Pew won't budge on Coral Sea

The US-based environment group Pew will not compromise on its mission to create a massive no-fishing zone in the Coral Sea off North Queensland, despite admitting that recreational fishing activities would probably have minimal environmental impacts in the remote area.

In an interview with Fisho this week, Pew Environment Group - Australia director Imogen Zethoven said the Coral Sea was a unique area which warranted complete protection from all "extractive activities".
"We want to see this area remain pristine and as unaffected by human contact as is possible."

Pew would not budge from its hardline commitment to "complete protection" for the Coral Sea, saying the multi-purpose marine parks established in other Australian waters were not suitable in this case.
Under the Pew plan, the federal Government would fund the creation of a one million sq km Coral Sea Marine Park, which would be policed by the Australian Navy and Coastguard.
Tourism activities such as diving and whale watching would be allowed in the park, as would shipping, but "extractive" operations such as oil and gas mining, commercial fishing and recreational fishing would be banned.

A 20-year veteran of the environment movement, Zethoven said Pew was mainly concerned with the damaging effects of industrial fishing on the Coral Sea, but said recreational fishing could cause "localised depletions".
Because the Coral Sea was a remote and difficult to access area most Australian anglers would not be affected by any decision to close it to fishing activities, she said. Many fishermen supported the implementation of no-fishing zones, Zethoven claimed, adding that protests about Pew's plans for the Coral Sea where being orchestrated by a small group of North Queensland-based activists who were spreading "misinformation".

Zethoven admitted she had minimal understanding or knowledge of recreational fishing - "I know a couple of people who describe themselves as 'fishaholics' but I'm not someone who fishes" - and said while catch & release fishing was a "legitimate activity" it would not be a suitable in any Coral Sea Marine Park.

Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett had not given Pew any special treatment in its lobbying efforts over the past year, Zethoven said, and had not given any indication of whether he would support the Pew proposal. Zethoven expected an announcement on the Coral Sea's future to be made by June next year, as part of the Government's plans for establishing national marine bio-regions. 
Zethoven maintained that closing the Coral Sea to recreational fishing would help it combat the effects of climate change, despite science obtained by Fishing World showing such claims are unproven. "Protecting reef areas from fishing enables them to develop resilience to environmental problems such as bleaching," Zethoven said.

Pew would be undertaking a major publicity campaign over the next weeks to "educate" the Australian public on the importance of protecting the Coral Sea.

Fishing World will publish a transcript of our interview with Pew's Imogen Zethoven on www.fishingworld.com.au as soon as possible. In the meantime, the crux of the discussions are as follows:

• Pew will not compromise on pushing for a total fishing ban in the Coral Sea.
• Pew has interests regarding the South Western marine bioregion in WA and, along with other environment groups, will actively campaign to facilitate "protection" of these waters.
• Pew Environment Group is an arm of the US-based Pew Charitable Trusts organisation and is developing a global presence, with offices in Europe and New Zealand, as well as Australia.
• Approval of the disallowance motion currently before the Senate regarding the Coral Sea will not necessarily influence the establishment of a no-take marine park, Zethoven said.
• Pew wants data showing recreational fishing effort from anglers and charter operators so it can assess "take" in the Coral Sea.

• Pew run back to yanky land(if u r wanted there)before its to late,you r not welcome here in our well preserved country.there is alot more of us than you.We will give u that non Australia Garrett for your wasted time........
  Brendan Summers on 30-Dec-09 08:27 AM

• get down to your local MP and take a stand against these eco-terrorists...
  jacko on 22-Dec-09 01:47 PM

• Lets not forget there are millions of US Anglers who would be behind anything we can do to help neuter "Ms" Zethoven and her wildly absurd platitudes. We're all in this together and it's coming sooner rather than later.
  Phil on 14-Oct-09 03:26 PM

• Senator Ron Boswell from the Nationals has gone in to bat for us fishos on this issue by blocking Garrett's "proclamation" in the Senate. I recently saw a link to a list of all Federal Senators, from all parties, and their email addresses printed here, and sent an email to each of them, pointing out that the Coral Sea was a "pristine environment" because it has always been well managed by the people who use it- a far greater number of people than PEW would have them believe. It would be great if all rec- fishos(and commercial interests, for that matter) did the same thing, if only to show the ALP how many votes it stands to lose if Garrett proceeds with this pointless excercise. The fact is that the Coral Sea is under no threat from overfishing, be it recreational or commercial, and that a fishing ban over a million square km of ocean would be ridiculously expensive to police, and would put hundreds if not thousands of people out of work - is this part of Krudd's stimulus package?
  Steve Pride on 12-Sep-09 02:50 PM

• It would be a tragedy for the Australian Government to be told what to do by a foreign organisation who have no understanding or scientific data to justify the closure of an entire sea to rec fishing. Peter Garrett has proven to be a major disappointment and has no right to hold his office. I know who my vote will not be going too.
  Kevin Abbott on 12-Sep-09 12:08 AM

• I wonder what interests the Pew group has in South West Aust, maybe I'm a bit cynical about their actions, considering where their money really comes from.
  Errol Wilson on 11-Sep-09 01:25 PM

• Pew cannot get their way in the US and are trying to do so elswhere in the world, I wonder if the members of pew eat fish if so how can they eat it without catching it, its time Peter Garrett was brought to heal by the Australian public for grovelling to this group and let Australians fix Australia not some yank group.
  John McConkey on 11-Sep-09 07:23 AM

• The PEW group appears to be mainly concerned about the impact of humans ( a naturally occurring species) on the planet. If they are truely so concerned then surely the removal of themselves, setting a fine example for all, would be a reasonable action. These city dwellers appear to have little or no concept of how the real natural world functions, The comment about coral bleaching is very telling. So, continue to live in cities the most polluting environment we have created and preach at every one else that they are at fault and need to be restricted.
  Bill on 10-Sep-09 05:47 PM

• Why doen't PEW start by closing off the Florida Keys to rec fishing first??
  Wolly Wolters on 10-Sep-09 05:36 PM

• Who do PEW think they are? They should go and tidy up their own filthy back yard before telling us what to do. They are a NO GO in Aus
  P. Reeve on 10-Sep-09 05:32 PM