WeFish

Environment Minister Tony Burke just announced Australia’s world’s largest network of marine parks.

"Australia will create the world's largest network of marine parks as the world "turns a corner" on ocean protection, Environment Minister Tony Burke has announced.

The network, announced this morning, is made up of five main zones in offshore waters surrounding every state and territory.
 But the Government will have to pay up to $100 million in compensation to commercial fishers who will be locked out of some of the new marine parks."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-14/burke-announces-marine-parks-reserve/4069532

24 Oct 2011

"TONY Burke seemed quite surprised when I asked him if he was going to bow to Pew's demands and ban fishing in the Coral Sea. "No, of course not," he replied. "Why would I do that?"

These are the words Aussie fishos have been waiting to hear. The fact that the federal Environment Minister has categorically refused Pew's calls for a massive no-take marine park in the Coral Sea, east of the North Queensland coast, is a clear sign that the Government is taking a level headed approach to marine protection."

http://www.fishingworld.com.au/news/comment-win-for-fishos-as-pew-loses-battle-for-coral-sea

This morning the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, the Hon. Tony Burke, released the final Commonwealth Marine Reserves Network proposals for the South-west, North-west, North, Coral Sea and Temperate East Marine Regions.

The final marine reserves network proposals reflects revisions made as a result of the recent public consultation process conducted in each marine region and the assessment of potential socio-economic impacts undertaken in parallel with the public consultation.

In the coming weeks, the Director of National Parks will release a public notice inviting comment on the proposed proclamation of the final Commonwealth marine reserves. Once the notice has been published in the Commonwealth Government Gazette, the public will have 60 days to provide comment to the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.

Information on the final Commonwealth Marine Reserves Network proposal can be found at www.environment.gov.au/marinereserves

A public consultation period of 60 days will begin in a few weeks and this will be our final chance!