CREDITS&CONTACTS From the DIRECTOR OUT OF THE BLUE 4 Australian Society PO Box 5815 Darren Kindleysides WEST END QLD 4101 SAVING OUR GREAT BARRIER 6 Ph: (07) 3846 6777 Fax: (07) 3846 6788 ’S NEW MARINE PARKS PLAN 8 Email: [email protected] Time to buy some www.marineconservation.org.au Patron TURNING THE ON PLASTIC POLLUTION 14 Tim Winton INSURANCE AMCS Management Committee President: Nick Heath You have heard this story before. NEW FELICITY WISHART REEF 18 Secretary: Mary-Ann Pattison Our oceans are under increasing . The symptoms are Treasurer: Rowan Wallace unmissable; mass coral bleaching, unprecedented mangrove and kelp HOW TO SAVE THE REEF, GILLIAN AGE 7 19 General Member: Craig McGovern forest die offs, less fish and more plastic. Our seas need our help now General Member: Jason Hinks more than ever. General Member: Dr Jill StJohn So how is it that rather than offering more help, our Australian

CONTENTS DEVOTION TO THE OCEAN 22 General Member: Alison Johnson Government is planning to offer less – much less? General Member: Richard Leck Marine conservation in Australia been progressing until now. For decades General Member: Dr David Neil successive governments from both sides of politics had shown real AMCS Staff leadership, taking us forwards rather than backwards. Australia led the world with our national network of marine reserves that was set up at the Director: Darren Kindleysides end of 2012, but that has since changed. Team: Imogen Zethoven, AO, Dr Lissa Schindler, Shannon The Australian Government under Malcom Turnbull’s leadership is looking to gut what was a world-best network. They are proposing to Hurley, Sandra Williams, Tony Fontes, David revoke 40 million hectares of fully protected marine sanctuaries, which Cazzulino are our national parks in the sea. Think about an area the size of Victoria, Fisheries Team: Tooni Mahto, Josh Coates then double it. That is how big the proposed cuts are. Marine Campaign Team: Adele Pedder, Yet across our blue planet more and more nations are expanding marine James Cordwell, Sharnie Connell reserves to give their seas, and the people who rely on them, a fighting Communications Team: Ingrid Neilson, chance. So at a time when nations are advancing marine protection, why 6 11 14 18 Shane Cucow, Gemma Freeman is Australia going backwards? Fundraising Team: Stefanie Kessler, Jacinta It feels like it is time to buy some insurance. Not life insurance, but McLennan, Emma Morgan marine life insurance. And I know the best policy. It is not a new product. Operations Team: Kellie Ireland, Loretta It is tried and tested. It comes recommended by scientists and ocean We deserve better than this fudging Ranieri, Renee Weidenhofer, Julie Lazbin, users the world over. Tina Dalby Marine sanctuaries are an insurance policy for marine life and people. and scheming, and so do our seas. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that they allow marine species Turning The Tide Coordinator to recover and rebuild. They protect the health and balance of marine Jessie Newman ecosystems, which in turn protects us as a coastal nation. In Australia It’s not too late for excellence. Cover Photograph alone, tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars or revenue depend on healthy oceans. Leafy seadragon (Phycodurus eques) Or a legacy to be proud of. by Steve Parish, steveparish.com.au Life insurance premiums are cheaper the earlier we take up a policy. And there can come a point when it is too late. You cannot insure the patient Graphic Designer after they’ve been declared ill. Protecting our oceans is no different. Sanctuaries and science can still be restored to Jacki Stone, Jacstar Design Investing in marine sanctuaries today is a far better, cheaper and easier option than waiting until our oceans collapse and trying to fix the problems Paper marine parks. But that will take statesmanship, later. And the longer we delay the greater the price we will pay. It cannot Printed on recycled paper, FSC Mixed be a price we leave for our children and our grandchildren to meet. Sources Certified principle and courage. Marine sanctuaries work. Establishing a scientifically solid national TIM WINTON, Acclaimed author and AMCS Patron Printer network of marine reserves throughout Australia’s waters creates a Enviroprint Australia legacy of ocean health. Winding the network backwards radically and recklessly, creates a litany of problems deferred and oceans damaged. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Australian Marine Conservation It will also perpetuate one the greatest inequalities we face today – the Society Inc. All written material contained in ‘Turning the inequality that exists between current and future generations. I will not Read Tim’s full Op Ed: marineconservation.org.au Tide’ may be reprinted. Reprinted material must include the sit idly by and leave a broken ocean legacy to my kids. Thank you for name of author (s) and be credited to the AMCS ‘Turning the Tide’ publication. standing with us as we fight on. Australian Marine Conservation Society 3 out of the BLUE NEWS from around our shores

Check us out on twitter for live OUT OF THE BLUE updates & news: @AustMarConsSoc Great White © Troy Mayne / Oceanic Imagery News from around our shores AMCS takes #STOPADANI momentum continues! BLUE The movement to #StopAdani is gathering pace – with millions of Australians taking action to stop Adani’s dangerous coal mine inland from our Great nationwide Barrier Reef. No financial lenders will touch it, with This winter AMCS and our partners in the CommBank recently joining the other ‘big four’ banks to Save Our Marine Life Alliance took the rule out funding for this controversial coal mine. Now the Northern stunning new documentary BLUE on a Australian Infrastructure Fund (NAIF which has the power to loan Adani roadshow to five cities around Australia. $1 billion of our taxes) is under investigation. WA leads shark control BLUE is a provocative journey into our Incredibly, Adani is challenging the fine that it received from the Qld oceans, witnessing this critical moment Environment Department for spilling massive amounts of coal-laden water Vicious Marine Park INNOVATION when our marine world is on a precipice. right next to the Reef during Cyclone Debbie. This is a stark reminder that CUTBACKS PROPOSED Adani can’t be trusted with our Reef or even respecting our laws. Filmed over two years in Indonesia, the Unbelievable plans to slash our national Philippines, Hawaii and Australia, BLUE The priority of our federal and state governments should be protecting network of marine sanctuaries have been comes at a time in human society when Great white have been shark controls. They’ve installed our Great Barrier Reef and the 64,000 workers who depend on its released by the Federal Government. we are making decisions that will decide demonised in parts of the media, electromagnetic barriers off health, not propping up a billion-dollar international corporate giant They are proposing shocking cutbacks but this threatened species remains Cottesloe Beach – a measure used intent on damaging it further. With record-breaking to Australia’s sanctuary zones, putting the legacy we leave for our children. in urgent need of protection and our rare dolphins, dugongs and turtles successfully in South Africa. There year upon year, mass coral bleachings and a tourism industry under The sold-out crowds loved this powerful at risk and paving the way for destructive our Minister for the Environment are other non-lethal measures to pressure, we need clean sustainable jobs, not dirty subsidised coal movie and responded passionately to commercial fishing methods and oil and refuses to act. Rather than proposing reduce our interactions with sharks, mines like Adani’s Carmichael coal mine. Thank you for being part of protections, Minister Frydenberg gas giants. its strong message: our oceans are in with the NSW government also the movement to Fight for our Reef and Stop Adani. stirred up the shark cull debate again The proposed changes would be the trouble and we all need to join the fight testing drones, Artificial Intelligence when he called for the Western largest wind back of conservation to save them. and shark buoys. protection in Australia’s history – an area Australian government to catch and equivalent to revoking every second kill sharks following a fatal encounter The Federal Environment Minister national park in Australia. © Jemma Scott earlier in the year. Our hearts go out should be standing up for GOVERNMENT’S to the family and friends of the young charity attack Our national marine sanctuary network threatened species. We have the surfer, but culls are not the answer. Our right to speak out threatened – again took more than a decade of science, technology to co-exist with these overwhelming community support and The WA McGowan Government apex species. We just need the The attack on charities who stand up for nature continues, following the bipartisan political work. We must defend it. is actively looking at smarter action and political will. Australian government’s inquiry into charitable organisations in 2015. While some politicians have spoken out in our defence (including some within Head to page eight to read a synopsis government), the inquiry’s most controversial recommendations have now on the cutbacks from two of Australia’s leading marine scientists. been proposed in a government Discussion Paper. Think of the places we love in Australia; The Great Barrier Reef, Ningaloo, Supermarket giants #BANTHEBAG Fraser Island, the Blue Mountains. None of these places would have been Six billion plastic bags are given out by Coles and Woolworths every protected without the advocacy from environmental groups, staffed by year. One of the deadliest types of plastics, their lightweight design passionate Australians. Our seas, coasts, land, air and water are healthier, means that every single bag eventually ends as tiny pieces. Used for better managed and protected thanks to environmental charities around the just 12 minutes on average, that same bag takes an incredible 1,000 country. Yet these very groups have been singled out in this Paper, which years to break down. proposes to introduce reams of additional red tape and dictate how we work. But take heart, because our fight to ban the bag has made giant leaps The motivation for this continued attack is hard to fathom. In inquiry forwards! By mid 2018 all Coles, Woolworths, Harris Farm and IGA evidence neither the federal environment department nor Australia’s charity stores will no longer stock single-use bags. In further progress, both regulator the ACNC raised significant concerns. With mounting threats to our and will have state-wide bans by mid natural world, our government should be supporting our important work, not 2018! Now we just need Victoria and New South Wales to follow the silencing us. trend and we will have a nationwide ban.

Australian Marine Australian Marine 4 Conservation Society Conservation Society 5 Fighting for our REEF Fighting for our REEF SAVING OUR REEF

In the lead up to the World Heritage requires more than local action Committee meeting we created Our Reef – A Love Story, a book collating your personal, beautiful and concerned stories, poems and photos which we AMCS travels to Poland to join UNESCO’s annual delivered to Minister Josh Frydenberg. Charlie Veron By Imogen Zethoven, AO, The book featured representatives from © Bartłomiej Banaszak, World Heritage Committee. World Heritage Committee meeting as they confirm Great Barrier Reef faith communities, schools, writers, activists, the health and environment sector and the climate change threat to global coral reefs Campaign Director many more. Thank you to everyone who contributed and made this possible to THE GODFATHER OF ensure the pressure is kept on our leaders to protect our Reef. CORAL SPEAKS The legendary Charlie Veron joined us in Krakow to speak for our Reef. With In July, I was honoured to lead our damaged by climate change in the While the Australian his inimitable passion, commitment team of Reef warriors attending the coming decades. Most importantly, it government continues to and knowledge, here is his speech to annual meeting of the World Heritage called on all state parties to undertake embrace Adani’s proposed the Committee. Committee in Krakow, Poland – a the most ambitious implementation coal mine, it has no beautiful, medieval World Heritage of the Paris Agreement: limit global credibility on Reef matters. My name is Charlie Veron. I am catchments that clean up farm water listed city. We were there to bring rise to no more than While it refuses policies former chief scientist of the Australian pollution and stop excessive tree Institute of Marine Science. clearing are vital. attention to the devastating impacts 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. and programs to drastically of global warming on the Great reduce carbon pollution, it It has been the privilege of my life to But sadly, the last two years have Barrier Reef. Australia has committed has no credibility on Reef have identified and named a fifth of shown that the impacts of climate to the 1.5°C target, but the the world’s reef coral species. It has change are vastly outpacing local Half of all shallow water matters. While it continues Government’s contribution been the tragedy of my life to realise management efforts. corals in our Reef have died to flirt with a new coal- is woefully weak. We are not that no one living today will experience over the last two years, due fired power station in North Mr Chair, climate change is a global doing our global fair share to the majesty of coral reefs as I have. problem. Every country must do its to a massive underwater Queensland, it has no Fight For Our Reef Campaign reduce carbon pollution. If In the two years since the Committee fair share to keep global temperature Director, Imogen Zethoven, and Godfather heatwave caused by climate credibility on Reef matters. of Coral, Charlie Veron speak to the World an Australia-equivalent level last examined our Great Barrier Reef rise below 1.5°C. Australia is not Heritage Committee © Bartłomiej change. However, this Words and deeds must be World Heritage Area, 49% of its close to doing its fair share. Banaszak, World Heritage Committee. of action was undertaken destruction is not limited aligned to achieve credibility. coral have died due to a global mass by other countries, global If all countries make the same level to Australia. Fuelled by global coral bleaching event. Under the World Heritage of effort as Australia in reducing accelerating warming, a temperatures would rise by Convention, our government has Mr Chair, coral bleaching is the most emissions, global temperature will global bleaching event – that 3.5-4°C this century. This ° a legal and moral duty to protect visible evidence of climate change. rise by 3-4 C by the end of the would doom all coral reefs. started in 2014 and ended in our threatened Reef. In Krakow, There is no doubt that in the last two century. This would kill all our Reef years, the Outstanding Universal corals worldwide. May this year – has wreaked After Krakow, Australia must take for the first time ever, the World Value of our Great Barrier Reef has havoc on reefs in the Pacific, action to protect our Reef – not Heritage Committee demonstrated Australia is also actively supporting been severely diminished. Indian Ocean and Caribbean. just from farm pollution and coastal that this duty extends to tackling a proposal to develop one of the development, but most importantly climate change – which even our I commend the work of IUCN, world’s largest coal mines next to our In June UNESCO’s World Heritage government now recognises as the from global warming. UNESCO and this committee in recent Great Barrier Reef. Centre released the first science- biggest threat to the Great Barrier years to secure significant outcomes To be a true custodian of this global based global assessment of the We cannot stop there. Our Reef. Inside the plenary session at Krakow to build the resilience of our Reef. treasure, I urge this committee to © Shannon Hurley, Fight For Our Reef impacts of climate change on World government needs to consider the The message is clear: Australia This year’s draft decision should call on Australia to dramatically lift its Heritage coral reefs. The report found Great Barrier Reef when assessing must do its global fair share to be supported. The World Heritage level of ambition to reduce carbon that drastic reductions in carbon new coal mines – even when reduce carbon pollution. Or we face Centre rightly identifies that pollution and to cease support for dioxide emissions are essential if all resources are destined for export. the international embarrassment implementing strong laws in our Reef dirty fossil fuel development. coral reefs are to survive. Our Reef does not care if coal is of having our Reef listed as ‘in The Committee expressed ‘utmost burnt in Australia, India or elsewhere. danger’ in a future World Heritage concern’ about the impact of climate It does the same harm. If built, assessment. We can, and must, do change on World Heritage coral reefs Adani’s monstrous Carmichael mine better future for our Reef. – powerful language for a United will burn 4.7 billion tonnes of carbon Nations body. It found that most World over its lifespan – creating enormous Go to fightforourreef.org.au for the Heritage coral reefs will be seriously damage. latest on how you can get involved. Campaign Director, Imogen Zethoven, and Campaigner, Shannon Hurley, spoke to Australian Marine delegates from every country to urge climate We took our ask for urgent climate action 7 action for global corals © Fight For Our Reef to world leaders in Krakow © Fight For Our Reef Conservation Society Marine SANCTUARIES Marine SANCTUARIES

Endangered dugongs are on the rise thanks to marine sanctuaries © Troy Mayne / Oceanic Imagery Australia’s new marine parks plan is a case of the EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES The federal government’s new draft marine park plans are based on an unsubstantiated premise: that By Jessica Meeuwig, Professor and protection of Australia’s ocean wildlife is consistent with Director, Marine Futures Lab, UWA and activities such as fishing and oil and gas exploration. David Booth, Professor of Marine Ecology, UTS

Under the proposed plans, there would we’re being asked to believe something While some studies suggest that partial be no change to the boundaries of to be true despite strong evidence to protection is better than nothing, others existing marine parks, which cover 36% the contrary. suggest that these zones offer little to of Commonwealth waters, or almost no improvement relative to areas fully BELOW: Marine Park zoning, as recommended by Independent Review (left) and in the new draft plan (right), THE EMPEROR’S UNROBING showing the proposed expansion of partial protection (yellow) vs full protection (green). Source: Parks Australia 2.4 million square kilometres. But open to exploitation. many areas inside these boundaries The new plans follow on from last Environment minister Josh Frydenberg will be rezoned to allow for a range of year’s release of an independent has pointed out that, under the new activities besides conservation. review, commissioned by the Abbott plans, the total area zoned as either government after suspending the The plans propose dividing marine green or yellow will rise from 60% previous network of marine reserves parks into three types of zones: to 63% compared with the 2012 implemented under Julia Gillard in 2012. GREEN: “National Park Zones” with full network. But yellow is not the new conservation protection Yet the latest draft plans, which green. What’s more, yellow zones propose to gut the network of have similar management costs to YELLOW: “Habitat Protection Zones” green zones, ignore many of the green zones, which means that the where fishing is allowed as long as the recommendations made in the review, government is proposing to spend the seafloor is not harmed which was itself an erosion of the same amount of money for far inferior BLUE: “Special Purpose Zones” that suspended 2012 plans. protection. And as any decent sex-ed allow for specific commercial activities. The extent of green zones is crucial, teacher will tell you, partial protection Crucially, under the new draft plans, the because the science says they are is a risky business. amount of green zones will be almost the engine room of conservation. Fully WHAT DO THE DRAFT halved, from 36% to 20% of the marine protected marine national parks – with PLANS MEAN? park network, whereas yellow zones no fishing, no mining, and no oil and will almost double from 24% to 43%, Let’s take a couple of examples, gas drilling – deliver far more benefits compared with when the marine parks starting with the Coral Sea Marine to biodiversity than other zone types. were established in 2012. Park. This is perhaps the most The best estimates suggest that disappointing rollback in the new This is despite government statistics What this means, in effect, is Contrast this with the A$6.4 billion The government has said 30-40% of the seascape should ideally draft plan. The green zone, which showing that around 30% of the catch that the plans to establish a generated by the Great Barrier Reef that this approach will “allow be fully protected, rather than the 20% would have been one of the largest in the Eastern Tuna and Billfish fishery world-class marine park in the Marine Park in 2015-16, the majority sustainable activities like proposed under the new plans. fully protected areas on the planet, consists of species that are either Coral Sea will be significantly of which comes from non-extractive commercial fishing while has been reduced by half to allow industries. Partially protected areas, such as the overexploited or uncertain in their undermined for the sake of protecting key conservation for fishing activity in a significantly yellow zones that allow fishing while sustainability, and the government’s saving commercial tuna fishers This same erosion of protection is also features”. expanded yellow zone. protecting the seabed, do not generate own that found these A$4.1 million per year, or proposed in Western Australia, where But like the courtiers told to admire the conservation benefits equivalent to This yellow zone would allow the use types of fishing lines are incompatible 0.3% of the total revenue from the government’s draft plan would Emperor’s non-existent new clothes, those of full protection. of pelagic longlines to fish for tuna. with conservation. Australia’s wild-catch fisheries. reduce green zones by 43% across the

Australian Marine Australian Marine 8 Conservation Society Conservation Society 9 Marine SANCTUARIES Marine SANCTUARIES

Much of the Kimberley’s waters are now protected in a marine park. © Glenn Walker

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Zoning for the as recommended by the Independent Review (left) and the new draft plan (right). Source: Parks Australia

largest marine parks in the region. BUILDING OCEAN Of course it is important to balance raises the bar for marine protection RESILIENCE Again, this is despite clear evidence conservation with sustainable economic use of our oceans. Yet the that the fishing activities occurring in Science shows that full protection these areas are not compatible with creates resilience by supporting intact government’s new draft plan leaves conservation. Such proposals also ecosystems. Fully protected green a huge majority of Australia’s waters

ignore future such as deep- zones recover faster from flooding and open to business as usual. It’s a brave ZONING WITHIN THE GREAT KIMBERLEY MARINE PARKS TIMOR SEA Cape Londonderry The Kimberley Coast is one of the Cape sea mining. Bougainville North Kimberley coral bleaching, have reduced rates of Marine Park Emperor who thinks this will protect Napier Broome Bay WA location map most intact marine environments left Uunguu IPA Joseph INDIAN OCEAN Biggie Admiralty Bonaparte Gulf disease, and fend off climate invaders Island Gulf our oceans. By Adele Pedder, North Lalang-garram The overall effect is summarised neatly Marine Park Balanggarra IPA Drysdale Cambridge on Earth. Unsurprisingly, this coastline Mitchell River River National Park Gulf Lalang-garram / National Park Camden Sound Marine Parks Marine Park more effectively than areas that are Prince Frederick by Frydenberg’s statement that the Prince Harbour Regent of outstanding natural beauty is also a Adele National Park Island Dambimangari IPA So let’s put some real clothes on Mirima Keep River National Campaign Manager National Park government’s plans will: open to fishing. refuge for threatened and vulnerable Park r e d Lacepede r o

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Islands Wilinggin IPA r y o

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A new Kimberley Purnululu to the blue economy. They help support humpback whales, six of the world’s National Park Map created 23 March, 2017 ; Coordinate System: GCS GDA 94 Great Kimberley Marine Parks boundaries Special purpose area (recreation and National Parks & Reserves Data sources: the reserves open to fishing > Marine park boundaries and zoning: Supplied by the Department of Parks and our blue economy and is backed by Marine Park Zoning * conservation) Indigenous Protected Areas Wildlife, Western Australia Government. > Towns and roads: (c) Geodata topo 250k series 3, Geoscience Australia General use area Special purpose area (pearling) Coastal Waters boundary > National Parks and Reserves: CAPAD 2014, Commonwealth of Australia 2014 Marine Park shows seven marine turtle species, dugongs, Special purpose area (whale conservation) > IPAs: (c) Department of the Environment and Department of the Prime Minister fisheries and function as “nurseries” for Sanctuary area Tracks and Cabinet, 2016. Special purpose area (cultural heritage) Special purpose area (wilderness conservation) Main roads NOTE: * Zoning in the North Kimberley Marine 0 45 90 180 from 64% to 80% … (and) science. Park is proposed only. Km fish larvae. For commercial fisheries, there is appetite for snubfin dolphins and endangered sawfish. make 97% of waters within ambition when it these sanctuaries are more important In response to overwhelming 100 kilometres of the coast comes to protecting than ever in view of the declines in global demand from Australian ocean Together we secured an extraordinary open for recreational fishing. catches since we hit “peak fish” in 1996. Originally published by theconversation.com our marine life. lovers, and recognising the marine park. national significance of this Our work does not end here. The new region, a Great Kimberley Western Australian government made Marine Park was declared in election commitments to further protect YOU CAN HELP: If the proposed cutbacks to our marine sanctuaries go ahead, it will be Camden Sound Marine Park the biggest loss in marine protection in Australia’s history. Contact your local Member is a mecca for Humpbacks December 2016. the waters of the Kimberley. We will be © Kimberley Media working to ensure these commitments of Parliament and ask them not to support ANY cuts to Australia’s marine sanctuaries. This significant new marine park contains are met, working with partners in the four adjacent, constituent marine parks West to promote southern extensions Endangered whale sharks will suffer if our marine parks are cut © Troy Mayne / Oceanic Imagery that cover a total of three million hectares to the marine park including thousands of the Kimberley’s coastal waters – of islands such as the Buccaneer roughly half the size of Tasmania. All of Archipelago, home to some of the the zoning schemes for the parks are Kimberley’s most diverse coral reefs. now finalised and on average a fifth of the area’s waters are designated With the development of sanctuary zones, offering the highest the Great Kimberley Marine protection for our threatened marine life. Park by the previous Barnett This achievement wouldn’t have been Government in WA, the West possible without strong public support has taken the lead in Australia and significant work by conservation at a time when progress has organisations based in WA, including stalled nationally. It is a major the Pew Charitable Trust and Environs step forward, setting important Kimberley; and of course you – AMCS ocean lovers around Australia. Together benchmarks for the protection we mobilised to champion the park to of our sea life, coasts and key decision makers and stakeholders. oceans around Australia. Australian Marine Australian Marine 10 Conservation Society Conservation Society 11 Sustainable FISHERIES Sustainable FISHERIES

Mangrove at Karumba Point, Queensland © Ben Cordia We put ocean SUSTAINABILITY in your hands

By Tooni Mahto, Vulnerable sharks are caught as Senior Marine Campaigner © marinethemes.com/Kelvin Aitken

Australia’s Guide is the only independent guide to choosing sustainable seafood in Australia. Laid out in a simple traffic Queensland’s bright light system, it shows what seafood is a better choice, what to eat less of, and what is best to FISHERIES FUTURE avoid for our oceans. The Guide provides green, amber and red ratings for over 90 species caught in Australia and imported from around the world.

Overfished and vulnerable orange roughy and various species caught Our ratings are based on an extensive analysis of a wide as bycatch on a research trawler The sunshine state Queensland has a checkered history monitoring and failure to report dugong range of information including fisheries reports, actual catch © Stephen McGownan Australian finally moves from when it comes to commercial fishing. and dolphin bycatch – until the fatal Maritime College results of endangered and protected marine animals, and mismanagement to It’s home to our most iconic seafood. It evidence washes up on shore, bearing feedback on how the fishery itself is managed. Experts at modernity. is also home to the Great Barrier Reef gillnet marks. We’ve also seen catch AMCS distill all this data then provide the answers to people and amazing marine life. Done well, quotas set using back-of-the-envelope who love seafood but also love their oceans. fishing here can provide Australians with calculations and creative accounting. fantastic fresh seafood. Done badly, Access to this information is easy. Just go to Over the past year, thousands of you that seafood leaves a hefty death toll on sustainableseafood.org.au, or download our free, told the Queensland Government that By Tooni Mahto, dedicated and simple to use smartphone app. The Guide dolphins, dugongs, turtles and sharks. you want seafood that doesn’t have a Senior Marine was created in response to public demand, and makes it massive cost on our marine life. Your Is red snapper sustainable? Campaigner Queensland’s commercial easy to make an informed decision when eating fish and Find out with our app © AMCS fisheries are found right around hard work has paid off. The Palaszczuk other seafood. Government has announced a massive the coast, from our reefs, $20 million commitment to transforming To make sure seafood lovers have the best and most up to inshore estuaries, mangrove- date information at their fingertips, AMCS is undertaking a Queensland’s fisheries over the next lined coastlines and waters of thorough review of Australia’s Sustainable Seafood Guide. decade. They’ve promised to reform Every fish in the Guide is being looked at, plus many more the Gulf of Carpentaria to busy how all fisheries are managed, to collect that have not yet been assessed. We are digging out the Moreton Bay. Mullet, whiting, better information for better decisions, latest information on Australian-caught, fish-farmed and barramundi, prawns, snappers, and to monitor fisheries so that what imported species to include in the new release of the app bugs and more are caught fishers actually catch is the same as and online guide early next year. using everything from trawls what they tell their managers. Watch this space for more on the update! Australia’s Sustainable Queensland had reached a crossroads Seafood Guide makes and gillnets, to tunnel nets it easy to tread or hook-and-line. Seafood is with its fisheries: condemn our lightly on our seas. intrinsically linked to the state. threatened marine life with further FIND OUT MORE: sustainableseafood.org.au captures or modernise and become a But over time these fisheries have leader in sustainable fishing. Thankfully become complicated and mismanaged. they chose the latter. We’re working with has threatened some the Government to ensure they make stocks and the longevity of the industry good on their commitments to deliver itself. Some fisheries continue to catch real, long-lasting change. Our goal: that threatened dugongs, turtles, snubfin all Queensland’s seafood moves out of dolphins and multiple species of Australia’s Sustainable Seafood Guide endangered sharks. We’ve seen poor red list and onto the green!

Australian Marine Australian Marine 12 Conservation Society Conservation Society 13 Queensland bugs for sale at market. Marine debris UPDATE Marine debris UPDATE

Plastic found a remote Hawaiian Beach – next to the Pacific Gyre © Eric Johnson / NOAA Turning the tide on PLASTIC POLLUTION Every minute an entire rubbish truck worth of plastic is dumped into our oceans. The tide of plastic pollution is choking our oceans. A third of all of our turtles have plastic in their By James Cordwell stomachs, and half of all seabirds. Marine Campaigner

And yet we’ve never seen more new laws banning single use plastic An alarming one million plastic bottles animals of all sizes – from the With your help we must show an Plastic bags take 500 years to breakdown progress. This July we were blown away bags, and introducing a container are purchased every minute – and largest whales to the smallest entire nation how much plastic we © Michaelis Scientists by thousands of AMCS supporters who deposit scheme from July next only 40% are recycled. Meanwhile, a plankton. Plastic lives on, and are using, where it is going, and the year. Hot on their heels, Western team of scientists has discovered the took up the fight and joined with us for will continue to outlive every devastating impacts on our marine life. the first time, choosing to refuse plastic Australia announced they would be beaches of the remote, World Heritage- By supporting our work and choosing banning plastic bags too, and the big listed Henderson Island (in the Pacific animal alive right now on our for Plastic Free July. Through thousands to refuse single use plastic items every supermarkets have joined the movement Ocean’s Pitcairn Islands) contains an blue planet. of small actions, saying no to plastic day, you can help us create the ripples – phasing out single use bags! Together estimated 37.7 million items of debris, bags, bottles, coffee cups, straws and So where to from here? and waves of change. most of it everyday household items. microbeads in cosmetics, these amazing we are creating real change. people have become part of the . It has never been more Each of these items gradually LEARN MORE about plastic pollution in The change is palpable. The important to fight the plastic break down into microplastic our oceans and what you can do at Queensland Government just passed scourge on our oceans. pieces which are ingested by marineconservation.org.au/plasticpollution

Microbeads, found in toothpaste, are an increasing problem for our oceans © George Becker Plastic is digested by fish, Recycling is one solution – and stays in our food chain but refusal and reuse of © 5Gyres Institute single-use plastics is far better.

Plastic straws collected on Wader Beach, Victoria in just 1 hour © James Caldwell

Australian Marine Australian Marine 14 Conservation Society Conservation Society 15 save our SEAS Creature FEATURE

Breaching Risso’s Dolphin © DR Artie Kopelman / CRESLI FAST FACTS Taxonomy: Risso’s dolphin is the only species of its genus. Its scientific name Grampus griseus can be loosely translated as ‘big grey fish’. Risso’s dolphin is named after Antoine Risso, who first described it in the early nineteenth century. Average size: Risso’s is one of the largest species of dolphin – weighing up to 500 kilograms and with males reaching 4 metres, females 3.7 metres. Lifespan: Up to 40 years, with an Our Ocean’s SILENT KILLER average of 30. It is estimated there will be more plastic Food: Squid is the Risso’s main food source, with some octopus, cuttlefish than fish in the world’s oceans by 2050. and fish such as anchovies. Habitat: Risso’s are found in RISSO’S temperate, subtropical and tropical Plastic pollution is having devastating impacts on our marine life and oceans. Plastic bags, easily mistaken for waters (waters with a temperature range of 10-30°C). In Australia they’ve jellyfish, are ending up in the stomachs of dolphins and turtles leading to suffocation and starvation. Our marine been found in the waters of all states DOLPHIN life can’t take much more! Your donation today will help educate the public on the issue of plastic pollution and bar Tasmania and the Northern allow us to continue pressing for nation-wide removal of plastic bags and implementation of container deposit Territory. Fraser Island is believed schemes. Please make an urgent tax deductible donation today to help turn the tide on plastic pollution. to host the only ‘resident’ Aussie population. Globally, the northern Gulf THE MYSTERIOUS DEEP OCEAN Donation Details of Mexico and shallower waters off INHABITING CHEEKY MONK DOLPHIN Make a one-off donation of: $55 $100 $250 My choice $ northern Europe coasts appear to be particularly important for this dolphin. Risso’s dolphins are elusive dolphins, preferring the steep banks of the continental shelf between 400 and 1000 metres deep. Much mystery Personal Details Threats: The most significant threat remains about these quirky critters, with detailed studies only begun to Risso’s dolphin is illegal capture First Name* Last Name* recently. and hunting – especially in parts of Known as the Monk dolphin by Taiwanese fishermen, Risso’s have an South-East Asia. In Australia, they Email* Phone Number* unusual bulbous, round head with no beak, and a mouth that appears to are vulnerable to being caught as be smiling. They’re also the only cetaceans to have a prominent vertical bycatch in fishing nets and to pollution Address* crease along their forehead, more obvious in calves. Naturally grey, – including plastic, oil and industrial their skin becomes covered in a pattern of unique scars as they age, waste – which can lead to toxic Town / City* Postcode* accumulated from tussles with other whales, especially adult males, bioaccumulation. or their prey – squid. Older animals can even have white heads, after Growth: Risso’s vary in size across years of battling large-bodied squids and their suckers. State* Country * DOB regions, but newborns are about 59 kg Baby Risso’s dolphins have a white belly, while their back changes to and 1-1.5 metres in length. They finish Yes, I would like to receive marine conservation news! olive or chocolate as a juvenile, then grey as they mature. Their dorsal weaning at about 2.1 metres. fin is tall, much like bottlenose dolphins, and they have long flippers. Card Details Life history: Pregnancy is for about Combined with their unique mottled skin, it’s easy to identify individuals. one year. Calving occurs in summer, The cheeky appearance of Risso’s dolphin is mirrored by their Card Type* Mastercard Visa with no key breeding areas yet behaviour. Highly active at the surface they often breach, spyhop and identified. The age and size of a mature surf waves or ship wakes. They’re also social, travelling in pods of 10 Name on Card* Expiry Date / Risso is also a mystery, as is the time to 50 animals, with up to 4000 reported in single pods. Group dynamics between calving and mating. Like most are fluid, but they have been spotted hunting in lines, and socialising Card Number * CVV* cetaceans, Risso’s Dolphin have a low with bottlenoses and pilot whales. reproductive rate (one offspring every If donating by cheque, please make cheque payable to Australian Marine Conservation Society. Their population numbers are unknown, but Risso’s are not believed Return your donation form to PO Box 5815 West End QLD 4101, [email protected] or fax to 07 3846 6777. two to three years), which makes them to be rare, with their conservation status listed by the IUCN as ‘Least particularly vulnerable to threats due to Concern’. Risso’s dolphin is still particularly vulnerable to human threats their slow recovery. however. Intentional capture, destructive fishing and pollution are all Thank you for all that you do. increasing pressure on populations of this wonderful dolphin.

Australian Marine Australian Marine 16 Conservation Society Conservation Society 17 Felicity Wishart REEF save our REEF

By Imogen Zethoven, HOW TO SAVE THE Great Barrier Reef Felicity Wishart Reef Campaign Director ANNOUNCED GREAT BARRIER REEF, The story behind this young ocean A living legacy for a In recognition of Felicity Wishart’s dedicated efforts to preserve and protect warrior – and her passion for our Reef. treasured Australian Australia’s precious ocean treasure, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority by Gillian, aged 7 conservationist. has announced that a reef located about 50 km north-east of Hinchinbrook Island will become Felicity Wishart Reef. Brilliant young Reef Flic dedicated her life’s work to protecting some of the most treasured places in warrior Gillian © Nick Fletcher Australia. From the Wet Tropics, to the forests of Tasmania to the Great Barrier © Story Media Reef, Felicity worked with passion, grace and resolve to overcome the odds and protect these magnificent icons for future generations.

Flic cared deeply about people and the environment. Where she saw injustice, whether it was through desecration of the environment, or exploitation of people, she would step in and fight for those who couldn’t speak or needed help. She could never stand idly by, when an injustice was occurring. This announcement is a touching testament to Flic’s lasting legacy. FELICITY WISHART TRAINING PROGRAM LAUNCHES

In partnership with Essential Media Communications, Australian Marine Conservation Society was proud to announce a new campaign training and Earlier this year we engaged a remarkable young girl from Victoria to star in a short film to mentorship program for a young woman passionate about the environment. spread the word about Fight For Our Reef. Completely unscripted, Gillian’s words came from As our Reef Campaign Director, Felicity worked closely with Essential to spearhead the Fight for the Reef campaign. her heart. Our supporters were moved, sharing the film in their thousands. We wanted to know more about this eloquent Reef defender, so we interviewed her mum, Sophie Sandaver. The training program has been designed to reflect Felicity’s role as a mentor to young women. The successful candidate will be mentored by experienced Essential staff in communications strategy, digital tactics and research. FIND OUT MORE: fightforourreef.org.au Sophie, your daughter Gillian is change and its impacts on After learning about coral cays finally so articulate and eloquent. Are our coral reefs. Is it important walking around Green Island was The late Felicity Wishart, an inspirational leader and much loved mentor © AMCS you and your husband proud of that your kids know about the exciting. They are looking forward to this short film? challenges facing our Reef and returning, getting to the outer Reef the seas around us? Very. Gillian has quite a depth of thinking and snorkelling. and understanding, plus a beautiful Absolutely, we all need to know. I don’t Do you worry about what sort ability to converse. So to use that skill to want to overburden the kids with a of world Gillian’s generation help a worthwhile cause is wonderful. harsh reality while they are so young will inherit? but when they pose the hard questions Gillian knows a fair bit about the Yes, all the time. But I try to ensure or bring thoughts or learnings home state of the Great Barrier Reef? that our girls learn about, see and from school, it’s pretty clear when they appreciate our natural environment. Gillian loves to read, so when her are ready for more information and I And that they understand what people, younger sister was doing a school don’t shy away from that. project on sea life and coral, Gillian such as AMCS, are already doing to Shortly after filming your family Felicity Wishart Reef – north-east of read all her books! We often talk at help preserve it. I try to give them the Hinchinbook Island © Google Images went on holiday to the Reef. home about the importance of the tools so that they can, and want to, help How was that? natural world. I’ve worked for many too. It may be small now, but there’s no years in environment and sustainability It was fabulous to make it ‘real’ for limit to what they can do in the future. consulting, so it’s normal for us to talk the girls. The weather wasn’t on our Thank you Sophie and Gillian for your about this and the issues it faces. side, but the glass bottomed and passion for our Reef and our oceans. semi-submersible boats were great. Some of the statistics about the state of our Reef are pretty confronting, but Gillian seems WATCH THE FILM: fightforourreef.org.au/gillian fairly educated about climate

Australian Marine Australian Marine 18 Conservation Society Conservation Society 19 Volunteering for our SEAS Shop for the SEAS PEOPLE TO Shop for the PLANET: SEAS SAVE OUR SHARKS T-SHIRT connecting deep CALICO BAGS Support our shark conservation Help keep plastic bags Wordsmith and passionate eco- So, Jess, what motivated the ocean’s surface. A passion for efforts with AMCS’ from polluting our warrior Jess Newman was guest, you to volunteer with diving was more reason to take a brand new Save oceans and harming editor for this Turning The Tide. AMCS? deep breath and dive in! Our Sharks 100% marine wildlife. Grab Here this plastic-fighting, talented I have always been a nature- What skills and cotton tee. Sharks yourself one of these young creative speaks on her girl. Dad is a horticulturalist so background do you bring? ocean love and volunteering. blame him! In recent years I’ve are a keystone reusable, washable AMCS relies on dedicated followed numerous environmental bags for shopping, volunteers to support their species and extremely important in maintaining organisations, been on petition important work. I love the balance of marine ecosystems. Wear yours school, work, the signing sprees, showed up understanding and helping beach or wherever you for events and became a with pride, knowing it was created by our motivate people. I make it my regular donor. But, despite this certified ethical manufacturer. are – plastic free! business to uncover what each investment, emotionally and volunteer hopes to get from their financially, I was not fulfilled. relationship with the organisation After stumbling on a book about through inquiry, empathy, clear compassion I took the plunge (pun communication and organisation. intended) and attended an AMCS THE BOY CORAL SEA volunteer meeting! Standout moments? BEHIND THE DREAMING: Undoubtedly the recent screening What draws you to CURTAIN BY The Picture Book by conservation, in of the shocking documentary about the loss of the world’s reefs TIM WINTON Kim Michelle Toft particular of our oceans? Chasing Coral. As breathtaking My study and professional A stunning new children’s fluorescent fields of coral flash Enjoy the latest offering background is in marketing and across the screen, the narrator from Tim Winton – one book from Kim Michelle wellness coaching, which calls states, “it’s as if they are saying of Australia’s most Toft and David Hannan, upon a keen interest in people. ‘please look at me’ as they die.” beloved authors and the beautiful silk But my first love is the Earth. There was barely a dry eye. I am more environmentalist Patron of AMCS. The illustrations reveal a Jess was the driving behind What are you most excited this issue © Jess Newman than humanitarian. Why marine extraordinarily powerful teeming with conservation? My innate about helping to achieve? true stories of The Boy Behind the Curtain take colourful wildlife. Educational info on featured Jess is a priceless part of our introversion and insatiable Human acknowledgment that Brisbane team © AMCS us behind the scenes of Winton’s life revealing species from David’s Coral Sea Dreaming curiosity are at play here. I love we are the Earth’s inhabitants, the accidents, serendipitous and traumatic, film are an added bonus to help budding the solitude I experience under students and caretakers. Our water. Nothing commands my disconnect with the planet needs that have influenced his view and fuelled his reef enthusiasts discover the wonders of this attention other than the beauty healing fast. I want to be part distinctive artistic vision. underwater world. in front of me. I hear nothing but of the message that change is my own breath and am forever possible and all it takes are small mesmerised by the magic below actions from each of us. For orders visit our online shop

BECOME AN AMCS VOLUNTEER! www.marineconservation.org.au or call 1800 066 299. Sign up at fightforourreef.org.au/volunteer Australian Marine 20 Conservation Society Devotion to the OCEAN Devotion to the OCEAN

Donation in memory of DAVID RUMSEY Devotion to our OCEANS By Elizabeth Rumsey I recently donated to AMCS, thanks to a collection taken at a concert in Switzerland. As a non-profit charity with minimal government support, AMCS relies almost entirely on the The concert was in memory of my husband David Rumsey, who died in February financial support from passionate people across Australia. You put wind in our sails and funds 2017 from a cancer which left him just enough time to prepare the concert in the kitty to power the campaigns for our precious oceans. Here’s a taste of some of the programme. An organist, his choice of music was driven by the repertoire for his instrument, performed by friends and colleagues in the church where he played for highlights from the high seas this year. the last 12 years.

When the priest asked if we would take a charity collection, David’s daughters and I decided to split it between the Climate Council and AMCS. David and I felt that you are the most directly focused on saving our Great Barrier Reef – a place he loved.

David loved all aspects of these islands, especially the mangroves – exploring MARRIED Gulnare as often as the crew would allow. He had favourite places to , to the Ocean especially Cateran Bay on Border Island. Dave Coles is a fabulous Sea Guardian who contacted us to let us know that he recently married Stef (Hapke) Coles. For their wedding they wanted to do I cannot think of a better way to honour his memory than to help rescue this something special for the ocean, so they generously donated $1,000 from their marvellous place. Not only because of personal associations but because wedding gift fund to AMCS and our oceans. They made this gift as they “both love of it’s importance in our planet’s ecology. David’s daughters and I recently the sea and think AMCS is doing a great job at protecting our oceans for future had a conversation about what headstone would endure long enough for his Dave off the back of his

generations!” Thank you Dave and Stef! We wish you a long and wonderful life granddaughters’ descendants. How much more important then, that the headstone beloved yacht Achates. together, from the crew at AMCS. has a flourishing world in which to stand. Dave and Stef got married and donated to AMCS and the sea.

Our Great Barrier Reef Community Campaigner Sandra Williams, led a bright but powerful float for Airlie Beach Reef week! The future artists and marine advocates of REEF FESTIVAL MACQUARIE ANGLICAN GRAMMAR SCHOOL and Sandra’s Float The Years 5 and 6 students at Macquarie Anglican Grammar School, in Dubbo, have donated the $900 The Whitsundays annual Reef Festival winnings from their incredible entry to the Waste to Art competition to AMCS! Their jellyfish-inspired light took place in July. Our Reef Community chandelier made of plastic bottles, and titled Elysian Dreaming, was created to help raise awareness about Campaigner, Sandra Williams, led an the impact of plastic packaging on marine life. It also highlights the ways we can upcycle to make objects attention-grabbing healthy versus bleached of use or even great beauty. © Macquarie Anglican coral-coated float through the Airlie Beach Grammar School streets. A crew of volunteers from the local Mosman High school went Bake Fight For Our Reef volunteer group helped Off to fundraise for Fight For build the float and spread the word during Our Reef © Mosman High School TARANGANBA the parade. After two years of back-to-back coral bleaching on the Reef, our float was a Students Fighting For Our Reef poignant conversation starter and one of the AMCS was delighted to receive a most memorable. donation of $553 from the students of Taranganba State School – a Reef Ryan raised funds for AMCS and Guardian School for many years. our oceans to ‘Save the Blobfish’. Meg, Jordan and Saige encouraged students to wear green and make a gold coin donation on free dress day. Ryan Saving the As part of the initiative, Meg presented a compelling speech explaining the MOSMAN HIGH impacts on reefs of the damaging BLOBFISH chemical oxybenzone that is found in Here is an adorable story about Ryan Environment Group gives some sunscreens. They are calling King, an 11 year old who became us more than the munchies! for the school to promote reef friendly enchanted with the Blobfish. When he sunscreen school-wide. A committed collective of students at learned that this odd looking fish was Mosman High School Environment Group endangered, he took it upon himself to were inspired to dedicate their fundraising start a campaign called Save the Blobfish. efforts to protecting the Great Barrier Reef. Ryan designed this flyer and started After presenting to their peers on the issues spreading the word about the Blobfish facing our Reef, they ran a lunchtime cake and their plight. He gathered signatures stall. Many of these students live near the and donations from his classmates and sea and are witnesses to the saddening friends. Unable to find an organisation impacts of litter on marine life. They are specifically dedicated to saving Blobfish, also worried that they may never get to see Ryan decided to donate the $213 raised our Reef in all its glory. Raising money for to AMCS. Thank you Ryan. You are a AMCS is one small thing they believe will Blobfish saving legend! help protect it! Australian Marine Meg, Jordan and Saige raised Conservation Society 23 $553 for our Reef © Taranganba Our seas are fragile. So please help us protect them while there’s still time, before all our treasures are just memories.

TIM WINTON, Author, Patron of the Australian Marine Conservation Society

Love our oceans? Join us today seaguardians.org.au

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