Categories: Local
      Date: Feb 28, 2009
     Title: "Green Zones" good for Bay

Australia's peak marine conservation organisation, the Australian Marine Conservation Society, has welcomed fresh research from CSIRO in Moreton Bay on the eve of the introduction of the Bay's new zoning plan, which comes into effect Sunday 1st March.

Craig Bohm, Campaigns Director with the Australian Marine Conservation Society said "We welcome CSIRO's latest Moreton Bay report which shows that the marine national park zones are good for fish. If marine national parks are good for fish, then they are good for fishing and good for local tourism and jobs. I am sure that most South East Queenslanders would welcome these results just as we have."

In their latest scientific findings, researchers from CSIRO have demonstrated scientifically that the existing 'marine national park' or 'green zones' in Moreton Bay are doing their bit to help secure Moreton Bay's long term natural health as well as the productivity of important seafood species.

Mick Haywood, team member at CSIRO said this week in a statement by CSIRO that their Moreton Bay research team had already found between four and 11 times more legal sized male mud crabs in marine national park zones than outside the zones. They had also found that fish catch rates showed a similar trend and that there were many more legal sized fish in marine national park zones than in the fished areas outside these zones.
Reference: http://www.csiro.au/news/Moreton-Bay-Zone-Research.html

"As Moreton Bay researchers and locals, we know that most people are today worried that South East Queensland's population explosion is placing excessive pressure on local fish supplies. Queensland Boating Patrol officers tell us (unofficially) that on any given Saturday morning as many as 80-100 recreational fishing boats can be seen clustering over a single reef. We are out there and we know this to be true. The pressure on Moreton Bay is indeed becoming intense," Bohm said.

In responding to comments made by Liberal National Party (LNP) frontbencher Mike Horan, who has vowed to overturn the new Moreton Bay Zoning Plan if the LNP is elected to government, Bohm said:

"Some 12,000 people wrote to the government during the Moreton Bay review calling for more marine national park zones. We understand that this is four times as many people as those who questioned more protection. If the LNP chooses to ignore these local voters, many of whom are also moderate and concerned local fishers, then they do so at their own electoral peril."

"The Australian Marine Conservation Society calls all parties to publically declare their support for the new Moreton Bay zoning plan and the lifestyle it promises," Bohm concluded.