Minister says no plans for any new marine parks
An aquatic reserve will not be created at Mona Vale Basin Beach (Bongin Bongin Bay), Environment minister Penny Sharpe has declared.
Council presented a submission to the State Government after a 2,900 petition in favour of the reserve was presented in June, 2023.
In December, Minister Sharpe said: “At this stage, the government does not have plans for establishing any new marine parks or aquatic reserves.”
Greg Pride, of lobby group Friends of Bongin Bongin Bay, told Peninsula Living Pittwater (PL) that they were still hopeful this would change in the future.
The issue of aquatic reserves in Sydney recently reared its head at a Sutherland Shire Council meeting, following the high-profile spearing and death of ‘Gus the groper’ in Cronulla.
On 19 February, a mayoral minute morphed from creating an aquatic reserve and implementing a complete ban on spearfishing, to asking the government to review the area’s spearfishing boundaries. This was following backlash from close to 100 fishers present at the meeting.
Mr Pride, who attended the meeting, said those present tried to find common ground during discussions after the meeting, and he would like the same approach regarding Bongin Bongin Bay.
“We’re all concerned about the ocean. We’re all concerned with having a fair go,” said Mr Pride. “But there needs to be a discussion, a sharing of views and an understanding of each other’s positions. At the moment, it’s more, ‘you are not going to take away my freedoms, we are going to battle you as hard as we can’.”
Fisherman Tony Ford told PL that both fishing and swimming were important for mental health.
“For swimmers and fishers to be against each other rather than working together is absolutely ridiculous,” Mr Ford said. “In my view, the decision for Penny Sharpe to write that letter was the right one.
“If the State Government wants to pursue it in the future, then they should do it on a scientific basis with engagement of the full community,” he added. “Not just because a group of swimmers…want to lock out all other users of the environment – be it fishers, be it boats, or be it spear fishers.”
“Fishermen are conservationists. So depleting the stocks is in nobody’s interests.”