Fishing and conservation news articles and events in South Australia

FFC state pages are a new addition to the site

if you have news or events to contribute please Email: fisherfc@internode.on.net

26/11/10 Draft zoning arrangements for the SA marine parks are now available. View the SA Marine Park outer boundaries Here and the new maps showing possible sanctuary zones at http://marineparkssa.ning.com/page/local-advisory-groups - download the 'scenario map' for your local area and you will get an idea where the no fishing areas may be and a brief explanation of the rationale behind each high protection zone. Read more on our SA Marine Parks Page

12/07/10 When will we learn? - as the gulf of Mexico chokes, Australia is opening up more territory to deep water drilling - this risk to our fish and fishing is just not on!

Tell PM Julia 'No oil drilling - protect Margaret River' or off Kangaroo Island- " Oil is devastating the Gulf of Mexico right now, and we had our own spill off the Kimberley coast just last year. With 31 new oil leases approved this year, this scenario is now even more possible in our own backyard. But we have a fresh opportunity to stop this. With a new Prime Minister and a Federal election just around the corner, it's now up to us to make this an election issue. Political parties are currently deciding on their election commitments, so if ever there was a time to be speaking up, its NOW."

06/05/10 Marine park local advisory groups meet for the second time

Members of all 13 Marine Park Local Advisory Groups (MPLAGs), who first met in February, will meet again later this month (details below). The members of the MPLAGs are providing advice to the Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH) to help develop management plans with zoning scenarios for each of the 19 marine parks. The upcoming meetings will see group members help verify information about local use of coastal and marine environments that has been supplied by nearly 1500 individuals across the state using the South Australian Marine Parks Information Tool (SAMPIT). The MPLAG members will also be introduced to the South Australia’s marine park design principles for use in future meetings. These principles serve as the guidelines for how South Australia’s marine parks should be designed to provide a good mix of conservation, recreational and commercial outcomes. MPLAG meetings later in 2010 will discuss draft marine park management plans with zoning scenarios. We will also look to key stakeholders to provide advice on zoning suggestions. It is really important we gather as much local information as possible from people who have worked or played in these areas for decades. This information will help the Government conserve vulnerable plants, animals and habitats while ensuring the parks have the least possible impact on current users.

Members of the public are invited to attend all MPLAG meetings and a record of each meeting is posted on the marine parks website. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ MPLAG meeting 2 schedule Far West MPLAG (park 2) Meeting yet to be confirmed. West Coast MPLAG (parks 3 & 4) Streaky Bay Rural Transaction Centre Tuesday 25 May, 5pm – 9pm Lower Eyre Peninsula MPLAG (parks 5, 7 & 8) Ravendale Community Sports Centre, Port Lincoln Wednesday 26 May, 1pm – 5pm Sir Joseph Banks Group MPLAG (park 6) Tumby Bay Council Chambers Thursday 27 May, 4.30pm – 8.30pm Franklin Harbor MPLAG (park 9) Franklin Harbor Council Tea Room Monday 31 May, 1pm – 5pm Upper Spencer Gulf MPLAG (park 10) Port Augusta Yacht Club Monday 24 May, 5pm – 9pm Western Yorke MPLAG (parks 11 &12) Minlaton Council Chambers Wednesday 26 May, 5pm – 9pm Lower Yorke Peninsula MPLAG (park 13) Edithburgh Institute Supper Room Thursday 27 May, 5pm – 9pm Upper Gulf St Vincent MPLAG (park 14) Parham Sports and Social Club Tuesday 25 May, 5pm – 9pm Kangaroo Island MPLAG (parks 12, 15, 16 & 17) Ozone Hotel, Kingscote Thursday 3 June, 1pm – 5pm Fleurieu Peninsula MPLAG (park 15) Christies Beach Surf Life Saving Club Tuesday 8 June, 1pm – 5pm Lower South East MPLAG (park 18) Diplomat Motel, Millicent Wednesday 26 May, 5pm – 9pm Upper South East MPLAG (park 19) Lacepede Bay Motel Tuesday 25 May, 4pm – 8pm The Far West Coast Marine Park (park 1), which overlays the State waters part of the Great Australian Bight Marine Park, will be considered by current Great Australian Bight Marine Park Consultative Committee. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ If you have questions or comments please contact: email: marineDEH@saugov.sa.gov.au or Phone: 1800 006 120

29/04/10 Councils rally behind fishing changes, ABC news - South Australian fishing limits could be fundamentally altered after widespread support for change from local councils.

 

 

23/04/10 Email Now! A huge threat looms over some of our favorite fishing areas, the Margret river/ Capes and SA Gulfs/ Kangaroo Island regions - this is the wrong time and place to try to slip new oil and gas mining area under our noses, with the risk of major disasters such as those we have recently seen in the Kimberley and narrowly averted on the Great Barrier Reef - we must see conservation and management plans put in place before we let the oil and gas cowboys into new and risky areas.

The Australian Government plans to announce new oil exploration leases in waters not far from Margaret River in WA and Kangaroo Island in SA in the heart of potential new marine sanctuaries. This places at risk sensitive areas of our unprotected marine environment, as well as our fishing future.

This announcement is planned for 16 May, so we haven't much time. Click the link for an easy way to write your own message Email Now! Note that the map on this site overlays the area of a recent major oil rig related spill onto the areas proposed to be released to industry, to show the possible extent of a major accident. Quite fanciful, and not explained, but use your imagination = bad news for ecosystems and fishing.

23/0410 The Marine Parks Local Advisory Group (LAG) second meeting has been postponed. If you were planning to attend the second LAG meetings scheduled for April 2010, please note the dates have been changed. This change allows more time for community information to be collected through the online South Australian Marine Parks Internet Tool (SAMPIT). The second LAG meeting will now be held toward the end of May 2010. The new dates are posted on the marine parks website as they are confirmed, so to check the date of your next local meeting please go to: http://marineparkssa.ning.com/page/local-advisory-groups

If you have questions or comments please contact: email: marineDEH@saugov.sa.gov.au or Phone: 1800 006 120

 

24/03/10 Are you carrying aliens on your boat?

Reef Watch in partnership with Adelaide Scuba, Glenelg Marina and PIRSA Biosecurity is running a short workshop on Marine Pests - how to ID them and how you can help reduce their spread in Australian Waters. This will be a practical session with inspection of a heavily encrusted (biofouled) hull on Glenelg Marina Slipway. There will also be short talks on marine pests by local marine pest experts. Australia is facing an onslaught of invasive marine pests. Some of these arrive here by accident, transported in ballast water and on the hulls of ships. Others are introduced deliberately and later become a problem. Once in Australia marine pests can be transported by commercial and recreational vessels. Marine pests are great hitch hikers and readily attach themselves to hulls, internal seawater systems, damp spaces or to boating gear such as anchors, ropes and buckets. With more than 1 million recreational vessels in Australia, there is huge opportunity for pests to be inadvertently spread as boats move from one place to another.

When: Wednesday 31st March 6-7.30 pm followed by light supper (with drinks available at bar). Where: Adelaide Scuba/ Glenelg Marina To RSVP for catering purposes email feralperil@ccsa.asn.au or phone Carl Charter on 0466278187.

10/03/10 SA Recreational Fishing - What’s the catch?

Wednesday 24th March, 6.30 pm Public meeting – open to all Presentations and panel discussion featuring:

Dr Keith Jones, Former Manager, 2007/08 Recreational Fishing Survey, PIRSA Fisheries

Dr Simon Bryars, Marine Ecologist-Threatened Species, Department for Environment and Heritage, ·

Matt Osborne, Fishers for Conservation

The formal part of the evening will be followed by informal discussion over drinks and nibbles. Coglin Street Community Centre Coglin Street (near the Central Markets) The CCSA Fish Forum is a regular event where you can discuss fisheries issues directly with government representatives, scientists and other stakeholders.

RSVP to Alex: alex.gaut@ccsa.asn.au or call 8223 5155 For more information: www.ccsa.asn.au/fishforum

A detailed report outlining the results of the 2007/08 South Australian Recreational Fishing Survey was launched in December 2009. Click here for a copy of the full report (PDF).

March 2010 - The State Government is asking the community to get involved in the SA marine parks zoning process via an online mapping tool called SAMPIT (South Australia’s Marine Parks Information Tool). The information inputted into SAMPIT will help the Government decide where marine park zones should go.

It is vital that supporters of marine parks identify areas needing protection as well as areas that are important to you for fishing and other uses like snorkelling, diving, surfing, bird watching and even just a walk along the beach. You don't have to live in South Australia to take part, the input of interstate and overseas holiday makers is also important.

SAMPIT is a simple step-by-step online mapping process.

For more information about South Australia's marine parks and how to use SAMPIT, click on the link above. Together, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure a healhy future for South Australia's coasts and oceans. Thanks in advance for your help on this important issue.

Update March 2010 - SA marine parks page - Community involvement in Marine Parks planning In 2009, the South Australian Government created 19 marine parks along the State’s coastline. These new marine parks are needed to help ensure our marine habitats, plants and animals survive in the face of predicted population growth and environmental challenges including climate change. They will also help sustain our recreational and commercial activities for generations to come.

19/02/10 Tip-offs help net crayfish snatchers - ABC onine - Fisheries officers say tip-offs from the public have led to another eight people being caught trying to illegally take crayfish from south-east South Australian waters. Officers have been targeting the northern ports along the Limestone Coast this week and have fined people for offences such as taking crayfish from other people's pots. Most people were issued with fines of up to $600.

 

05/02/10 First meetings of the 13 Marine Parks Local Advisory Groups (MPLAGs) due to begin on Monday, February 8. MPLAG members, who were appointed late last year, will help develop management plans for each of the 19 marine parks. Members of the public are invited to observe all MPLAG meetings, the details of which are listed below.

MPLAG meeting schedule Far West MPLAG (park 2) Ceduna Council Chambers Monday, 8 February, 10am – 2pm West Coast MPLAG (parks 3 & 4) Elliston Council Chambers Tuesday 9, February, 4.30pm – 8pm Lower Eyre Peninsula MPLAG (parks 5, 7 & 8) Ravendale Community Sports Centre, Port Lincoln Wednesday 10, February, 1pm – 5pm Sir Joseph Banks Group MPLAG (park 6) Tumby Bay Council Chambers Tuesday, 16 February, 4.30pm – 8pm Franklin Harbor MPLAG (park 9) Franklin Harbor Council Chambers Monday, 15 February, 1pm - 5pm Upper Spencer Gulf MPLAG (park 10) Port Augusta Yacht Club Tuesday, 16 February, 6pm – 10pm Western Yorke MPLAG (parks 11 &12) Minlaton Council Chambers Wednesday, 10 February, 5pm – 9pm Lower Yorke Peninsula MPLAG (park 13) Edithburgh Institute Supper Room Thursday, 11 February, 5pm – 9pm Upper Gulf St Vincent MPLAG (park 14) Eagle Sports and Community Centre, Port Wakefield Tuesday, 9 February, 5pm – 9pm Kangaroo Island MPLAG (park 12, 15, 16 and 17) Kangaroo Island Council Chambers Wednesday, 10 February, 2pm – 5pm Fleurieu Peninsula MPLAG (park 15) Christian Gospel Centre, Victor Harbor Tuesday, 23 February, 1pm – 5pm Lower South East MPLAG (park 18) Grant Council Chambers Tuesday, 16 February, 4pm -7pm Upper South East MPLAG (park 19) Robe Council Chambers Wednesday, 17 February, 4pm – 7pm

 

23/01/10 New review paper: Temperate marine reserves: global ecological effects and guidelines for future networks

Extract: Available evidence indicates that temperate no-take marine reserves have higher densities, biomass, and species richness of marine biota within their boundaries compared to areas outside reserves. Fish density and biomass in particular are higher in no-take than in adjacent areas, which is consistent with previous analyses (Mosqueira et al. 2000; Côtéet al. 2001; Halpern 2003; Micheli et al. 2004; Claudet et al. 2008). We also found that algal densities are higher inside reserves, which may indicate a trophic effect. In temperate systems, the common grazers such as sea urchins often reach high densities in the presence of fishing because their predators are removed from the system, and thus this result suggests a return to a more intact ecosystem state inside reserves (Behrens & Lafferty 2004).

 

 

 

 

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