Ecotone Vol32 No4 - CAFNEC

More documents

Recommendations

Info

natural values. At the time, no consideration was given to the wishes of Traditional Owners of the Wet Tropics region and the cultural values went largely ignored. The Wet Tropics region consists of 20 Traditional Owner groups from Townsville in the south to Cooktown in the north. With a number of Aboriginal Traditional Owner organisations and native title determinations now in the region, Traditional Owners are ready more than ever to engage in the National Heritage process, and if desired, World Heritage processes. This is a significant milestone for the Wet Tropics Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples. Many Elders have passed away while waiting for governments to recognise their significant cultural heritage and knowledge. From this point forward the State and Federal government must work alongside Traditional Owners to enable them to manage their country according to their cultural knowledge. You can find out more about the National Heritage Listing of the Wet Tropics for its cultural values at www.wetropics.gov.au Update on Cowley Beach dune track BY RUSSELL CONSTABLE AND YVONNE CUNNINGHAM At the Cassowary Coast Regional Council meeting on 29 October 2012 the Cowley Beach to Liverpool Creek dune track was discussed. This dune track is Council’s strategy for dealing with the large number of illegal drivers (both quad and 4WDs) which drive up and down Cowley Beach to the Spit. We have reported in previous <strong>Ecotone</strong> editions 6 about the devastating effect this driving has had on turtle nesting sites and migrating birds. This process of finalising the track alignment has been ongoing since it was resolved in December 2009 to re-open the area to vehicle traffic in an environmentally sensitive manner. At the meeting Councillors voted that the track section in front of the kitchen barbeque area of Cowley Beach Caravan Park (a 20m section of the track) would be relocated seaward by approximately 5m to re-enter the track butting the caravan park boundary. This decision came to Council as a result of pressure from some local residents who would like to see the track go even further east. However,this will impact on a culturally significant site to the Mandubarra Traditional Owners as well as EPBC listed critically endangered littoral forest communities. The caravan park owners are concerned about the track being noisy and dusty near their camp kitchen facilities which are apparently very close to the boundary of their property. This decision will ensure that the track is another 5 metres further east of the kitchen and protected by a timber railing. Local residents have continued to state their opposition to this track and have threatened to drive illegally on the beach rather than support this compromise position. Mayor Bill Shannon spoke at the Council meeting about the history of the track while Councillor Mark Nolan spoke passionately about respecting cultural sites and the environmental issues surrounding the Cowley Track. Councillor Ian Rule asked if this track realignment was acceptable to the Mandubarra Clan, which a council officer advised it was. The only discussion on the issue at the Council meeting came from Councillor Glenn Raleigh who is on the Local Marine Advisory Committee and is responsible for overseeing the Environmental Services and Waste portfolio. Raleigh stated forcefully, that in his opinion vehicles should not be allowed on the Cowley spit. He stated that this was an area that was subject to storm surge and that vehicles were causing damage to the Spit. He voted against the motion along with Councillors Macdonald and Farinelli. However the motion was passed with the Mayor making a casting vote. Local activist Russell Constable has sought clarification from Council as to whether the caravan park buildings that the track is being diverted for are indeed lawfully constructed dwellings that have council permits. He believes evidence suggests that this is indeed not the case and if that is so why is Council diverting a lawful road around buildings that are not lawful (and probably not built to code) To date the Council has offered no clarification on this point. Within the Council meeting, no discussion was made about keeping vehicles off the beach or maintenance to the Cowley Spit road or enforcement of conditions for quad bikes. Please write to the Mayor and Councillors of the Cassowary Coast to let them know you are concerned about this issue. They can be contacted on 1300 763 903 or enquiries@cassowarycoast.qld.gov.au
Sharks of the Coral Sea BY MARIASOLE BIANCO Scientists estimate that up to 90 percent of the big oceanic fish, including sharks, have been lost from our oceans over the past 50 years due to overfishing. The Coral Sea is one of the world’s last ocean areas where healthy populations of large ocean predators still exist. For this reason the Coral Sea is considered a global shark biodiversity hotspot and represents the opportunity to create a safe haven for sharks and other oceanic species. Sharks are ‘apex predators’ and play a vital role in the health of our ocean. Removal of large predators from coral reef ecosystems throws out the natural balance. They are necessary to ensure the stability of the entire system. In both marine and terrestrial ecosystems, predator removal can cause a potentially irreversible cascade of complex knock-on effects (known as trophic cascades) that destabilise food-webs and the marine environment as a whole. We can spare the Coral Sea this fate. A study conducted in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) Marine Park reveals that shark populations are heavily affected by fishing but benefit greatly from the establishment of green zones, which are closed to fishing. There is strong evidence that shark populations of the Great Barrier Reef are in decline due to fishing pressure, with Grey reef sharks reduced to only 3 percent of natural populations on some fished reefs. Whitetip reef sharks had also declined around 80 percent on fished reefs. Small reserves or networks of reserves cannot offer sharks the same protection as a large scale marine reserve, due to the size of their home range. The proposed scale of the Coral Sea Marine Reserve, its green zone and the removal of long-line fishing from two-thirds of the area will contribute greatly to the protection of shark populations. The recently proclaimed Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve encompasses almost 1 million km 2 . Within the marine reserve is a series of zones which provide different levels of protection. Importantly, key areas considered as significant habitat to the oceanic species that reside within it, including sharks, are currently left unprotected. It would take only minor changes to improve this greatly. Osprey Reef, for example, one of the world’s iconic shark diving experiences, has been given only hairline protection. The green (marine national park) zone extends just 30-50m from the reef edge, leaving the entire reef slope and reef-associated shark population vulnerable. Grey, blacktip and whitetip reef sharks are regularly seen here, with silvertips, tigers and great hammerheads patrolling the blue. At least ten species of pelagic sharks move through the Coral Sea including shortfin mako, bronze whalers, oceanic whitetips, hammerheads, tiger, and great white sharks. The Coral Sea is also home to a rare whale shark aggregation and 52 species of deepwater sharks and rays, 18 of which are unique to the area. As the process for the effective establishment and management of the Coral Sea Marine Reserve continues, we will now be asking the Environment Minister Tony Burke to develop a comprehensive and effective management plan. We will urge him to extend the marine national park zone around Shark, Vema and Osprey Reefs further west by 10kms to ensure that the important reef-associated pelagic species and reef slopes are fully protected as they are vital elements of the reef ecosystem. In the southern Coral Sea, where the shark biodiversity hotpot is located, longline operators have indicated they are willing to exit the area down to 22 degrees south, with fair financial compensation. We will then urge Burke to increase the protection of this area and effectively protect the seamounts, Townsville Trough (an important migratory pathway) and part of the shark biodiversity hotspot that has currently been left vulnerable. Help us to make the Coral Sea a safe haven for sharks: The Ocean takes care of us, let’s return the favour! www.cafnec.org.au <strong>Ecotone</strong> December 2012 7
Page 1 and 2: Newsletter of the Cairns and Far No
Page 3 and 4: Ella Bay needs you! BY ANNA MCGUIRE
Page 5 and 6: Uranium Mining given the green ligh
Page 7: Environment Minister Tony Burke ins
Page 11 and 12: district. This is a massive reducti
Page 13 and 14: Victor remarked that there were few
Page 15 and 16: me, the highlight events of the yea
Page 17 and 18: Tribute for Di BY KRISTIN KEANE Di
Page 19 and 20: RETURN OF BATAVIA IN CAPE YORK TO T

Ecotone Vol32 No4 - CAFNEC

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?