Mp, Fishers Question Marine Park Plan (batemans Bay Area)

[mrmoshe]

The New South Wales Member for Bega says a plan for a marine park on the south coast is an attempt by the Labor Government to win Greens preferences.

Batemans Bay recreational fishers have urged the Government not to go ahead with the marine park.

The Batemans Marine Park is due to be formally declared in April and will stretch from Narooma to Bawley Point, near Ulladulla.

Fishers are concerned about the ban on fishing in sections of the 85,000 hectare park and that it will affect tourism and the local economy.

Liberal MP Andrew Constance says recreational fishing is worth millions of dollars to the south coast economy.

Mr Constance says the Government must reveal how the marine park will affect the communities.

"This is a grubby Greens preference deal, which is affecting communities on the coast from the Manning region down to the Batemans region," he said.

"This is a major issue affecting all those communities - jobs are at stake, businesses are at stake.

"The Government hasn't bothered to ask anyone what their view is in relation to this and there's backlash in the communities."

Recreational fisher Jack Tait has formed the Coastal Rights Association to fight the plan and says it wants evidence the scheme will benefit the environment and the community.

"There are many, many people here that have fished for years and have lived here and there are areas where fish come into breed, we know that," he said.

"If they said for three months of the year, 'block that off, it's a nursery zone,' there would not be one person go anywhere near it.

"But to take everyone's rights away, we think, is totally wrong."

Edited March 14, 2006 by MallacootaPete