The commercial Fishing Industry’s refinements to the South-west Marine Reserve Network delivers all the conservation objectives of the Government’s proposal and minimises the impact on the people and the fishing industry who are currently harvesting and supplying marine resources to the community.

The Government South-west proposal:

• Calls for 40.8% of one region to be included in the marine reserve network;
• Will immediately close some fishing businesses and render some unprofitable;
• Fails to appreciate the much larger cumulative impact on the Australian Fishing industry as a whole; and
• Will benefit foreign fisheries importing fish into Australia many of which may not be subject to the same high sustainability and ecosystem protection standards that apply to Australian fisheries.

The Fishing Industry is proposing a number of refinements to the South-west Marine Reserve Network that can make a big difference to the viability and long-term future of the fishing industry.

Based on the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities own modelling process it will still:

• Deliver all the conservation objectives to this region;
• Create a marine reserve network area equivalent to five times the size of Tasmania;
• Cover an area representing 26.2% of the SW marine region; over 40% of which will be closed to commercial fishing;
• Make the network area equivalent to the 3rd largest marine reserve in the world; and
• Coupled with all the other industry refinements and existing marine reserves, would take Australia's marine reserves to 59% of the coverage of current global marine protected areas and 35% of Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone.

So that a viable Australian commercial fishing industry can continue to supply a valuable sustainable food source now, and in the future, and:

• Continue to provide employment in the regions;
• Be a vital part of the economy and social fabric of many small remote coastal communities;
• Generate export income; and
• Lower the Government’s assistance costs to the fishing industry.

Table 1: Comparison - Fishing Industry v Government Reserve Network Proposals

Based on the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities modelling process.

Table 2: Number of features protected within the Network

Table 3: Number of features protected within the Marine National Park Zone