Draft Management Plan for Marine Parks (2021-2031) Have your say!

Help protect our marine parks. Consultation period is open till 31 January 2022.

NSW Government prioritises the economic values of marine parks, rather than the primary purpose of conserving biodiversity.

The Plan

• envisages the return of trawling in the Batemans Marine Park
• partners with 120 stakeholders who exploit ocean resources, but less than 15 partnerships with conservation groups, marine educators, academic institutions, or marine science professional bodies.

Nature Coast Marine Group Eurobodalla wants the Draft Plan

• to prioritise actions that aim to protect and conserve biodiversity in marine parks
• to expand sanctuary zones in marine parks, and these areas must be no-take zones

The central role of sanctuary zones operating as no-take zones, is not developed.

• The Government’s own Marine Estate Expert Knowledge Panel notes, 'MPAs, and in particular no-take Sanctuary Zones, address the cumulative impacts of fishing by re-establishing key aspects of ecosystem functioning.'
• The peak body on marine sciences in Australia (AMSA) recommends marine parks 'with at least 30% sanctuary (no-take) zone are the most effective and therefore the preferred design option'. This is almost double the current area of NSW sanctuary zones.

View Draft NSW Management Plan for Marine Parks https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bwbZ5RcHDntF2lhCAH7UM2_FQdouqjg0/view

What can you do?

1. Download Nature Coast Marine Group's one-page submission, sign and post to the address on top of the submission (Government is not accepting emailed submissions) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MKdcL6RifkK6XeZrlAZr09BP3MrqTQ1V/view
   OR

2. Log into the Government’s online survey https://yoursay.marine.nsw.gov.au/
   You have the opportunity to attach Nature Coast Marine Group's one-page submission (above) to your on-line response, and/or;
   Use our recommended answers for the on-line survey https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CHcVCpiw6mWlodz_-C3UEA9vHiaozT42/view

The future of marine parks is in your hands.

Publicado el diciembre 12, 2021 09:56 MAÑANA por barv