Latest News
Media Releases
November 18 Conservation Groups Welcome Senate’s Support for Coral Sea Conservation Zone
November 6 THE END OF THE LINE or a new begining for fishing
August 4 Coral Sea Protection supported by Global Leader in Ocean Science
May 19 Conservation groups welcome Government’s ‘first big step’ to protect the Coral Sea
April 29 Conservation Coalition Debunks Coral Sea Heritage Park Myths
April 27 Coral Sea Story Needs Balance
Check Out the Protect Our Coral Sea news on Facebook
The Interim Coral Sea Conservation Zone Declared
Conservation groups welcomed the announcement, in May 2009, by Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett to establish a Conservation Zone over the entire Coral Sea within Australian waters and calls on the Minister to ensure sufficient resources for his Department to carry out a full and prompt assessment of the area.
The conservation groups believe the Minister’s announcement signals a clear intent by the Government to permanently protect this tropical marine jewel in its entirety, a decision that would make the Coral Sea the largest protected area on Earth.
Click to view the Coral Sea Conservation Zone fact Sheet
Resources
Read the full Coral Sea Heritage Park proposal here. Coral Sea Report 6.08Mb
Download a high resolution Coral Sea Heritage Park Map 3Mb
Click here for the great new Protect Our Coral Sea campaign website
The next End of the Line screening:
The End of the Line film will be presented by Cairns and Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC) and the Douglas Shire Sustainability Group, Clink Theatre, Mowbray Road, Port Douglas at 7.00pm on Tuesday June 15.
Over 200 people attended the once only Cairns Screening of this original and important film that brings the plight of our oceans into the public spotlight like never before. The film highlights the "war" we are fighting against fish, in which we are throwing our industrial might and technology at a declining populations of marine wildlife (or seafood), and that we are winning. Already the abundance of large fish globally has declined around 90%.
Given the decline in global seafood catches and the increases in fishing capacity, we are able to seek out and virtually empty our oceans of fish. Chilling example include that the world’s longlining industry sets 1.4 billion hooks every year, said to be set on enough line to circle the globe more than 550 times, the mouth of the biggest trawling net used in the industry today is able to accommodate thirteen 747 jets.
There is hope through better fisheries management and the creation of a global network of Marine Protected Areas covering around 30% of our oceans. The Coral Sea Heritage Marine Park represents our opportunity to help ensuere a future for our oceans.
View chapters of the film here:
This campaign to protect the Coral Sea is supported by:
Australian Conservation Foundation
Australian Marine Conservation Society
Cairns and Far North Environment Centre
Pew Environment Group - Australia
The Battle for Australia Commemoration National Council;
The American Australian Association
The Australian National Maritime Museum Former Naval Commanders:
Vice Admiral (Rtd) David Shackleton AO (Chief of Navy 1999-2002);
Vice Admiral (Rtd) Chris Ritchie AO (Chief of Navy 2002-2005)
Australia’s leading tropical marine scientists: Professors Terry Hughes,
Hugh Possingham, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, Helene Marsh and John Pandolfi.
