Gill netting: The practise of setting free floating or anchored knotted nylon netting in marine waters with the intention of entangling any fish by the gills and fins that tries to pass through.
The issue: These nets are completely indiscriminate and any marine species; bird, fish or mammal are susceptible to entanglement and suffocation in this net.
These nets are known as 'Walls of Death' where dead and dying fish attract other species which then to become tangled and die, continuing the cycle of death. Fairy penguins, Seals, Gannets, Sea dragons and endangered Skates are all just a few of the common 'by-catch' species killed and discarded in Tasmanian waters.
These nets have been outlawed in the rest of Southern Australian for good reason, yet remain legal in Tasmania, despite the states efforts to boast its pristine and protected environment. In Tasmania the practice is still classed as a 'recreational' fishing style, available to anyone, as if it is necessary for the enjoyment and pastime in our precious marine environment.
What you can do: Sign the petition to show the minister of fisheries Jeremy Rockliff, that Tasmanians do care about their marine environment. 10,000 signatories are needed to overhaul the current legislation. So tell you're friends, and together we can make the change, and let the ecosystems begin to recover.
