article on marine parks as a fisheries management tool:

http://www.ozpolitic.com/fish/marine-parks-fisheries-management-tool.html

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http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Overfished-species-up-from-17-to-24/2007/02/01/1169919453858.html

The latest Bureau of Rural Sciences (BRS) report confirmed that the health of Australia's marine environment was still under threat from overfishing, HSI director Michael Kennedy said.

The Fishery Status Reports 2005 summarises the current reviews of individual fisheries.

It showed that of the 83 principal species classified, 17 were listed as overfished and a further seven were subject to some overfishing.

Mr Kennedy said this meant the number of overfished species had increased from 17 in the previous report to 24 in the 2005 report.

Another 19 species were classified as not overfished, and 40 were classified as uncertain.

"Australia's marine fish populations continue to be overexploited and government sustainability guidelines have not halted the increasing number of overfished species," he said in a statement.

He said the most severely overfished species still had no prospect of recovery.

"This report confirms that the health of our marine environment is still under threat from overfishing," Mr Kennedy said.

Fisheries Minister Eric Abetz conceded overfishing was a concern but defended government action.

"In 2005 the number of fish species considered to be overfished continued to increase in line with improved knowledge and assessment of stocks, but there are still a number of species where we do not have adequate information about stock levels to fully understand their status," Senator Abetz said.

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Download an overview or the full report here:

http://www.affashop.gov.au/product.asp?prodid=13611

Overfished:

Blue warehou  
Eastern gemfish
Orange Roughy
Pink ling
Silver trevally
School shark
Deepwater sharks
Oreo dories
Flathead
Tropical rock lobster  
Black teatfish  
Sandfish  
Redfish  
Southern bluefin tuna  
Southern scallop  
Bigeye tuna
yellowfin tuna

I can't figure out which were the seven subject to 'some overfishing.'

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No fishing zones for grey nurse sharks

http://www.smh.com.au/news/breaking-news/no-fishing-zones-for-grey-nurse-sharks/2007/04/16/1176696745917.html

Strict no-fishing zones could soon be introduced along the NSW coast as part of a desperate bid to protect the dwindling numbers of grey nurse sharks.

The Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC) has launched legal action calling for the zones to be introduced in popular fishing spots amid fears the shark could be wiped out.

The NCC wants the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to order the NSW government to set up 18 sanctuaries in areas including Sydney's Maroubra beach, Montague Island off the south coast and South West Rocks on the mid north coast.

It also wants the tribunal to overturn a federal government decision made last June to allow a major commercial fishery to operate in grey nurse shark habitats in NSW waters.

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Climate impacting on fish growth: CSRIO

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Climate-impacting-on-fish-growth-CSRIO/2007/04/27/1177459950229.html

Climate change is leading to bigger fish in shallow water, but they are growing slower at greater depths, CSIRO research in Tasmania suggests.

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Nets kill penguins in Port Phillip Bay

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Nets-kill-penguins-in-Port-Phillip-Bay/2007/05/13/1178994970678.html

Bird lovers and environmental groups are outraged that 23 fairy penguins have been found dead in Port Phillip Bay.

The groups describes Saturday's shocking discovery as the worst act of environmental vandalism since fishermen shot dozens of seals off Wilsons Promontory in August.

Commercial shark fishermen have been blamed for the disaster, Fairfax newspapers report. The penguins were trapped and drowned in fishing nets off Queenscliff.

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Fishing group to protect reef life

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21725110-2702,00.html

ONE of Australia's largest commercial fishing groups has walked away from some of the country's most lucrative reefs, the first time a fleet has voluntarily given up fishing rights.

An agreement to be announced today between dive boat operators and the Coral Sea Fishers Association means trawlers will no longer take fish from Bougainville, Osprey, Flora Dart and Herald's Surprise reefs, effectively leaving them to recreational fishing and dive boat operators.

"The Coral Sea fishery covers an area of 92,000 square kilometres and while commercial fishing is already intensively managed, we recognise that the reefs in the Coral Sea closest to Cairns are of particular importance to dive chart operators," said CSFA member Rob Lowden.

Mr Lowden said he believed the agreement was the first time commercial operators had voluntarily surrendered fishing rights anywhere in the world.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/New-laws-to-target-illegal-fishing/2007/06/21/1182019276386.html

New legislation which toughens up measures to stop illegal fishing in Australian waters has been approved by the federal parliament.

The changes will help stop illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the Australian Fishing Zone (AFZ).

They will ensure offences can be effectively investigated and prosecuted using surveillance devices.

Fisheries Minister Eric Abetz said Australia's fishing industry was one of the country's most valuable rural assets, with a value of more than $2 billion per annum, and the government was committed to its protection.

"The passage of the bills will ensure that the Australian government is equipped with modern fisheries management tools and more robust enforcement, compliance and administrative systems to secure sustainable fisheries for future generations," Senator Abetz said.

Release weights are a great idea for improving the chances of survival for undersize and unwanted demersal species by reducing the effects of barotrauma and relocating the fish to an area where it is less prone to predation

Should be mandatory equipment on all boats

http://www.recfishwest.org.au/ReleaseWeight.htm

Sharks in hot water over fin soup

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Sharks-in-hot-water-over-fin-soup/2007/08/12/1186857317612.html

The lucrative shark-fin market is threatening already endangered shark species along the NSW coast, a Fairfax newspaper has reported.

The popularity of the Asian delicacy shark-fin soup has lead to a dramatic increase in fishing for sharks.

The National Parks Association insists something must be done to stem these shark culls, which are endangering the grey nurse and great white shark populations.

"They are catching an awful lot of sharks and it is completely unsustainable," program manager Nicky Hammond told the paper.

Off topic replies have been moved to This Thread

moved from the other thread on marine parks: http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1187314210

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Shark nets hurting other sea life: study

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Shark-nets-hurting-other-sea-life-study/2007/08/30/1188067274458.html

Shark nets lining the coast of Australia are doing more harm than good by killing dozens of other marine species, a conservationist study has found.

The 150-metre long shark nets, reaching all the way to the ocean floor, dot the coast line to protect beachgoers from attacks from great white, tiger and bull sharks.

However, a study by the Sydney Aquarium Conservation Fund has found that for every threatening shark caught in the nets, up to 40 harmless marine creatures are trapped, including dolphins and turtles.

ozadmin wrote on Jul 31^st, 2007 at 11:14pm:

Off topic replies have been moved to This Thread

No, they appear have deleted. No sign of my 2 posts in this thread and they don't show up in my profile! Feeediver do you have an explanation?

Sorry about that. Here they are: http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1187314210/35#35 No idea why they weren't showing up on your profile. Maybe it takes a while to update.

I had bumped the new thread so you would see it. If you are following a link from another forum, would you mind updating the link for me?

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http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Qld-nets-catch-550-sharks-up-to-5m-long/2007/11/13/1194766665007.html

A tiger shark almost five metres in length was one of 550 sharks caught in control nets off Queensland beaches in the last financial year.

Queensland Fisheries Minister Tim Mulherin highlighted the annual shark statistics in state parliament on Tuesday, to remind swimmers of the dangers that could be lurking off their beaches.

In 2006-07, 11 sharks more than four metres long and 201 more than two metres long were netted as part of the state's shark control program.

The biggest shark recorded was a 4.8 metre tiger shark caught off Emu Park on the central Queensland coast.

"Swimming near river mouths, in canals and artificial lakes and waterways is dangerous."

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Shark mesh nets a whale of a victim

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Shark-mesh-nets-a-whale-of-a-victim/2007/11/16/1194766943311.html

Residents of Sydney's coastal areas are being asked to look out for a whale that may be dragging a shark net with buoys attached.

The NSW Nature Conservation Council (NCC) says the whale became entangled on Friday morning off Whale beach, on Sydney's northern beaches.

NCC officer Giselle Firme said onlookers reported seeing the whale fighting to free itself from the net, finally swimming off but taking the net with it.

"The Nature Conservation Council has long been of the opinion that bycatch of marine species in these nets is unacceptable, she said in a statement.

"The NSW government is aware that over 8,000 harmless marine animals have been caught and killed in nets between 1950 and 2002.