Nationals Set to Wreck Moreton Bay if Allowed Back into Government

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.

Contact: Juanita Wheeler
Candidate for Mount Coot-tha
Spokesperson, Queensland Greens
Mobile: 0402 487 110