AS many as 300 separate cases of fishers breaking the law in relation to the Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park have been detected since Boxing Day, and the majority are locals who should know better.
According to park manager Max Haste, one of the major problems is local people fishing in the well-publicised sanctuary zones at Seal Rocks and The Pinnacle off Cape Hawke, where fishing is not allowed.
In one case fishing rods and other equipment were seized – that’s on top of the $500 fine.
“It makes for quite an expensive day out.”
Sanctuary zones were set up to protect the very species recreational fishers like to catch including snapper but some can’t seem to stay away.
“One person in the Port Stephens area had taken 77 fish from one spot (in a sanctuary zone). All those fish were destroyed. This kind of thing has huge impacts on the conservation outcomes we are trying to achieve.
“We also have long-term scientific monitoring to ascertain the benefits of sanctuary zones, so this kind of thing is also destroying that research.”
From the 300 breaches detected, 60 infringement notices were issued and these were mostly for fishing in a sanctuary zone (a $500 penalty) and fishing without a licence (a $200 penalty).
Unauthorised crab traps are also causing headaches.
Recently over 100 crab traps and hoop or lift nets (commonly knows as witches’ hats) were seized from Smiths Lake alone.
Traps must be marked with a name and address with licensed individuals allowed one trap and five witches hats each.
“Visitors go away and just leave them there.”
As well as depleting the crab population, excess traps left lying around pose a significant threat to marine animals and often ensnare water birds as well.
The marine park was established by the NSW Government in December 2005 with the zoning plan coming into effect in April 2007. For the past few summers the Marine Parks Authority has been taking an educational approach – speaking to people, handing out brochures and issuing formal cautions when people are found in breach of the laws.
But gradually compliance officers have begun to take a more hard-line approach.
The park extends from Cape Hawke Surf Life Saving Club near Forster south to Birubi Beach Life Saving Club at the northern end of Stockton Beach and includes offshore waters to the 3 nautical mile limit of State waters.
It includes Port Stephens and the Karuah River, the Myall River, Myall and Smiths Lakes and all their creeks and tributaries to the tidal limit.
Maps which show the various zones of the Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park can be picked up from the Tourist Information Centres and various fishing and tackle stores.
They can also be downloaded from the Marine Parks Authority website: www.mpa.nsw.gov.au
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