THE US-based anti-fishing Pew organisation has been accused of using “fake” anglers to garner support for a push to create a massive lock-out zone in the Coral Sea.
Pew last year failed in a campaign to to lock anglers out of 1.3 million square kilometres of iconic sportfishing territory after the Abbott Government halted the previous Labor government’s national marine parks scheme.
Now a Sydney-based tackle distributor says Pew is seeking to convince Aussie anglers that the Coral Sea lock-out has support amongst the fishing fratenity.
Research by Andrew Hestelow, from the Sydney-based Downrigger Shop, accuses Pew of using “fake” anglers to push its marine agenda.
Via his weekly e-newsletter, Hestelow says that Pew is using “greenies pretending they were fishos who supported marine parks closures” in literature promoting the closure of the Coral Sea to fishing.
Hestelow published images taken from campaign material he says originated from Pew showing “anglers” commenting about the need for lockouts. These “anglers” are then shown to have links to anti-fishing green groups.
The brouchure was reportedly handed out to music goers at a recent Homebake festival in Sydney.
At this stage, Fisho cannot independly confirm if Pew was responsible for producing the brochure or when it was produced. We have contacted Pew’s Sydney office for comment. We understand from various sources that environment groups are currently “on hold” over the Coral Sea issue pending the federal Government’s marine park review plans, which are yet to be announced. (8/7 – see update below)
Above – two of the questionable images …
Above right and above – interesting t-shirt …
UPDATE
Fisho can now report that the marine parks brouchure handed out during the Sydney Homebake festival was produced in 2012 as part of campaign organised by various environmental groups, including Pew.
However, a Pew spokesman said the organisation now does not use the brouchure as the information is “outdated”.
Fisho understand the distribution of the brochure at the Homebake festival was likely organised by the Australian Marine Conservation Society.
According to Pew, the “anglers” featured in the brochure were “volunteers”.
“If they are also members or supporters of other environment groups such as Greenpeace, it’s not something Pew is aware of and is really their choice,” the Pew spokesman said.
Fisho understands various environment groups are currently ramping up social media campaigns pushing for more lock-out areas, including in the Coral Sea.
The federal Government is yet to announce any details about its marine park review plans.
