Fraser Island News

Great Sandy Strait zoning plan revealed

Last Update: Tuesday, 18 April 2006

Intensive sea cage aquaculture will be prohibited in the Great Sandy Marine Park under the zoning plan released by the state government.

In a joint announcement of the decision, the Premier, Deputy Premier and Minister for the Environment say the zoning plan ensures a balance between the environment and the needs of local families and communities who are dependant upon the region for their livelihood.

"The Great Sandy Marine Park will protect wildlife including dugongs, turtles, humpback whales, and grey nurse sharks while allowing for commercial and recreational fishing to continue," Beattie says.
The Great Sandy Marine Park absorbs the existing Woongarra and Hervey Bay Marine Parks and at 6,000 square kilometres is nearly three times their size.

"It will stretch from Baffle Creek in the north to Double Island Point in the south and wraps around Fraser Island," Boyle says.

"Fraser Island remains World Heritage Listed and is the centre piece in the Great Sandy Marine Park.
"With regard to the zoning plan, this is as hard as it gets. We have had to balance commercial fishing interests with the large number of recreational fishers, local and visitors, and tourism interests while at the same time protecting the environment that attracts people to the area in the first place.

Deputy Premier, Treasurer and State Development Minister Anna Bligh says aquaculture in the area will be limited to rack and line and ranching methods for oyster, scallop and sea cucumber production.
"We have achieved the balance between sustainable development of the marine aquaculture industry and low environmental impact," Bligh says.

"There is enormous potential for the cultivation of high value, low-impact products such as edible oysters, pearl oysters, and scallops.

"Forecasts show growth of up to 1,250 jobs could be generated in this area alone over the next decade if the sea ranching and rack and line marine aquaculture sectors are allowed to grow.

"While parts of the region were considered suitable for fish farms - or sea cage aquaculture - and the environmental impact was considered moderate, we have decided to prohibit the practice."

Premier Peter Beattie says there is a huge potential to increase the size of Queensland's seafood industry and aquaculture sector but that it has to be done in a responsible way.

"Queensland offers a host of advantages for marine aquaculture production and processing including, clean, unpolluted waters and proximity to major seafood markets in the Asia-Pacific region," he says.

"As a result, Queensland will be well placed to help satisfy the growing global demand for sustainable seafood products well into the future."

Bligh adds that the declaration of the Great Sandy Marine Park "will also give a major boost to the area's tourism industry".