Coral Sea total bans on fishing

[Andy Rowe]

This is so much more to the point of sustainability and sensible conservation. I've signed.

[Ben Lovelace]

Signed it.... I am all for conservation but lets not take it to the extreme...

[Peter Morris]

I can't understand why the green movement and recreational fishing movements can't have similar goals in Australia. They do elsewhere, where rec fishers are widely regarded as good stewards of the environment. Here in Canada, for instance, top greenie David Suzuki is also a well-known and enthusiastic fly fisherman. But in Oz, for some reason, the greens and rec fishers have fallen on opposite sides of the broader political divide, and that's sad.

On a similar note: the Maldives is being praised for a plan to create the world's largest marine reserve, while continuing to allow recreational sports fishing, including the gamefishing, popping and jigging for which the region is famous. Even Pew has applauded. Why can't this model be applied to the Coral Sea?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/maldives-creates-worlds-biggest-marine-reserve/article4358525/

Serious question: do the Maldives have Oil stocks?

Whatever the answer is, in Australia, the Greens are heavily puppeteered by the PEW organisation. Their goal is neither black nor white, it's what's called a "fuzzy feeling", you know, like when you hug a stuffed animal like a child.

The greens movements here is the stereotypical trendy following, however, they are not to be underestimated. They will and currently ARE causing significant damage to our country, but it won't be too long before they will have little say and common sense will prevail. Until then, we must bide our time and work together for the greater, practical good - not the "fuzzy feeling".

As for the ban on the Coral Sea, I'm really not sure what will happen. Australian politics is at a current all-time lowEST.

Luke has just written exactly what I would have.

Your are absolutely spot on Luke.

The large majority of people who vote 'Green'in Australia have no idea what the party is all about and if you sat down are read through the taxes they want to intoduce and their policies you would be very very concerned.

Pete

[Peter Morris]

Signed it.... I am all for conservation but lets not take it to the extreme...

Exactly.

We are all about conservation...but the word's 'lock out' do not sit well with anyone.

Pete

[Richard Ghalayini]

Send all those greenies to the Artic one way in bikinis and mankinis.

Richards

[Ian Young]

In the Maldives, Pew quite happily supports sportsfishing as an eco-friendly industry that can help further its legislative goals. In Canada, sportsfishing is rarely considered a political issue (commercial fishing is a different matter). There's no insurmountable reason that sportsfishing in Australia can't be similarly removed from the political battlefield, but I see little evidence of engagement between greens and anglers, just venom from anglers, and merry ignorance from the greens.

And yet there's plenty of common ground between sportsfishermen and greens...even Pew, as the Maldives outcome clearly demonstrates.  I just think it's ridiculous that Aussie fishermen spend their time having to worry each election cycle about which side will win. And it's ridiculous that Nomad have to petition ministers to save what we know to be a sustainable and eco-friendly business.

Cheers
Ian

[Luke Wyrsta]

In the Maldives, Pew quite happily supports sportsfishing as an eco-friendly industry that can help further its legislative goals. In Canada, sportsfishing is rarely considered a political issue (commercial fishing is a different matter). There's no insurmountable reason that sportsfishing in Australia can't be similarly removed from the political battlefield, but I see little evidence of engagement between greens and anglers, just venom from anglers, and merry ignorance from the greens.

And yet there's plenty of common ground between sportsfishermen and greens...even Pew, as the Maldives outcome clearly demonstrates.  I just think it's ridiculous that Aussie fishermen spend their time having to worry each election cycle about which side will win. And it's ridiculous that Nomad have to petition ministers to save what we know to be a sustainable and eco-friendly business.

Cheers
Ian

Hi Ian,

This is how it is.

PEW = founded and funded by Oil Companies

Oil Companies = tap oil, spill oil and destroy the ocean.

Solution = found PEW and develop green public image

How = problems of the oceans are from overfishing and fisherman

Result = Oil Companies are Good and Fishing in any form is bad.

The Greens, Left Wing or whatever political bandwagon that wants to align their values and accept the loads of seemingly no-strings cash/funding is irresistible.

What agenda do you think the oil companies have for funding PEW? And why is PEW, a giant American interest want to be involved in Australian matters that should be dealt with by Australians?

I agree, there many value and ideals that fisherman an "greens" can align themselves with and it's a shame it's progressing down the path it currently is.

Sure there's poison but I'm not sure how you can say there is none from the greens - how so?

[Luke Wyrsta]

Ian,

I'd imagine that Maldives would be canvassed for future oil/energy exploration just like in Palau and obviously trying to do here in Australia.

Luke

[Ian Young]

Pew's big-oil links in funding and origin look pretty suspicious, but the group certainly isn't simply pro-oil. The Coral Se plan that it basically drew up bans oil and gas exploration; the same applies in the Maldives. Pew is one of the loudest voices against oil drilling in both the Canadian and US arctic. And even though Howard Pew the oilman was one of the pioneers of the massive oil-sands project in Alberta in the 1960, Pew the environmental trust is a big opponent of the project. Despite getting funds from the big oil companies Pew is also a big player against climate change.

Anyway, my point is that sportsfishing as an issue ought to be removed from the political slate in Australia altogether.

I'm not the only person to notice the gap between the attitudes of Pew's local Aussie branch and Pew's US parent. Fishing World editor Jim Harnwell (a former News Ltd journo) previously tried to broach the subject of an alliance between rec fishing and the environmental movement in Australia. He's right in his assessment that green groups in Oz have shown frustratingly little interest in working with rec fishos. Of course it goes both ways...a lot of fishos are environmentalists in deed, but would rather die than be described as a greenie.

http://www.fishingworld.com.au/news/pew-still-lobbying-for-fishing-bans


Cheers
Ian

[Luke Wyrsta]

That's a great point Ian that it should be seperate from politics but it simply isn't going to happen.

As for PEW, typical 'fluff'! Agendas are pretty clear, green, climate change, ocean - it all pulls on the heart strings of the public.

[Ian Young]

I love my fishing, and I subscribe to most of the rest of the green agenda. But you are right...I will be waiting a long time for the day when the head of Pew Australia is on the foredeck chucking poppers alongside the likes of Damon Olsen.

[Daniel Wong]

Im not astonished that the Australian government has taken such an extreme approach to the GBR... It's simply a way in which they can champion themselves to the green movement and armchair environmentalist Australian public, while they stealthily deploy foreign super trawlers, rich in taxable equity.

Mark - for there to be a union between anglers and the more conservatively minded, there has to be some kind of moderate acceptance/compromise and scientific basis to a decision - something we're not fortunate enough to be offered here in Oz.

At the moment, we have an ailing government, desperate to garner support from the public in which ever way they can - this is merely another example of their desperation.

How can they object to dogtooth sashimi more than netting an entire school of tuna? Just because they're pelagic, doesn't mean they're limitless! But I suppose they ARE more taxable...

The angling community has truly fallen on dark times here in oz.

Btw - I've submitted a variety of petition responses to date!

[Luke Wyrsta]

http://fishingworld.com.au/news/pew-admits-it-targeted-australia-for-lockouts-left-us-alone

Here you go Ian et all!

[Ian Young]

[Peter Morris]

Thats the GIANT problem recreational and professional anglers have with it........No green zones are based on science.

The majority of angler these days are very much for conservation and we all wish to look after our own fisheries for future generations.
We have embraced bag limits and could even deal with 'no take zones'.

But these lock out zones are a rediculous joke.

Queenslands Moreton Bay is a classic example of how Green zones simply dont work and are based on lies.
The sea floor is covered in a thick layer of mud and sediment (urban run off) largely due the the 2011 floods.
What happens is sea grasses,yabbie beds etc are no longer there and have died off as a result.So...without the need to be a marine biologist we can all work out fish have no reason to be there as the food sources are gone.
BUT....what happens is recreational and commercial fisho's get the blame in that there are no fish there and they turn them into Green zones...!!
Science based decision...I think not.

Anyway, I was happy to donate the 'keep Austaralia Fishing' programme and will do whatever is necessary to see future generations get to enjoy what we all have.

Pete