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Today the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), applauded the Australian Government for including Regional Marine Plans under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999.
Kate Davey, AMCS Director said, "AMCS welcomes Senator Ian Campbell's decision to strengthen ocean protection. Regional Marine Plans will finally have one lead minister and the legal teeth they need to deliver real conservation outcomes."
"Australia's South East Regional Marine Plan (SERMP) was Australia's first regional marine plan to be developed, however it is a very disappointing marine plan. It has failed to deliver a system of marine protected areas and failed to make Australia's offshore southern fisheries sustainable. In short, SERMP has lacked the legal teeth and ministerial leadership needed to make the plan achieve conservation outcomes," Ms Davey said.
"Ensuring that Australia's bioregional marine plans deliver real conservation outcomes will be Senator Campbell's first test with these new measures," Ms Davey continued. "Establishing the National System of Marine Protected Areas, and ensuring our fisheries become sustainable within regional marine plans, must be one of Senator Campbell's core focuses," Ms Davey added.
"Our oceans must urgently be protected from increasing fishing pressures, poor government administration and inadequate future planning. We must act now before future generations of Australians are robbed of the many benefits our oceans provide," Ms Davey concluded.
Media contacts:
Kate Davey (07) 3393 5811 or 0409 986 897
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