| Save our ocean giants. Chip in today and help stop the Abbott Government from taking our sanctuaries.
Dear NEVILLE
Last week I emailed you about the Abbott Government’s review of our entire new network of marine sanctuaries. They’re allowing oil and gas to sneak in and commercial fishing could be next.
Damaging commercial fishing activities could expand into our new sanctuaries with many marine species becoming accidental victims of gillnets and longlines.
We need marine sanctuaries where vulnerable ecosystems can be protected and marine life can rejuvenate and breed.
Our chance to save our sanctuaries is now. The Abbott Government will be making a decision on the review in the coming months but with a recent history of governments ignoring scientific recommendations your action today is vital.
NEVILLE, can you chip in a few dollars today and together we can win our new marine sanctuaries back?
Australia is home to some of the most incredible places on earth, including the Kimberley, the Great Australia Bight, Lord Howe Island and the Coral Sea. The Coral Sea is one of the world’s last refuges where our ocean giants still thrive – but it’s at risk.
Like an image from a children’s book, gigantic whale sharks glide through the Coral Sea waters with dolphins, turtles and whales amongst a backdrop of underwater mountains – some as tall as Kosciusko.
Unbelievably, longline commercial fishing for tuna could expand in this marine wonderland. Longlines are usually kilometres long with thousands of hooks, that can’t discriminate between tuna and endangered species.
They drift near the surface of the ocean and accidentally catch marine life including the endangered leatherback turtle and vulnerable short fin mako sharks, and impact important fish populations. Sadly, over 1200 mako sharks were killed last year in Australia’s eastern tuna fishery alone.
Sometimes longlines break underwater leaving kilometres of line, entangling whales, turtles and other animals that later drown if they can’t get free. There are even reports of an underwater mountain in the Coral Sea wrapped in discarded longline!
I urge you protect our Coral Sea and new marine sanctuaries from exploitation. If you can help, please chip in today.
Our other sanctuaries are also at risk from the expansion of commercial fishing practices around Australia. Gillnets, large mesh nets suspended in the water, could be allowed into other sanctuaries. Gillnets ‘target’ fish and sharks, but they kill many marine mammals including precious sea lions, but especially dolphins and threatened sharks.
It’s shocking. Sanctuaries are places that should be free from hooks, nets and other dangers! These sanctuaries represent a small part of Australia’s waters, leaving the majority of our ocean free for a range of uses.
There are solutions. We need sustainable fisheries and we need safe havens for endangered species.
Please chip in a few dollars today and we’ll work around the clock to save our sanctuaries – for you, me and the majority of Australians who wanted our special marine places protected.
Your donation will help us mobilise the tourism, business and scientific communities to build strong opposition against plans to remove our sanctuaries. You’ll help us keep running events, community stalls, advertising and hard hitting media as well as meeting with key parliamentarians to make sure they hear our collective voice.
This is how we’ve kept the Reef safe from industrialisation so far. I need your help to do it again and save our sanctuaries like the Coral Sea, the Kimberley and the Great Australian Bight from exploitation. And because AMCS is solutions focused, we’ll continue to work with fisheries and the Australian public promoting sustainable fishing practices and sustainable seafood choices.
Globally, we are witnessing an unprecedented collapse of ocean resources. Healthy sanctuaries are one of the best solutions to make our oceans more resilient to the impacts of climate change and overuse. Nature doesn’t need much to recover, but it needs something.
Our seas need our support. Thank you for your care for our big blue planet.
Yours for our oceans, |
