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In any case I thought it was worth correcting, as you hear a lot of misinformation about marine parks.

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Doubt it. Why are we still discussing this?

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Is this something else you 'heard about'?

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That is probably a good idea, provided the latent effort is cut back first.

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Perhaps you should be a bit more specific. I still have no idea what you are on about. Also, can you explain how this is relevant? Is it OK for the government to buy votes from the anti marine park lobby because they also buy votes elsewhere?

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No it doesn't.

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Can you elaborate please?

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My criticism was directed at the 'representative body' funding, not the payouts to commercial fishermen. I have heard just as much criticism of government funded representative bodies from the other side of this debate.

All you had to do is have a bit of patience, FD:

http://www.fishingworld.com.au/news/coalition-releases-rec-fishing-policy-in-election-lead-up

Coalition releases rec fishing policy in election lead-up
22 Feb 2011

THE NSW opposition today released its recreational fishing policy titled “Restoring the Balance”.

Shadow Minister for Primary Industries Duncan Gay said today at Port Macquarie the NSW Liberals & Nationals Marine Parks policy claims to outline: “Positive, practical plans based on independent, scientific evidence to give local communities a proper say in decisions that affect their livelihood and lifestyle.”

"The NSW Liberals & Nationals policy “Restoring the Balance” finds the right balance between allowing fishermen appropriate access to fishing spots and protecting the marine environment,” said Gay.

The Coalition policy includes:

* Not abolish any of the existing six marine parks and continue our moratorium on the creation of new marine parks and fishing closures, pending the outcome of our independent scientific audit.
* Immediately commission an independent scientific audit of the effectiveness of existing zoning arrangements in meeting domestic and international commitments to the conservation of marine biodiversity.
* A separate audit to examine which lead agency (Fisheries or the Department of Environment and Climate Change) is more appropriate to manage Marine Parks.
* Trial appropriate recreational fishing techniques in marine parks under review.
* Expand the current Habitat Protection Zones within marine parks subject to the results of the scientific independent audit.
* Local Community Social and Economic Impact Statements included in the audit.
* Commit to removing pressure on our fish stocks and marine environment through a $16 million, 4-year commitment for a commercial fisherman buyout policy.
* Audit the current management of NSW Fishing Trust funds and the process by which trust funds are allocated.
* Create a new Joint Recreational and Commercial Fishing Advisory Committee including stakeholders from the fishing industries.
* Improve the awareness of anglers of zoning arrangements so fines are not handed out to unsuspecting people drifting into restricted areas.
* Improve the current system of compliance.

"Fishermen in NSW have long suffered under NSW Labor's failed marine parks policy which was designed to achieve a political outcome rather than an environmental evidence-based outcome," said Gay.

"The NSW Liberals & Nationals do not believe that Labor's approach of locking communities out of their waterways is the answer to protecting our marine environments.

"Marine parks as operated by the Keneally Labor Government concentrate solely on restricting fishing rather than addressing pollution, introduced species and diseases, some agricultural substances and inappropriate coastal development."

Stay tuned to fishingworld.com.au for more related news in the lead-up to the NSW election.

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You will have to be more specific.

You mentioned the figure of 15 million dollars didn't you?

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By getting the leaders of the anti marine park movement on side. Given the small number of people actively involved in the movement it would be pretty cheap to buy them off with an official position on a meaningless body.

Are the Coalition's policies meaningless as well? Also tell me; who are the leaders of the 'anti marine park movement'. Give me some names. And what makes you think it is a top down organisation? In fact it is grassroots, and real grass - not the astroturf of the pro marine park lobby.

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Are they suggesting they can make marine parks do those other things better than labor? [/quote]

quote]You mentioned the figure of 15 million dollars didn't you? [/quote]

Yes. That was for context. You would have equally criticised me for leaving that out.

It has nothing to do with context - more like for the sake of exaggeration.

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I don't think you can lump them all together like that. The represntative body one is pretty meaningless.

How do you know it will be meaningless?

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Sorry, I don't pay that much attention.

If your theory has some basis in fact you would know who these so called leaders are.  

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I don't. But leaders are inevitable. The movement is fringe enough as it is. If you take out the few sane sounding people it will become even more fringe.

Bandwagon device. As to the 'sane sounding' jibe you have quite some hide given your pathetically inept missives.

Are they suggesting they can make marine parks do those other things better than labor?

Wouldn't be hard. At least they are showing signs of seeing beyound the anti fishing bias that surrounds Labor's marine parks.

Dnarever wrote on Feb 24^th, 2011 at 5:44pm:



Actually there are quite a few specifics in the policy. Also it is quite reasonable that they haven't gone into the details of actual zoning at this stage. 

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History repeating.

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So you think the coalition will use marine parks for "addressing pollution, introduced species and diseases, some agricultural substances and inappropriate coastal development"?

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The bit about not abolishing any marine parks is substantial and definitely needed to be cleared up given what they said last election. The rest does barely differentiate them from Labor on the marine park front - the devil is in the detail, which they are not providing.

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Kind of what you would expect them to do, but it leaves just about every option open to them, and they have made no indication of changing their view on anything.