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Scientists call for no-take coral sea park
http://www.coralcoe.org.au/news_stories/coralsea2.html[font face=Times, Times New Roman, Serif]23 Febuary 2012
[font size=5]Scientists call for no-take coral sea park[/font]
[font size=3]More than 300 eminent scientists from 21 other countries around the world today urged the Australian Federal Government to create the world’s largest no-take marine reserve in the Coral Sea.
“Marine reserves are an important tool for managing and restoring ecosystems. They protect brood stocks for sustainable fisheries and rebuild distorted foodwebs. We know how well they work because of the differences that we observe again and again between different marine zones under existing management schemes. Already, the recent rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef has resulted in a doubling of coral trout and other commercially important species” says the Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Professor Terry Hughes.
“The Australian Government’s draft plan for a marine reserve in the Coral Sea is a significant step forward - but misses a unique opportunity for Australia to demonstrate global leadership in marine stewardship, by declaring the Coral Sea within Australia’s EEZ as the world’s largest no-take area,” according to the statement, signed by more than 300 scientists.
“The Coral Sea adjoins the Great Barrier Reef, and because of its remoteness is one of the most intact oceanic ecosystems in the world. Together the two reserves would constitute the world’s largest protected ocean ecosystem – at a time of growing concerns over the widespread loss of megafauna, corals and other marine life closer to shore,” says Professor Hugh Possingham, Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions.
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(Statement at link.)[font size=5]Scientists call for no-take coral sea park[/font]
[font size=3]More than 300 eminent scientists from 21 other countries around the world today urged the Australian Federal Government to create the world’s largest no-take marine reserve in the Coral Sea.
“Marine reserves are an important tool for managing and restoring ecosystems. They protect brood stocks for sustainable fisheries and rebuild distorted foodwebs. We know how well they work because of the differences that we observe again and again between different marine zones under existing management schemes. Already, the recent rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef has resulted in a doubling of coral trout and other commercially important species” says the Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Professor Terry Hughes.
“The Australian Government’s draft plan for a marine reserve in the Coral Sea is a significant step forward - but misses a unique opportunity for Australia to demonstrate global leadership in marine stewardship, by declaring the Coral Sea within Australia’s EEZ as the world’s largest no-take area,” according to the statement, signed by more than 300 scientists.
“The Coral Sea adjoins the Great Barrier Reef, and because of its remoteness is one of the most intact oceanic ecosystems in the world. Together the two reserves would constitute the world’s largest protected ocean ecosystem – at a time of growing concerns over the widespread loss of megafauna, corals and other marine life closer to shore,” says Professor Hugh Possingham, Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions.
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