South Australian marine park sanctuary zones now in effect, business fears raised
The vast majority of South Australian waters remain open to commercial and recreational fishing despite marine park sanctuary zones taking effect today, the State Government has said.
Fishing is banned in 83 sanctuaries in the state's 19 marine parks.
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Ian Hunter said 94 per cent of the state's waters were still available for recreational and commercial fishing.
He said the sanctuary zones were the result of 10 years' work and had the community's support.
"A recent poll of the community showed 75 per cent support for marine parks and sanctuary zones and interestingly 66 per cent of fishers thought marine sanctuaries were a good idea," Mr Hunter said.
"We know from examples in New Zealand and New South Wales that where sanctuary zones were introduced in marine parks we've had an increase in tourism and an increase in marine biodiversity."
He said regional impact assessments on the economic effects of sanctuary zones would be done around Port Wakefield, the Far West Coast and Kangaroo Island.
However, Mr Hunter said recreational fishers probably would not notice the difference.
"Sanctuary zones do come particularly down on the Fleurieu Peninsula and around Victor Harbor very close in shore," he said.
"We've made absolutely sure that people can still fish off their beaches, still fish off breakwaters and jetties so there's no impediment there.
"There's only a very very small amount of sanctuary zone area where people won't be able to fish."
Fishing community fear zones will ruin local businesses
But the Port Wakefield fisherman Bart Butson fears the local community will suffer from the marine park off its local coastline.
He said while businesses on the Augusta Highway were likely to stay viable the rest of the town would be hit hard.
"The people that do come here are loyal and they enjoy the fishing here - the recreational fishers, but they will forget us now because their fishing spots have been squashed," Mr Butson said.
"We have guys that deal with the transporting of the fish. They're going to be losing their income.
"We've got the ice suppliers from Port Pirie, they're going to be losing their income."
Third generation local fisherman Justin Cicollela said the future for his family was unclear.
"Fishing's what I've grown up to know, and it's really all I do know how to do," he said.
"So yeah I mean you've just got to fight for everything you've got and see how we get on."
Mr Cicollela said he feared the zones would result in more fisherman working in the same area.
"It means we've got to spend more to go further and then you're pushing in on other people, you know smaller areas to work and more fishermen in the same area," he said.
"So it's going to be very hard, and we've all got families to feed as well."
Locals have said they hope their fight for a review of the zones will be bolstered once their flow-on effects are felt in the community.
