Rowley Shoals decision shows area tough

AAP 

February 04, 2013 3:22pm

THE decision not to re-release an oil and gas exploration permit near the Rowley Shoals Marine Park shows the offshore Kimberley region is proving difficult for the sector, an analyst says.

Federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson will not re-offer the exploration permit W11-5, some 200km from the Kimberley coast and close to the Rowley Shoals, because no companies have applied for it since it was put up for grabs in April last year, his spokeswoman has confirmed.

There were also community concerns, she said.

Conservationists were up in arms in early 2012 when three permits including W11-5 were offered for exploration, although the hunt for oil and gas has been going on in the area for many years.

Shell's East Mermaid 1 well - smack in the middle of those three permits - was drilled in 1973 but abandoned due to technical problems and poor geological conditions.

The Rowley Shoals are a popular scuba diving site and are considered among the world's healthiest atolls.Woodside, no stranger to protests by conservationists with its contentious Browse gas hub plan at James Price Point north of Broome, is currently conducting seismic studies on permits north of Rowley Shoals, but says that activity is just to meet its obligations to retain the leases.

"This whole area is very difficult - you have to jump through a lot of hoops to get it going," State One Stockbroking analyst Peter Kopetz said.

While WWF Australia was pleased the W11-5 well was temporarily off limits to the oil and gas sector, it urged the federal government to create a permanent exclusion zone to the industry in the area.

On Browse, Mr Kopetz said it would be the economics of the project, not the vocal opponents, that would be the deciding factor in whether it proceeded.

Shell, with its preference for floating gas production, did not appear to be pushing the operator Woodside hard and was sitting back to see what happened, Mr Kopetz said.

While WA Premier Colin Barnett remains insistent the Browse hub must be built onshore where royalties will flow through to the state - rather than offshore, where the royalties will go to the Commonwealth - the project proponents would only choose a site that met their profitability criteria, he said.

"Why would someone lose money to appease someone?" Mr Kopetz asked.

Marine Park Network to be announced

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-11/marine-park-network-to-be-announced/4063520

Trawlers allowed in new Kimberley marine park

ABC News

Conservation groups have heralded the State Government's announcement of Camden Sound Marine Park as a significant win for the Kimberley.

But the Opposition is questioning why trawl fishing will still be allowed.

The park is the first of four to be created in the Kimberley and will cover 7,000 square kilometres of sea and coastline 300 kilometres north of Broome.

The park will cost the State Government $10 million over four years. The other parks will be created at Eighty Mile Beach, Roebuck Bay and the North Kimberley.

The Environment Minister Bill Marmion says a special zone will protect one of the world's biggest whale nurseries, with boats required to stay at least 500 metres away from the animals.

"In that particular special purpose zone, the whale zone we know there is about 1000 whales that calve there between June and November each year so this area will be protected, the conservation values will be protected,' he said.

Almost half the park will be closed to fishing trawlers, while about 20 per cent will be closed to other forms of commercial fishing.

Paul Gamblin from World Wildlife Fund says it is a huge win for conservation.

"We think levels of protection could be increased down the track, but overall we think this is a great plan," he said.

Unhappy

However, the Opposition's environment spokeswoman Sally Talbot disagrees.

"Trawling has no place in a marine park, so it's bitterly disappointing," she said.

"In an area like Camden Sounds, we would have expected an exclusion zone of about 70 per cent. Yet the Barnett Government will only close 23 per cent of the park to commercial fishing."

Ms Talbot says the Government should help the trawl sector move into trap and line fishery.

The state's Fishing Industry Association has questioned the government's commitment to compensating commercial fishermen.

About four north west companies will be banned from fishing commercially in some areas of the marine park.

The government promised compensation would be paid, if appropriate.

The association's chief executive Guy Leyland says those words imply that compensation is conditional.

"Ah we find that comment curious in regard to 'if appropriate'. Frankly, there's a statutory requirement for the government to pay compensation for affected commercial operators who are removed from these areas," he said.

The park will be formally created in the next few months.

Fishing feud threatens marine plan

DANIEL MERCER, The West Australian

Updated July 15, 2011, 2:30 am

Premier Colin Barnett's much-touted Camden Sound marine park in the Kimberley has hit a hurdle amid a turf war between Environment Minister Bill Marmion and Fisheries Minister Norman Moore.

Weeks ahead of the expected release of the multimillion-dollar final plan, it is understood the two ministers and their departments have reached a stalemate over the issue of sanctuary, or "no-take", zones.

The impasse is believed to centre on the draft plan's so-called "wilderness fishing zone" in a prized area of the 700,000ha park.

The proposed zone, which was pushed by Mr Moore and approved by then environment minister Donna Faragher, would allow recreational fishing at Montgomery Reef but forbid commercial angling.

There are also believed to be tensions between the two ministers over another reef system around Champagny Island, which has been designated a sanctuary zone. Mr Moore who has questioned the value of no-take areas, is understood to be concerned the decision could cripple a Kimberley-based mackerel fishing operation.

Environmental groups have branded wilderness fishing outrageous, claiming it fails to protect one of the most biologically important areas of the park, while professional fishers have derided it as a nonsense and discriminatory.

Prominent marine scientist Jessica Meowing, of the University of WA, said the differences between Mr Marmion and Mr Moore seemed intractable and threatened to derail the process.

She called on Mr Barnett, who has called the park one of the most significant environmental developments in WA, to intervene.

The WA Fishing Industry Council, which represents commercial fishers, said the proposed sanctuary zones should be scrapped because they were unnecessary and not based in reliable evidence.

WAFIC has previously argued there should instead be seasonal closures to protect whales.

Recreational fishing lobby Redfishes also questioned the validity of no-take zones, but has welcomed the provision of wilderness fishing areas.

Protect the Kimberley - Camden Sound Marine Park and Montgomery Reef

If you'd like to help gain real marine protection for this important part of the Kimberley coast:

1. Go the the website likenowhereelse.org.au and sign the petition.
2. Write to the Premier of Western Australia, Colin Barnett
3. Email the Premier Premier.Barnett@dpc.wa.gov.au
4. Write to your local MP

Marine chief cautious on sanctuaries

DANIEL MERCER, The West Australian

Updated December 19, 2011, 4:00 am

Sanctuary zones where all fishing is banned should be considered sparingly and only if there was overwhelming evidence of their need, according to WA's new marine parks adviser.

In his first interview as chairman of the Marine Parks and Reserves Authority, Tom Hatton said there was potential merit in "no-take" zones but they should not affect anglers unfairly.

Dr Hatton, a marine scientist and director at the CSIRO, indicated that he might also support controversial ideas put forward by recreational fishers opposed to sanctuary zones.

These include so-called wilderness fishing areas where recreational fishing was allowed but all other "extractive activities", such as commercial fishing and oil and gas drilling, were forbidden.

The comments are a significant departure from the position of Dr Hatton's predecessor, Eric Streitberg, who argued that sanctuary zones were essential if authorities were to protect valuable fish and marine species.

They also raised eyebrows among green groups as the Government thrashes out plans for a series of marine parks in State waters, including the much-touted Camden Sound proposal in the Kimberley.

"There's enough potential merit in (sanctuary zones) from place to place that they should be seriously considered," Dr Hatton said.

"But they need to be based on the best available scientific evidence and an understanding of potential impacts on recreational and commercial fishing and other users."

Environment Minister Bill Marmion said Dr Hatton would help create a world-class, comprehensive system of marine parks with two other MPRA board appointees.

Conservation Council of WA executive director Piers Verstegen said the appointments could weaken the resolve of the MPRA to establish marine parks with sanctuary zones.

He feared Premier Colin Barnett would not deliver on his significant commitments to marine protection if MPRA appointments were out of step with the latest science and community sentiment.