On the 21st Feb the Batemans Bay Marine Park Advisory Committee will be meeting in Narooma to discuss the Threats and Risks associated with Batemans Bay Marine Park. The newly formed Eurobodalla Recreational Fishers and Boaters Action Group (ERFBAG) has recognised that the four recreational fisher representatives on the Batemans Bay Marine Park Advisory Committee are not performing their duties to the fullest. Many local recreational fishers of all facets have expressed their disappointment that these representatives are not engaging the ones they represent and getting feedback.Therefore there will be a representative of the ERFBAG present. If you have an issue you would like raised direct it to your local fishing club so that it can be passed on to the rep. An opportunity also exists on line to also make comment by 31st March via the NSW Marine Estate website at http://www.marine.nsw.gov.au/key-initiatives/threat-and-risk-assessment The vision for the NSW marine estate is to have a healthy coast and sea, managed for the greatest well-being of the community, now and into the future. To achieve this vision a Marine Estate Management Strategy to outline the NSW Government’s management directions for the marine estate over the next ten years is being developed. An evidence-based Threat And Risk Assessment for the NSW marine estate (statewide TARA) is a key step towards achieving this vision and the Strategy and is a requirement of the Marine Estate Management Act 2014. The statewide TARA will enable us to focus management on the most important threats and associated risks in NSW to maximise the environmental, social and economic benefits we all derive from the marine estate. Have your say: The Marine Estate Management Authority has released the NSW Marine Estate Threat and Risk Assessment Draft Report (draft statewide TARA report) and we are seeking your feedback. We would like you to consider the evidence used to determine the risk levels and provide any evidence you may have that can better inform the draft statewide TARA. Evidence includes scientific research or reports, supporting background reports or unpublished data or research. We have developed an interactive tool to help you to navigate, interrogate and provide feedback to inform the findings of the draft statewide TARA. We have also developed a variety of reports and supporting material, including three videos, that may help you to further understand the draft statewide TARA. The feedback you provide will inform the final statewide TARA which is a key input to the Marine Estate Management Strategy and the new marine park management plans (starting with Solitary Islands and Batemans Marine Park) . Submissions through the TARA interactive tool can be made until 31 March 2017.
