Park Process – show us the science
ARFF calls for independent reviewThe Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation (ARFF), representing Australia peak national and key state recreational fishing organisations has called for an immediate independent scientific review of the Marine Park Process.
ARFF Managing Director Allan Hansard said: "What was clear from the recent Parliamentary debate on the marine parks is that the process is driven more by politics than the essential science required for good public policy to protect our marine environment.
"We have continually asked Minister Burke to answer one simple question. Why is he locking Australia’s recreational fishers out of Marine National Parks yet still letting divers, tourism operators, bulk and cargo carriers and defence activities into these areas?
"The debate earlier this week again provided no answer to this question from the Minister and now even independents Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor who supported the Government’s Marine Park policy are silent on the question.
“We have heard a lot of political spin but no scientific substance to satisfy us that the decision made to lock recreational fishers out of Marine National Parks is anything but political. In his speech to Parliament on the issue, Minister Burke displayed a pile of 'scientific reports' supposedly used in underpinning the Marine Park decisions. However he failed to show us just where in that pile of reports he got the science to lock recreational fishers out of Marine National Parks.
“We are asking for an immediate independent scientific review of the Marine Park process to examine specifically what underpins the decision to lock recreational fishers out of marine national parks, yet allows arguably more environmentally destructive activities to still occur in these areas.
"If the Minister, his Government and the independents are so confident with the science underpinning their decision then they have nothing to fear from an immediate independent scientific review of the Marine Park process and should support our call – for the sake of our marine environment."
Recreational Fishing Marine Park Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgpuVft_YY0&feature=youtu.be
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