Stop this floating factory from destroying Australian oceans!
- by: Stephanie Stutler
- recipient: Australian Gov't, Fisheries and Residents in Australia, the rest of the world.
After further research, there is a petition already set up on another site with way more signatures. Please follow this link and sign that petition instead. THANK YOU FOR BEING A CHANGE MAKER!
http://www.communityrun.org/petitions/stop-giant-fishing-trawler-in-tasmania
Seafish Tasmania, an Australian fishing company based in Tasmania, is planning to bring one of the world's largest fishing vessels into the Australian fishing fleet. The Margiris would be well over twice the size of the largest trawl boat in our waters. It is an incredible 142m long and drags a net about 300m long with an opening gape of 80m by 35m.
If this vessel were to start fishing in Australian waters, it would change the face of commercial fishing in Australia.
The super trawler would operate in the Small Pelagic Fishery (SPF), which operates in offshore oceans, from the Queensland/New South Wales border to Western Australia. The fishing company is seeking a license to catch 18,000 tons of fish, which is a steep increase from previous allowable catches. There are concerns that the quota increase is based on old data from around the mid 2000's, and is not of the necessary detail to ensure the quota does not lead to overfishing of target stocks.
This Trawler could devestate the fishing industry and cause irreversable damage to rest of the world. The vessel can devour up 240 tons of fish every day, and fish 24 hours a day. Fishing efforts are likely to be initially concentrated around Tasmania, although due to the way in which the fishery is managed, there is a real possibility the Margiris fishing activity could lead to localized depletions of target fish stocks. The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA), who are responsible for the management of Commonwealth fisheries, have offered no response or plan to address concerns about localised depletions.
Seafish Tasmania have not ruled out extending the vessels operation into other areas of the Australian coastline, which means the impact of a single vessel could be felt throughout the entire continent.
Australian fur seals and dolphins can get caught in trawl gear. However, some vessels have Seal Excluder Devices (SEDs) incorporated into nets to provide an escape hatch for trapped wildlife. To ensure the SEDs work to protect wildlife rather than simply eject dead animals, SEDs are tested using underwater cameras. However, the SED employed on the Margiris has not been trialed, and our fear is the device will simply eject dead marine mammals that have drowned in the nets.
This Trawler CANNOT be allowed into Australian waters. The website listed below in responsible for the majority of this info, however their article is aiming toward Australia. I am aiming my petition to the rest of the world, this needs to be a global battle, help me make it one!
http://www.marineconservation.org.au/WhatWeDo.asp?active_page_id=861
Dear Government of Australia, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry,
We the undersigned ask you to immediately end the plight of a Super Trawler due to enter into Australian waters the end of August 2012.
This Super Trawler has already devestated the Northern oceans and can no longer operate there, which is the reason for the move to the Southern ocean.
This Super Trawler can process as much fish in one day as 71 fisherman can catch in a year. No fish population can sustain itself with that type of plunder.
Another cause for concern, Seal Excluder Devices have not been tested on this vessel at this time. This means Australian fur seals and dolphins can get caught in trawl gear.
Since there has been no testing our fear is the device will simply eject dead marine wildlife back into the ocean. Furthermore, with the extensive dephs the Trawler goes to, other marine mammals such as porposes and whales could be caught in the trawl gear as well. This could cause already dwindling populations of endangered wildlife to plumet.
Please do not allow this Super Trawler to enter your waters and cause for the undoing of the sanctuaries and wildlife populations which you have worked so hard to create and sustain.
We the undersigned,
Thank you.
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