According to a large Mooloolaba-based seafood company on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast the closure of fishing grounds off Fraser Island would devastate the region. The Federal Government wants to create two ‘no take’ zones – one in the Coral Sea and another off the southern tip of Fraser Island.
Gary Heilmann, managing director of De Brett Seafood, said that he and four other operators are willing to stop fishing in the Coral Sea if they get a $75 million compensation package. He added that few local operators work in the Coral Sea but the area around Fraser Island should remain open as the local industry depends on it.
As per Gary statement the main point of discussion is to think from where they do come to this particular area because they believe it should be looked at for multiple use as well to disrupt the minimum amount of people. He told that the benefit with the proposal they have put to the Government is that it really only impacts on a small number of operators in Mooloolaba and one operator in Cairns and it achieves a very, very large outcome for minimal impact on anybody else.
They believe that would fully cost out both compensation for onshore businesses that are impacted by it, plus loss of value in your fishing vessel and licences for those that are impacted and the balance of the fishery that would be locked out of that area in the future. The Australian Marine Conservation Society’s Daisy Barham says it is pleasing to have the fishing industry supporting the planned closure in the Coral Sea.
She says the ‘no take’ zones are necessary to protect the valuable fish resource. She also said that the Coral Sea is one of the last places in the world really that we can find really large and healthy populations of big fish, so things like tuna and marlin that we know and love. The interesting thing is that research has shown time and time again is that marine sanctuaries are the world’s best practice way to protect a marine environment.
