Ross Constable has resigned from the Batemans Marine Park Advisory Committee, citing the appalling decision by the NSW Government to scrap six no-take sanctuary zones.
Ross Constable was the appointed Maritime representative on the committee. He is a former NPWS Ranger including the Ranger responsible for Montague Island Nature Reserve up until his retirement in 2014 and was awarded the Australian Emergency Services Medal last year for his distinguished service to Marine Rescue Narooma and the South Coast boating community.
Mr Constable says “The decision to remove the no-take areas in December 2019 was made without formal consultation by the NSW Government with the present Batemans Marine Park Advisory Committee.
“This committee was established by the State Government to be the ‘voice for the local communities’ according to its own handbook.”
“Zoning tools are fundamental to good marine protected area management, as is supported by world’s best protected area management practices and peer reviewed science.”
“Opening these no-take zones to fishing undermined thirteen years of continuous protection. It also threatens Montague Island’s global conservation standing.”
It is now well over a year since the sanctuaries were axed. Meanwhile, these zones remain open to fishing and anchoring, which disturbs fragile ecosystems and breeding nurseries. Late last year, the Minister for Energy and the Environment, the Hon. Matt Kean pledged to take action to restore the Batemans Marine Park sanctuary zones, saying “We’re going to work with the scientists, we’re going to work with the experts and we’re going to make decisions based on their advice.”
But as highlighted by Ross Constable’s resignation, there has been no sign of proper consultation either with the local community, with scientists or the actual advisory committee.
Time is running out for the NSW Government to reinstate the sanctuary zones, while allowing the statewide marine parks review to consider appropriate long-term planning for our marine heritage.
SANCTUARY – A new documentary film about the fight to protect marine sanctuaries on the NSW South Coast will screen on Facebook on Wednesday 10 March.
More information – see https://savebatemanssanctuaries.org.au/
