The Greens are the best insurance policy for fishing into the future, Australian Greens Senator Christine Milne said today.
“Anyone who loves the oceans knows that globally the marine environment is under threat from climate change, acidification, pollution and over fishing.”
“Here in Tasmania we are already experiencing the arrival of fish species from northern waters looking for colder temperatures and the impact on the local fishery is as yet unknown.”
“What is known is the devastating impact of the extension of the warm and nutrient poor east Australian current down Tasmania’s east coast bringing with it the sea urchins now decimating the kelp forests and the nursery for the rock lobster.”
“Acidification is already resulting in thinner shells for microscopic creatures and threatens krill which is the base of the marine food chain.”
“Now more than ever we need scientific research into the sustainability of fisheries and we need to make sure that marine protected areas continue to keep fisheries sustainable and viable.”
“The Greens support scientific research, we support finding solutions to the urchin invasion in Tasmanian waters, we support action on climate change and we support sustaining the fisheries so that people can fish into the future.”
“The Greens do not want to ban fishing, we want to make sure that there are fish for this and future generations.”
“This is the UN Year of Biodiversity, it is National Science week and 150 scientists have sent an open letter to the Prime Minister and to the leader of the Coalition, Tony Abbott calling on them “to protect Australia’s valuable marine biodiversity recognising that the long term health of the marine ecosystems is essential to maintaining many important activities, such as tourism and fisheries.”
A copy of the letter from 150 scientists in support of protecting Australia’s valuable marine biodiversity is below:
PossinghamNevill2010-letterJGTA-1.doc
Senator Christine Milne
