Shark expert Valerie Taylor visits SA to campaign against changes to marine parks laws

RENOWNED shark expert Valerie Taylor has staged a one woman protest on the steps of State Parliament as conservation groups ramp up their campaign against changes to the no-fish zones.

CONSERVATION groups are ramping up their campaign against legislation that could change the no-fish zones in South Australia’s marine parks to allow fishing.

The groups position is at odds with regional fishing communities and some commercial fishers who remain strongly in favour of the bill.

The Conservation Council of South Australia held a community meeting in Independent MP Martin-Hamilton Smith’s electorate of Waite at the Belair Park Country Club on Wednesday.

About 50 people attended the gathering to hear from shark expert and marine conservationist Valerie Taylor AM.

On Thursday Ms Taylor, 78, also staged a “one-woman” protest on the steps of Parliament to send a message to politicians.

“I was invited to come here because it would appear that South Australia may not be getting all the marine parks and sanctuary zones that the people expected and this is very serious, because as far as diversity goes, South Australia has more diversity along it’s not very big coastline than any other state in Australia,” she said.

“I think the two politicians in the lower house who could ... take it away like that, that’s a tragedy, it’s taking away a piece of the future that is only going to become more precious.”

The legislation is due for a vote in the lower house on September 18 and together the two Independents Mr Hamilton-Smith and Geoff Brock have the deciding vote.

The bill, which passed the upper house in July was introduced by Liberal MP Michelle Lensink and aims to change 12 of the 84 sanctuary zones to habitat zones, which means fishing in these areas would be allowed.

Both Mr Hamilton-Smith and Mr Brock have said they are still considering the issues and are yet to formalise a position.

Small regional fishing communities and commercial fishing groups across the state are strongly in favour of the bill.

They argue if the no-fish zones, which come into effect in October as planned, businesses will be destroyed and jobs lost.

A Marine Park Regional Impact Statements main report prepared for the Environment Department by an economic and consulting company EconSearch in 2012, estimates the impact of marine park zones on regional economies will result in the loss of approximately $12 million in gross state product each year, 124 full time jobs and $7.89 million to household incomes.

The main commercial fishing sectors the no-fish zones would impact are the rock lobster and abalone.

Port Lincoln resident Trent Gregory has been a rock lobster fisherman for 35 years.

Mr Gregory warns that South Australia’s rock lobster industry is on the brink destruction.

“We are running on a knife edge now because there is a low quota it’s bloody scary,” he said.

In Port Wakefield, Marine Park 14 Action Group chair Bart Butson estimates the no-fish zone in the Upper Gulf St Vincent marine park will result in the loss of $3.25 million and up to 28 full time jobs in that area each year.