Nsw Marine Park

[Yeeros]

Guys i wanted to put a post up here cause i think the importance of this new Marine Park warrants it to be posted in this area for all to see. Moderators i think it should be allowed here for some serious discussion amongst members of this site.

First of all Marine parks up and down the coast have locked up the best fishing areas while effectively leaving us 80%of the desert water to fish in.

Make no mistake that we are all being victimised by this and many of our favourite and most productive areas will be marked NO FISHING! Sanctuary zones are refered to as no EXPLOITATION zones!

We need to organise and fight this or in a few years we might as well take up golf.

I am hoping that ideas start to flow on this site from many members on how we can unite all fishing communities as WE are ALL in danger of losing our sport.

Right now we are being held up by a small minority group that the politicians think are the voice of the people! We need to stop being the silent majority and start being the dominant voice in the use of our waterways.

My idea is to email or send letters to the following people and let them know what you think of the new Marine Park. Get your friends and family involved, 50,000 emails and letters to all of these people can't be ignored. We all know at least 10 people that will support us, lets get them to help!

Also feel free to send pictures of your kids fishing with smiles on their faces, no politician in his right mind would go agead with a proposal that will put a frown on the faces of kids!

Right now we are being held up by a small minority group that the politicians think are the voice of the people! We need to stop being the silent majority and start being the dominant voice in the use of our waterways.

Guys lets also keep this civil, we are all under a lot of stress from this but we need to be able to say in 5 years that WE did everything we could to stop this!

We owe it to ourselves, our kids and our childrens children.

LETS SHOW THEM WHAT WE CAN DO!

Write to these guys and tell them what you think, don't swear and abuse them, keep your cool, be rational and make them hear you!

And if they don't reply, SEND IT AGIN AND ASK FOR A REPLY!

Let them know we arn't EVER going to go away, they are taking away our fun, our passion and our kids future fun and passion!

The Hon Nathan Rees (ALP)

Premier of NSW

GPO Box 5341

SYDNEY NSW 2001

Phone (02) 9228 5239

Email thepremier@www.nsw.gov.au

The Hon Steve Whan (ALP)

Member for Monaro

110-112 Monaro Street

QUEANBEYAN NSW 2620

Phone (02) 6299 4899

Email Monaro@parliament.nsw.gov.au

The Hon Ian Macdonald (ALP)

Minister for Primary Industries

Level 33 Governor Macquarie Tower

1 Farrer Place

Sydney NSW 2000

Phone (02) 9228 3344

Email

macdonald.office@macdonald.minister.nsw.gov.au

The Hon Jodi McKay (ALP)

Minister for Tourism

Minister for Small Business

Level 37 Governor Macquarie Tower

1 Farrer Place

SYDNEY 2000

Phone (02) 9228 5668

Email Newcastle@parliament.nsw.gov.au

The Hon Phillip Costa (ALP)

Minister for Rural Affairs

Minister for Regional Development

Level 34 Governor Macquarie Tower

1 Farrer Place

SYDNEY 2000

Phone (02) 9228 5055

Email office@costa.minister.nsw.gov.au

The Hon Kevin Greene (ALP)

Minister for Sport and Recreation

Level 36 Governor Macquarie Tower

1 Farrer Place

SYDNEY NSW 2000

Phone(02) 9228 5331

Email office@greene.minister.nsw.gov.au

NSW opposition and other parties

Mr Andrew Fraser (Nationals)

Shadow Minister for Primary Industries

1/9 Park Avenue,

COFFS HARBOUR NSW 2450

Phone (02) 6652 6500

Email coffsharbour@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Mr Barry O'Farrell (Liberals)

Leader of the Opposition

Parliament House

Macquarie Street

SYDNEY NSW 2000

Phone (02) 9230 2270

Email LOP@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Mr Andrew Stoner (Nationals)

Leader of The Nationals

Parliament House

Macquarie Street

SYDNEY NSW 2000

Phone (02) 9230 2281

Email oxley@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Mr Adrian Piccoli (Nationals)

Shadow Minister for Regional Development

NSW Government Offices

104-110 Banna Avenue,

GRIFFITH NSW 2680

Phone (02) 6962 6644

Email Murrumbidgee@parliament.nsw.gov.au

The Hon. Duncan Gay (Nationals)

Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative

Council

Parliament House

Macquarie Street

Sydney NSW 2000

Phone (02) 9230 2329

Email duncan.gay@parliament.nsw.gov.au

The Hon George Souris (Nationals)

Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation

98 Bridge Street,

MUSWELLBROOK NSW 2333

Phone (02) 6543 1065

Email upperhunter@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Mr Donald Page (Nationals)

Shadow Minister for Tourism

Shop 1, 7 Moon Street,

BALLINA NSW 2478

Phone (02) 6686 7522

Email ballina@parliament.nsw.gov.au

The Hon. Robert Brown (The Shooters Party)

Member of the Legislative Council

Parliament House

Macquarie Street

Sydney NSW 2000

Phone (02) 9230 3059

Fax (02) 9230 2613

Email Robert.brown@parliament.nsw.gov.au

[kkw]

Did you miss any??? I have written my letters to several of the ones you mention. If any of the Mods read this, then I can post a copy of what I wrote so that others can get some idea of what to write, or copy and paste.

I have never gotten into politics and detest them, but this will directly affect my area and fishing/boating activities.

[Davemmm]

Every time there is a hint of a marine park large numbers of fisho's come out and demand free access to all areas for all time.

Unfortnately this approach will never win.

I accept that in some form marine parks are going to exist in NSW for a very long time but I believe that the hypocrisy of a system that buys back all of the pro's licences in Botany Bay so as to take the pressure off the fish population and then allows an unneccesary port expansion and the whole desal debacle must be changed. Thats not the only problem though.

If you take a drive around every suburb of Sydney you will see signs of a boat in virtually every street. This equates to a hell of a lot of fisherpersons. If they were all to take to the water on the same day you could walk across Sydney harbour without getting wet.

What it also equates to is a hell of a lot of fish getting pulled out of our rivers on any given weekend. Anyone who thinks the increase in trailerboat usage over the last twenty years hasnt effected the fishing needs to take their head out of the sand.

Whilst I am against the current proposal for a Sydney wide marine park even a cursory glance at it shows that it will never fly and the National Parks are simply angling (no pun intended) for some form of marine park that will semi-satisfy all parties. An ambit claim so to speak.

The reason the greenies have been able to build a reasonable sized following over the last forty years is that they come up with a number of solutions to problems and where they demand a blanket stop to a process they show valid reasons for doing so. By all means send off letters to the pollies but if you are just going to tell them NOT to implement any form of fishing ban then you are going to be ignored. What we need is for the fishing community to put up counter proposals that include a range of directions the Government should take.

The other thing that attracts people to places like Greenpeace is they practice what they preach. I hear of very few fishos who actively stop runoff from leaving their own front lawn and flowing down the drain (and hence into the ocean), most fishos buy the biggest boat/motor package they can afford without contemplating petrol usage/exhaust product (which does effect the water quality of our rivers and bays), the vast bulk of fishos regularly buy frozen bait without questioning how or where it was caught and so on.

If you just say i want to ensure that the marine environment is either not downgraded anymore or improved so as to leave fishing activities around for my kid's kids all well and good but dont simply send letters off left right and centre stating DONT STOP ME FROM FISHING. You will only be viewed from the outside as a closed minded fisherman similar to the American rednecks from the NRA

Dave

[pelican]

Hi davemmm

Which organisation of all the fishing ones has a broader perspective and the support of enough people to be an effective lobby group and representative??

As you say some are redneck , others are commercial based organisations underneath and other are mum and pop shows but I can't resolve which one to become a member of that will give a fair outcome. 101 directionless fishing sites without a formal membership base and consolidated policy and tactics will make some short term noise but won't make a long term difference unless they get a focus point and a professional lobby organised.

As you mention there is pressure on the waterways and that will lead to pressure on fish stocks (if it hasn't already) but isn't that what the size limits is about? I agree that it is no good for 200 boats to be out there dragging an anchor over the bottom C & R tiddlers waiting for the big one if the very environment the bigger fish need is gone or degraded. That balance has to be decided by well funded science and that may involve some trial lockout areas but locking up the entire coastline and placing it under the control of a body that is influenced by politics and peer groups rather than science is a long term disaster for the fish, environment and comercial interests like tackle, charter and tourism let alone the amature fishermans hobby and enjoyment.

So the question remains as to which organisation is going to take a lead position in this affair and represent the interests in a balanced way to both political parties and all relevant departments for several years and be supported by a consolidated membership of all the varied interested fishing clubs etc?

Pel

[kkw]

101 directionless fishing sites without a formal membership base and consolidated policy and tactics will make some short term noise but won't make a long term difference unless they get a focus point and a professional lobby organised.

So the question remains as to which organisation is going to take a lead position in this affair and represent the interests in a balanced way to both political parties and all relevant departments for several years and be supported by a consolidated membership of all the varied interested fishing clubs etc?

Pel

That's one of the most sensible responses on any of the forums so far. We need someone who has a viable presence and credibility in the community. Where are you Ross???

I realise that Ross has a commercial interest of sorts, however, as a representative of one of the largest sites........

It will sneak up fairly quickly, so procrastination is the last thing we need.

[locodave]

Can someone please summarize this as im at work!

They plan on building a marine park?

Therefore we cannot fish in 80% of areas?

How does that work?

[Davemmm]

Can someone please summarize this as im at work!

They plan on building a marine park?

Therefore we cannot fish in 80% of areas?

How does that work?

The proposal is a marine park that will take in the greater Sydney area including the Hacking, Botany Bay/Georges, Sydney Harbour, Hawkesbury and offshore. This doesnt mean that the whole of those areas are going to be no-fish zones but obviously part of them will be.

So the question remains as to which organisation is going to take a lead position in this affair and represent the interests in a balanced way to both political parties and all relevant departments for several years and be supported by a consolidated membership of all the varied interested fishing clubs etc?

Pel

Any fishing political party will only ever be a lobby group that from time to time can manage to get into the upper house of parliament by more accident than anything.

The Shooters party did get into parliament but that was during a large debate on gun ownership and their peak in support has come and gone. Single issue parties have too much trouble keeping people focussed long term. A broader group, such as the Outdoor recreation party, have a better chance at survival but even they struggle to attract a decent sized support. Family First was a bit of an anomily in the federal arena as they were elected with an extremely small primary vote and then picked up preferences from both major parties in a very strange exchange deal that was meant to keep others out but didnt quite work out that way.

When going to the ballot box people usually vote on what is the most important thing to them at the time. This is usually their hip pocket but occasionally other issues effect the way they vote.

In my view any chance of changing the views of NSW pollies can only come by a lobby group that DOESNT focus on being elected. The Your Rights at Work campaign was basically focussed on getting John Howard un-elected and attempted to get the average punter involved at a grass roots level. A fisheries group needs to take a leaf out of that campaign and stand at boat ramps for months or even years in order to get fishos keen enough to take a stance. Only then can they have any hope of getting a groundswell of opinion going large enough for people to take notice.

You dont get access to the likes of Alan Jones et al on a regular basis if you have a couple of hundred members spread througout the state. You do get access them though when hundreds of different members are calling talkback radio every week or flooding the newspapers with letters to the editor. But as I said earlier in the thread it cant be as simple as saying Not In My Backyard. There must be a more informed message with a realistic alternative for any of the media types to give it any oxygen.

DAVE

[Wigg]

conservation thru the sustainable management of the resource is what we should be aiming for.

There is 2 problems that we face

1. Fishos not getting off their arses and doing something to protect our sport ( as evidenced by the lack of response to the survey regarding size and bag limits. 3500 respondants of which 1800 were non fishos, which equates to 1700 of the 500 000 licensed fishos. Not good)

2. Infighting and lack of direction of fishos. This fight will need to be led from the front by a group that will represent fishos, spearos, clubs, divers, pros and retailers. We need to run like a well oiled machine because that is what we are up against .

There will be no point bitching and moaning when it is all done and we get locked out of our favourite fishing spot.

Please think about your fishing future

Cheers

Wigg

Edited December 12, 2008 by Wigg

[mrmoshe]

Please remember to vote in the Official Fishraider Poll

This NPA proposal WILL impact on YOUR fishing.

I urge everyone to vote.

Cheers,

Pete.

[BIGFISH]

Hi Raiders

Something everyone should be is positive. Marine parks are a good thing, however sancuary zones will NEVER work. This form of censorship will only feed illegle activities and get the fisherman off side.

Just some points for you to note

- I believe Nathan Rees NSW Premier saw the manly results yesterday as did a lot of Pollies

These polls result could really send the NPA movement packing and they may consider the Fishermans policy on marine parks as the blue print.

They forget most of us are very green and marine friendly as we use that environment all the time.

PS I have a copy of the marine park proposal from the fishermans perspective launched as a counter to the marine park proposal for the port stephens area. If Stewy gives permission I will post it

ALSO - DON"T GET NEGATIVE OR DISPONDANT that is what the other side want. I have been speaking with a few of the fishing groups and there is an overwhelming change of attitude. This is a very large catalyst to bring the groups together.

Spoke with Stewy yesterday and he is a passionate fisho very eager to help and don't kid yourself the raiders have serious clout. The best thing you can all do is get your friends to sign up to FISHRAIDER ASAP so that when we talk with officials it adds further clout.

Cheers

BIG

Edited December 16, 2008 by BIG