Save Moreton Bay

Please help Moreton Bay's threatened marine wildlife today. Give 5 minutes
of your time to sign this online letter to the Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation asking for greater protection in the Marine Park, then forward to your friends and family.

Over the summer the Queensland Government released a draft zoning plan for Moreton Bay, earmarking a mere 15% protection in Marine National Park zones. These are areas where we are free to enter- to swim, boat, dive, and snorkel - but where all wildlife is safe from harm

While 15% is better than the current protection of less than 1%, it does not go far enough for our threatened wildlife.

Marine scientists around the globe say that it is critical that at least 30% of all ocean habitats, such as seagrasses and corals, are given Marine National Park status.

Our chance to support our turtles and dugongs is closing fast. Public comments are due by 5pm Friday 7 March 2008. Moreton Bay Marine Park is only reviewed every ten years, so this is a once in a decade opportunity.

How you can help

1. Click here! Act now and sign the letter;
2. Once you have had your say please forward this email to your friends and family asking them to sign and circulate it to their networks.

With overwhelming public support we really do believe that the Government will provide more than just a mere 15% protection for our precious marine wildlife.

Don't let this chance go by. Our turtles, dugongs and other wildlife need your support today. Your grandchildren will thank you for it.

See also:

• www.savemoretonbay.org.au
• Australian Marine Conservation Society (www.amcs.org.au)
• Sustainable Seafood Guide

The following is a media release from the Wildlife Preservation of Queensland

Moreton Bay - Gold Coast channel dredging must consider fisheries

Channel dredging proposed in the Gold Coast Waterways Access Needs Study will impact upon a significant area of the Moreton Bay Marine Park and its fisheries, yet the environmental impacts of this dredging are not being considered.

Simon Baltais, spokesperson for the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland Bayside Branch, said that the determination of the future management of Moreton Bay Marine Park is at a critical point and the Access Needs Study must consider impacts of dredging on seagrass and other valuable fisheries habitat as well as the physical features.

“it is ironic that the Review of the Moreton Bay Marine Park Zoning Plan is taking place, yet it seems the environmental impacts of dredging, promoted by the Access Needs Study, are not even going to be considered,” said Mr. Baltais.

“We are talking about a Marine Park - we must determine the environmental impacts and how these impacts will be addressed in this study.”

Mr. Baltais said, “If you are going to dredge you will need to know what environmental values exist and how you will avoid impacting upon them. This will have a great bearing on the location of channels and depth of dredging.”

“We already know previous dredging caused major changes in tidal movement which caused a significant loss of seagrass and high levels of boating traffic is increasing turbidity, the number one killer of seagrass,” said Mr. Baltais.

According to the 1993 Study by WBM Oceanics on the Southern Moreton Bay:
“Substantial losses of seagrass occurred during and after the construction of the Gold Coast Seaway. Aerial photographs taken in 1987 show that more than 90% of the dense seagrass beds present in 1982 were lost.

“Lower low tides within the Broadwater (up to 30 cm lower) aerially exposed seagrass beds on the intertidal sand banks for longer periods and resulted in some subtidal beds becoming intertidal.” (Source: “Fluctuations in Wetland Extent in Southern Moreton Bay,” R.M. Morton, 1993 – attached.)

“Seagrass is not only essential to turtles, dugongs and other marine creatures, but to healthy fisheries and therefore important to recreational fishing, which the boating industry is dependent upon,” said Mr Baltais. “If the boating industry is concerned about their future they must consider the environmental impacts of dredging.”

Simon Baltais, Spokesperson
Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland – Bayside Branch
Mobile: 0412-075-334