[Greens-Media] QLD GREENS MEDIA RELEASE: Nationals Set to Wreck Moreton Bay if Allowed Back into Government

[Qld Greens Media]

*QLD GREENS MEDIA RELEASE*


*Sunday 27 August 2006*

*Nationals Set to Wreck Moreton Bay if Allowed Back into Government*


  The Queensland Nationals are continuing their tradition of advocating
  the most outrageously anti-environment agendas with yesterdays
  announcement that they would allow recreational and commercial fishing
  in all areas of Moreton Bay. This is in contradiction to the state
  government's plan for no-go zones across sections of the Bay.

Greens lead spokesperson Juanita Wheeler described the Coalition's 
stance as a recipe for rapidly declining fish stocks and an obvious 
attempt to court Senate preferences in the next federal election from 
the Fishing Party.
"At the last federal election the Fishing Party was exultant that they 
had persuaded the Nationals to oppose newly-announced no-take zones on 
the Great Barrier Reef in return for their preferences," Ms Wheeler said.
"Now the Nationals are clearly doing the same thing with regard to 
Moreton Bay."
The Greens point to the recently released study showing greatly 
increased fish stocks in the 'green' no-take zones of the Great Barrier 
Reef as evidence that these zones can be astonishingly successful in 
maintaining fish stocks whereas simply allowing unrestrained fishing 
will inevitably see those stocks decline

The study by scientists from James Cook University showed proposed new 
green or no-take zones in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park could see 
spawning populations of fish like coral trout increase by 200 per cent 
with the average size of individual fish increasing substantially.
"If the Nationals and their friends the Fishing Party were seriously 
concerned about protecting people's ability to fish, they would support 
no-take zones. They would also oppose dams that are well known 
destroyers of estuarine fish breeding habitats," Ms Wheeler said.


*-ENDS-*
For further information please contact:


Juanita Wheeler


  Candidate for Mount Coot-tha


  Spokesperson, Queensland Greens

Mobile: 0402 487 110


-- 
www.qld.greens.org.au

State election Spokesperson. Juanita Wheeler 0402 487 110

Queensland Greens media spokespeople.

Climate Change and Indigenous. Drew Hutton 0428 487 110
Human Rights and Environment. Juanita Wheeler 0402 487 110
Transport and Planning. Greg George 0424 725 719

Queensland Greens campaign coordinator.
Ian Gittus 0422 542 370

Office 3846 0862
fax 3844 4654

www.qld.greens.org.au