organised. The growing impacts of population growth adjacent to
the NSW Marine Estate must be addressed. Governance of the NSW Marine Estate must include the five
catchment management authorities covering the NSW drainage system.
Recommendation B: An independent scientific committee is a must. This would see an end to scientific
decisions being influenced by politically motivated pressures. Politics and ideology must not influence
science. Social and economic impacts have to be researched and the findings addressed. As important as
these recommendations are my concern is the time frame to achieve the desired results. I would hope that
as vital as these recommendations are other recommendations are addressed and a desired result
achieved in a shorter time frame.
Table 3 Page 18. NSW Marine Park Zones
NSW Marine Parks have 4 levels of protection ranging from the highest protection in Sanctuary Zones to a
high level of protection in habitat protection to a less level of protection in general use zones and special
purpose zones.
The main objectives are the protection for biodiversity, habitat, ecological processes, natural features and
cultural features. Habitat protected and general use zones provide opportunities for fishing. Fishing access,
although being a Marine Park objective has been severely restricted in many of the traditional fishing
areas. The wide range of fishing activities have to be divided into high to low level impact activities with
more access to the lower level activities. Marine protection is not achieved simply by banning fishing.
2.3.3.3 Page 29. Extractive Resource Use
A greater understanding of the impacts of extractive activities on biodiversity and ecosystems raised in this
section would establish a better fisheries management. This in turn would minimise the extractive users
impact.
Box 2 Page 30. Overfishing.
This section clearly demonstrates the criteria and identifies what should be warning signals as to the true
position of a targeted fish species.
Monitoring of catch rates is essential in determining the true reason for the species demise whether it is
over fishing or some other impact such as pollution leading to unacceptable water quality.
2.3.3.7 Pages 36-39. Marine Pollution.
Pollution in its many forms is by far potentially the biggest threat to the marine environment. Recreational
fishing will not cause a fish species to become extinct due to monitoring and management efforts.
However many forms of pollution causing unacceptable water quality have the potential to cause the
extinction of a species. Pollution in its many forms may be as simple as an injested plastic bag to the
complex poisoning of Sydney Harbour. Maritime accidents are being minimised with most large ships
avoiding Marine Parks which also address issues of introduced species in bilge water.
The pollution issues raised have to be acted on. Public education on all forms of pollution is very important
as the pollution risks increase.
Recommendations Relating to terms of Reference 3, 4 and 9
Recommendation 5. Pages 41-42
Relevant issues raised include
1. Extending the monitoring, evaluation and reporting system to include a greater focus on marine,
estuarine and inshore environments.
2. A risk assessment of threats to Marine Parks and any indirect effects of activities such as tourism or
fishing to be undertaken.
3. Zoning and rezoning should also more explicitly and transparently consider the assessment of risks.
Priority should be given to determine how threats are being dealt with by the current configuration of the
Marine Park network. Management actions should be in proportion to risk and must be cost efficient.
4. Greater clarity and attempts to communicate actions should be taken to manage each threat type and
the biological, social and economic justification for these actions.
5. Early detection and pest monitoring.
6. The monitoring of nutrient and sediment levels and a survey of contaminant levels.
7. Better management of storm water inputs of contamination should be provided. These issues have been
neglected in the past and it is essential to give them priority in future improved Marine Park management.
Most significant issues with respect to the management of fishing and the interaction of this with the
management of NSW Marine Parks. Pages 42-45.
The ideologies of the anti-fishing and recreational fishing communities could not be further apart.
Recreational fishing has to be gauged at different impact levels, information has to be site specific and
common sense has to prevail to provide recreational fishing opportunities. Information specific to overseas
fisheries where a less than adequate fisheries management has caused over exploitation is not relevant in
NSW. NSW and Australia have one of the best fisheries managements in the world. The underlying
principle of multi-use Marine Parks is that there is continued access and opportunities for users of marine
resources provided biodiversity and cultural values are conserved.
Information on further assessment of fish stocks including recreational catch rates and indirect effects of
fishing are desperately needed. Statements of overfishing in many overseas countries are not relevant for
the majority of fisheries in NSW as there is clear evidence that most of the assessed fisheries are being well
managed.
The NSW Marine Park authority lists the benefits of Marine Protected areas to include:
1. Increase in size and number
International literature relating to areas where habitats have been devastated by destructive
fishing practices including the use of explosives and poisons or grossly excessive or mismanaged
fishing effort is not relevant to NSW Marine Park Sanctuary Zones. To eliminate these practises and
declare the area a “No Take Sanctuary Zone” because the country in question has sub-standard
fisheries management will most definitely increase fish stocks and improve the marine biodiversity. This evidence is at best misleading when used in relation to NSW marine protected areas
as poisons and explosives are not used.
2. Spill over
Published science would indicate the spill over effect is not relevant in NSW Marine Parks. Over
fishing adjacent to marine protected areas could cause a spill over effect. However, with well
managed fisheries this does not happen.
3. Habitat and ecosystem improvement
The magnitude of the effect depends on the degree to which the area was depleted prior to the
establishment of the sanctuary. A lack of extensive monitoring before the implementation of the
sanctuary zone, tended to make improvements hard to justify.
Recommendations Relating to Terms of Reference 5, 6 and 9. Page 49
To complement the improvements in Fisheries management and the status of several fish stocks
the audit panel sees the need to undertake
 Better information on the ecosystem effects of fishing and the integration of this
information.
 Recreational fishing must be evaluated and the results incorporated into Marine Park
management.
 Approaches to zoning should be reassessed to be based upon management objectives that
are specifically geared to ecological and biodiversity outcomes and utilise economic and
social assessments.
These recommendations I support as they will require closer relationships between agencies responsible
for these areas and a whole-of-coast approach to marine environmental management.
Recommendation 12. Page 76.
The replacement of the Marine Park authority and any other relevant body with a coastal and marine
management authority is a very good idea. The new authority must be given the concurrent rights
regarding land use developments that have the potential to affect the NSW Marine Estate.
Recommendation 13. Page 76.
The Coastal and Marine Management Authority must manage the NSW Marine estate.
Recommendation 14. Page 76.
New legislation consolidating all relevant acts must be drafted.
Recommendation 15. Page 76.
A formal relationship between the coastal and marine management and the independent scientific
committee must be created.
CONCLUSION
The zoning of all coastal beaches and some rocky headlands should be made habitat protection zones for a
distance of 500 metres offshore. The lifting of sanctuary zones on coastal beaches would have little or no
adverse effects on biodiversity and reduce the socio-economic impact on relevant local communities.
Zoning in the Solitary Islands Marine Park was implemented in 2002. Sanctuary zone boundaries are not
adequately identified on the water and this issue has to be addressed as soon as possible with highly
visible markers. 10 years is too long to wait.
The rezoning of Solitary Islands Marine Park was due to happen after 5 years, in 2007. Extractive users of
the multi- use Solitary Islands Marine Park are anxiously awaiting proposed changes. At the top of the list is
the “Lock up” by stealth of the south side of Bare Bluff Headland. The lock up of this area was not
mentioned at any extractive user group meeting and no justifying science was offered. The local
community has been denied access to this popular fishing and spearfishing area unjustifiably for 10 years
too long.
The proposed sanctuary at Diggers Camp is an injustice to lock an area up simply because it is a rock
platform. An extensive plan of the final rezoning of the Solitary Islands Marine Park has to be accepted by
the wider local community with meaningful community consultation and input.
Please accept this submission detailing the issues and recommendations which are endorsed by
recreational fishers.
Mr Geoff Parker
Coffs Harbour Deep Sea Fishing Club
Director, Fisheries and Environmental Spokesperson
Director Ecofish Coffs Harbour