It is considered a win for conservationists and recreational fishers, but seafood lovers and commercial fisheries will pay the price for proposed changes to one of Queensland's greatest marine parks, an industry body says.
The state government has released the draft for the new Great Sandy Marine Park Zoning Plan, which would see green zones increase from 3.9 per cent to 12.8 per cent.
The Great Sandy Marine Park stretches south from Baffle Creek in the Gladstone region to Double Island Point, taking in Hervey Bay, Great Sandy Strait, Tin Can Bay, and water off the east coast of K'gari (Fraser Island).
"We want to enhance some of the tourism and recreational fishing opportunities and protect the threatened species that live in this area," Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said.
"It will mean an increase of the green zone of nearly nine per cent, protecting iconic species: whale, dugongs, turtles, dolphins."
But the Queensland Seafood Industry Association said the expansion of no-fish zones had little regard for local fishers, and felt the government had ignored their concerns.
"The plan will have a massive impact on the supply of fresh fish … 95 per cent of the net fisheries will be shut down in the Great Sandy Marine Park," CEO Eric Perez said in a statement.
Dolphin encounters under threat
Tin Can Bay's Barnacle Cafe is frequented by a pod of Australian Humpback Dolphins, which are fed by tourists with fish fresh from the Great Sandy Marine Park.
"We're under state government legislation that clearly sets out that the dolphins must be fed product from the Great Sandy Marine Park," owner Benjamin Dunston said.
"Removing commercial fishing from there removes the opportunity to do that, which as a knock-on effect removes the dolphin feed."
Mr Dunston said the proposed closures would have a ripple effect on his business.
"It's a massive drawcard for Tin Can Bay, just this morning for school holidays [we had] over 300 people here to feed the dolphins," he said.
'It is a stroke of the regulator's pen, who has never been on the ground and doesn't see what's going on."
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department from Environment and Science said the supply of fish for dolphin feeding would not be jeopardised.
"The commercial use of tunnel nets, set pocket nets and small mesh bait nets — and as such the local supply of fish to dolphin feeding — will be able to continue in the Great Sandy Strait and Tin Can Inlet under the GSMP draft plan."
Seafood lovers to pay more
In a region known for fresh and local seafood, restaurant owners said restrictions would send prices up and force businesses to look further afield for produce.
"It could mean we need to outsource around Australia or even import overseas products," Hervey Bay restaurant owner Dean Major said.
"We prefer to serve direct from the fishery to the table.
"Prices are ever-increasing. We also have to be mindful if the fisherman has to travel further, then of course it's going to increase prices."
Conservationists rejoice
The Worldwide Fund for Nature Australia said the net-free zones were best practice in marine park planning.
"They have selected a little bit of each type of habitat to be protected fully from fishing activities," Senior Specialist on Coastal Communities Jim Higgs said.
The Great Sandy Marine Park is home to 22 threatened species, 23 habitat types, and two areas of international significance.
Mr Higgs said broader yellow zones would also buffer and complement the green zones.
"The yellow zones cover large areas of the Great Sandy Strait and some of the rivers and creek systems which are super important for inshore dolphins and dugongs that call the bay home," he said.
Ms Scanlon said more details were to come on a provision for more coastal infrastructure, such as boat ramps and artificial reefs.
Fraser Coast Fishing Alliance Scott Mitchell chairman said the plans were a fair compromise.
"Any recreational fisher will agree you've got to protect your marine environment in order to restore, protect, and rebuild fish stocks," he said.
Where to from here?
The state government will be taking community consultation on the proposed plan until October 23rd.
Ms Scanlon said the government planned to announce a financial package, available for commercial fisheries impacted by the proposed restrictions.
"We want to work through that with the commercial fishing industry, so that's why we want to sit down and listen to them," she said.
