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.

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

Off topic replies have been moved to This Thread

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


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?