Residents of Moreton Bay need your support
Photo © AMCS

Green Zones for Moreton Bay

Wildlife Queensland was disappointed with the Queensland Government’s final zoning plan for Moreton Bay Marine Park, launched on 19 October.

The draft Plan offered approximately 15 percent protection (in marine national park zones) while the final Plan commits to 16 percent protection, far short of the amounts recorded in scientific literature of between 20 – 40 percent.

This plan provides less than half the amount of protection that Moreton Bay needs. It exposes a whopping 84 percent of the marine park to intense fishing pressure providing little security for local marine wildlife into the future. Threatened wildlife such as turtles, dugongs and shorebirds face an uncertain future under the Plan. Coral reefs, seagrass meadows and, in fact, many special places have simply not been protected. The Plan simply does not meet international standards for marine conservation

The government needs to be asked why the views of 12,000 people have simply been ignored and must act urgently to strengthen this plan with additional conservation measures. WPSQ is calling on them now to create a new and more powerful ‘watchdog’ for the Park, a statutory management authority, and to spend $10m buying out active fishing licences.

There is only a limited supply of local fish species in Moreton Bay and these species are feeling the heat from unsustainable fishing pressure. We have already passed the tipping point of sustainability for several key species. Increasing the number and size of ‘green zones’ in Moreton Bay Marine Park can improve fish populations and help reduce the price of local seafood.

Caboolture River handed over to developers

The Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland expressed extreme concern at removal of protection provided by the Moreton Bay Zoning Plan to the Caboolture River, Previously protected under the ‘Habitat Zone’ but has now been downgraded to the General Use Zone this provides little protection. With major urban development and marina complex proposed for this area one has to wonder if the State Government has the interests of the development industry at heart rather than Moreton Bay.

Artificial reefs not necessarily good for Moreton Bay

Research indicates that artificial reefs aggregate fish into one spot making them easier to catch yet a number of these are being proposed in our Marine Park. With Moreton Bay’s fish populations already under so much fishing pressure, and thousands of baysiders concerned about overfishing already, why would we risk our local fish to this scheme?

Healthy Waterways Report card

The Healthy Waterways Report card reveals that greater government action is needed to allow Moreton Bay to cope with climate change and SEQ’s population growth. The Healthy Waterways SEQ Ecosystem Report Card represents one of the most comprehensive marine, estuarine and freshwater monitoring programs in Australia. This years Healthy Waterways Report Card for SEQ reveals Moreton Bay is still fragile due to the pressures associated with SEQ’s increasing human population and the impacts of extreme weather events.

The Healthy Waterways Report Card gave Moreton Bay a 'B minus', which shows there has been no change from 2007 (also B-).

Wildlife Queensland head office and branches continue to make submissions, attend public events to increase awareness and encourage public submissions. We are also lobbying the government to develop a new and more powerful 'watchdog' for the Park, a statutory management authority and to spend $10m buying out active fishing licences.

Read more about Wildlife Queensland and Moreton Bay

For more information on Wildlife Queensland's activities, call us on +61 7 3221 0194 or send us an email.