❓ A WA parliamentary question probes the Minister for Environment regarding the proposed Camden Sound Marine Park, focusing on zoning, permitted activities (fishing, mining), whale protection, and stakeholder consultations. The Minister's response outlines the planning process and commitment to humpback whale protection.
AnsweredQoN 2173Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
With regards to the proposed Marine Park in the Camden Sound area of the Kimberley, -
(1) Is the Department of Environment and conservation (DEC), currently preparing an Indicative Management Plan for the proposed Marine Park in the Camden Sound area of the Kimberley?
(2) If yes to (1), how advanced is this preparation?
(3) When will this Indicative Management Plan be available for public comment?
(4) Is the Minister intending to make this area a Marine Nature Reserve which would exclude recreational and commercial fishing, aquaculture, pearling, petroleum drilling and production?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
(6) Is the Minister intending to make this area a Marine Park?
(7) If yes to (6), will all of the area be a sanctuary zone?
(8) If no to (7), -
(a) what area will be sanctuary zone;
(b) why not; and
(c) what activities will be allowed in the proposed Marine Park?
(9) Will the following activities be allowed within the proposed Marine Park, -
(a) commercial fishing;
(b) recreational fishing;
(c) oil and gas exploration;
(d) oil and gas exploitation;
(e) other mineral exploitation;
(f) commercial shipping movements; and
(g) other commercial activities?
(10) Has the Marine Parks and Reserve Authority made representation to you and/or the DEC, seeking to exclude commercial fishing activities from the proposed reserve?
(11) If yes to (10), has that request been agreed to?
(12) If no to (11), why not?
(13) Has representation been made to you and/or the DEC by, -
(a) the Western Australian Fishing Industry Advisory Council;
(b) Recfishwest; or
(c) the Minister for Fisheries to allow commercial fishing in the proposed marine reserve?
(14) If yes to (13), -
(a) will you now table that representation; and
(b) has that request been agreed to?
(15) If yes to (14)(b), how is this compatible with your stated aim of protecting the calving ground for the largest population of humpback whales in the southern hemisphere?
(16) Are you aware of the current level of entanglements of whales with commercial fishing gear in Western Australian State waters?
(17) If yes to (16), what is the current level?
(18) If commercial fishing is allowed in the proposed Marine Park, how is it proposed to prevent such entanglements and other negative interaction?
(19) Has the Marine Parks and Reserve Authority proposed that the Government urgently protect the Kimberley through the establishment of a multiple use marine park over the whole of State waters in the Kimberley, with the full reservation of currently identified iconic areas, by an appropriate zoning system in the broader multiple use marine park?
(20) If yes to (19), is the Minister supporting this proposal?
(21) If no to (20), -
(a) why not; and
(b) whose advice are you taking on the conservation of the Kimberley marine environment?
(1) Is the Department of Environment and conservation (DEC), currently preparing an Indicative Management Plan for the proposed Marine Park in the Camden Sound area of the Kimberley?
(2) If yes to (1), how advanced is this preparation?
(3) When will this Indicative Management Plan be available for public comment?
(4) Is the Minister intending to make this area a Marine Nature Reserve which would exclude recreational and commercial fishing, aquaculture, pearling, petroleum drilling and production?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
(6) Is the Minister intending to make this area a Marine Park?
(7) If yes to (6), will all of the area be a sanctuary zone?
(8) If no to (7), -
(a) what area will be sanctuary zone;
(b) why not; and
(c) what activities will be allowed in the proposed Marine Park?
(9) Will the following activities be allowed within the proposed Marine Park, -
(a) commercial fishing;
(b) recreational fishing;
(c) oil and gas exploration;
(d) oil and gas exploitation;
(e) other mineral exploitation;
(f) commercial shipping movements; and
(g) other commercial activities?
(10) Has the Marine Parks and Reserve Authority made representation to you and/or the DEC, seeking to exclude commercial fishing activities from the proposed reserve?
(11) If yes to (10), has that request been agreed to?
(12) If no to (11), why not?
(13) Has representation been made to you and/or the DEC by, -
(a) the Western Australian Fishing Industry Advisory Council;
(b) Recfishwest; or
(c) the Minister for Fisheries to allow commercial fishing in the proposed marine reserve?
(14) If yes to (13), -
(a) will you now table that representation; and
(b) has that request been agreed to?
(15) If yes to (14)(b), how is this compatible with your stated aim of protecting the calving ground for the largest population of humpback whales in the southern hemisphere?
(16) Are you aware of the current level of entanglements of whales with commercial fishing gear in Western Australian State waters?
(17) If yes to (16), what is the current level?
(18) If commercial fishing is allowed in the proposed Marine Park, how is it proposed to prevent such entanglements and other negative interaction?
(19) Has the Marine Parks and Reserve Authority proposed that the Government urgently protect the Kimberley through the establishment of a multiple use marine park over the whole of State waters in the Kimberley, with the full reservation of currently identified iconic areas, by an appropriate zoning system in the broader multiple use marine park?
(20) If yes to (19), is the Minister supporting this proposal?
(21) If no to (20), -
(a) why not; and
(b) whose advice are you taking on the conservation of the Kimberley marine environment?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
4 May 2010
Responded by
Minister for Environment
Response time
41 days
(1) - (21) On 3 October 2009, the Premier and I announced that a marine park will be established in the Camden Sound area of the Kimberley to protect and manage one of the world's most significant humpback whale calving areas, as well as other ecological values, and to provide for a range of recreational and commercial opportunities to occur.
The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) is preparing an indicative management plan for the proposed CamdenSoundMarinePark. The MarineParksand Reserves Authority (MPRA) is then required to provide a report to me on the plan. After considering the MPRA's comments I am required under the
Conservation and Land Management Act 1984
to obtain the approval of the Minister for Mines and Petroleum; Fisheries to release the plan for a three month public comment period.
The proposed zoning scheme, permitted uses, and associated management arrangements for the proposed marine park are currently being developed as part of the preparation of the indicative management plan
The Government remains committed to the protection and management of the Camden Sound area as a significant humpback whale calving area. I am confident this will be achieved through the establishment of the marine park.
I am advised by DEC that entanglement of humpback whales in fishing gear has mainly involved rock lobster pot ropes and buoys. DEC has developed internationally recognised rescue techniques that have resulted in many successful disentanglements and has also developed a code of conduct for whale entanglement response. As commercial rock lobster fishing does not occur in the Camden Sound area, entanglement is considered to be unlikely.
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The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) is preparing an indicative management plan for the proposed CamdenSoundMarinePark. The MarineParksand Reserves Authority (MPRA) is then required to provide a report to me on the plan. After considering the MPRA's comments I am required under the
Conservation and Land Management Act 1984
to obtain the approval of the Minister for Mines and Petroleum; Fisheries to release the plan for a three month public comment period.
The proposed zoning scheme, permitted uses, and associated management arrangements for the proposed marine park are currently being developed as part of the preparation of the indicative management plan
The Government remains committed to the protection and management of the Camden Sound area as a significant humpback whale calving area. I am confident this will be achieved through the establishment of the marine park.
I am advised by DEC that entanglement of humpback whales in fishing gear has mainly involved rock lobster pot ropes and buoys. DEC has developed internationally recognised rescue techniques that have resulted in many successful disentanglements and has also developed a code of conduct for whale entanglement response. As commercial rock lobster fishing does not occur in the Camden Sound area, entanglement is considered to be unlikely.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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