34 hours to help Australians save their oceans

Written By: - Date published: 1:59 pm, February 23rd, 2012 - 12 comments
Categories: australian politics, Conservation - Tags: ,

According to this countdown timer, there are only 34 hours left…

Dear friends,

In 48 hours Australia could save one million square kms of ocean — but the commercial fishing industry is vigorously opposing this move. The government is holding a public consultation to get a clear mandate to put the environment above corporate profit. The consultation closes in two days — let’s send a flood of support to save our dying oceans. Send a message now, then forward this email to everyone:

In 48 hours, Australia could save one million square kms of ocean forever — setting up the largest marine reserve in the world and preserving thousands of delicate species. But they will need an global outcry to beat out commercial fishing and mining companies hoping to destroy the plan.

The Australian government is holding a public consultation, hoping it will give them a mandate to take a big step towards a sustainable future for our oceans and our planet. But the reserve will cost money and without massive support right now, the short term financial interests of industry could beat out our hopes for a safe future for our seas.

We only have 48 hours until the consultation closes — click to send a submission to the consultation now, then forward this email to everyone:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_coral_sea_4/?vl

The reports are dire: in 36 years, our oceans could be completely fished-out, in 100 years, all coral reefs might be dead. This action alone won’t be enough to turn the tide. But it will establish the largest marine reserve in the world!

Saving the world’s oceans from collapse will require bold political leadership and dedicated citizens taking action. The Australian government could be at the forefront. But industrial fishing companies want a marine highway through the area for their long line vessels.

We can save a million square kms of ocean by flooding the consultation with appeals from around the world. Let’s drown out the voices of the commercial fishing companies, and protect our oceans for generations to come. Click the link below to send an urgent message, then forward this to friends and family:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_coral_sea_4/?vl

In 2010, Avaaz members helped create the world’s largest marine reserve around the Chagos islands — let’s create an even bigger one this time and stand up for the future of our oceans!

With hope,

Stephanie, Maria Paz, Alice, Ricken, Dalia, Diego, Antonia and the rest of the Avaaz team

More information:
Protect our Coral Sea
http://www.protectourcoralsea.org.au

12 comments on “34 hours to help Australians save their oceans ”

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  1. alex 1
    23 February 2012 at 3:29 pm

    This is why I’m not so concerned about Australia’s Labour Party tearing itself to shreds, the Greens might pick up the pieces and then begin sorting out some of the terrible environmental damage Australia has inflicted on itself.

  2. tsmithfield 2
    23 February 2012 at 3:32 pm

    I totally agree with efforts to save the world fish stocks.

    In 50 years there might not be anything left to fish. So, more marine reserves will help. Also, farming of commercial species similar to the way we do with salmon will also mean less pressure on fish stocks.

    • felix 2.1
      23 February 2012 at 3:49 pm

      Farming means feeding. And guess what they eat?

      • tsmithfield 2.1.1
        23 February 2012 at 4:00 pm

        “Farming means feeding.”

        No shit?!

        Turning relatively inexpensive fish-food into relatively high value fish products is the aim, maybe sort of like this. 🙂

        • Macro 2.1.1.1
          23 February 2012 at 4:51 pm

          You really haven’t a clue have you.

          This from a reasonably conservative magazine article

          “To create 1 kg (2.2 lbs.) of high-protein fishmeal, which is fed to farmed fish (along with fish oil, which also comes from other fish), it takes 4.5 kg (10 lbs.) of smaller pelagic, or open-ocean, fish. “Aquaculture’s current heavy reliance on wild fish for feed carries substantial ecological risks,” says Roz Naylor, a leading scholar on the subject at Stanford University’s Center for Environmental Science and Policy. Unless the industry finds alternatives to using pelagic fish to sustain fish farms, says Naylor, the aquaculture industry could end up depleting an essential food source for many other species in the marine food chain.”

          Read more: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1663604,00.html#ixzz1nAoa7HUx

          • vto 2.1.1.1.1
            23 February 2012 at 4:56 pm

            Maybe they could eat maize

          • tsmithfield 2.1.1.1.2
            24 February 2012 at 2:10 am

            “To create 1 kg (2.2 lbs.) of high-protein fishmeal, which is fed to farmed fish (along with fish oil, which also comes from other fish), it takes 4.5 kg (10 lbs.) of smaller pelagic, or open-ocean, fish.”

            Mate, have you ever been fishing? If you want to attract fish just tip meat/guts from anything overboard and they will swarm in for a feast.

            • Macro 2.1.1.1.2.1
              24 February 2012 at 11:34 am

              Have I ever been fishing??
              Mate where I go fishing you don’t chuck anything over except your line! because if you did you would just end up with sharks.
              And no I’m not going to tell you where it is – but on monday three of us filled our quota in about 2 hours – even after increasing our size from 32 cm to 38 cm after the first few.

              • Bored …
                24 February 2012 at 12:49 pm

                I get the feeling TS view of ecosystems manages to separate out every living species into individuals that make rational decisions independently of what the others do….the simple idea of complex interconnectedness might be a little beyond his grasp.

                On the fishing Macro, good results I reckon. Well done. On the interconnectedness a stream I fish regularly over the last two seasons had the eel population fished out by commercial netters. Now the trout are slightly larger but in very average condition….its fairly obvious the eels are not culling the trout out and their condition is falling. Soon I expect it to get worse as the smaller trout proliferate in the absence of eels. Basically the balance is rooted.

              • tsmithfield …
                24 February 2012 at 3:15 pm

                Right. You have proved my point. There are fish that will eat animal offal etc. So, we can farm those sort of fish for by feeding them on animal offal etc if they are saleable. Or we can turn those fish into fish food to feed the fish we want to sell. Who knows, we could also kill two birds with one stone by hunting pests such as possoms etc for feeding to feed the fish that ain’t so fussy.

  3. DavidC 3
    23 February 2012 at 4:35 pm

    Well farming is killing the Barrier Reef, the inner reef is just a grey rock now.
    I have spent 2 week trips out at Holmes reef 150 miles out from Cairns freaking awesome place.
    100 meter + vis and 28 to 30 degree water
    BIG sharks 🙂

  4. prism 4
    24 February 2012 at 11:03 am

    Countdown timer says 12 hours – no time to wait.

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