Great Barrier Reef, Australia image by Adele Pedder
------- Forwarded message -------
From: Adele - AMCS <adele@amcs.org.au>
Date: Mon, Jun 19, 2017 at 5:01 PM
Subject: Article: Protecting the Coral Sea
To:
From: Adele - AMCS <adele@amcs.org.au>
Date: Mon, Jun 19, 2017 at 5:01 PM
Subject: Article: Protecting the Coral Sea
To:
Hi Liz,
I wanted to share this inspiring article with you, that we recently published in the United Nations Chronicle Magazine. I think it really captures what we're fighting for, all around Australia.
In 2012, Australia announced the world's largest representative national network of marine parks and sanctuaries. This network boasted 60 large marine parks around the nation's coastline.
This followed 15 years of advocacy, scientific research and consultation, and was overwhelmingly endorsed by the Australian public. Despite this, in 2013 a newly instated Abbott government suspended the network and ordered a 'review'.
The area most under threat from this review is the Coral Sea – the cradle to the Great Barrier Reef. It is one of the last wild places on earth where ocean giants still thrive, home to gigantic whale sharks, whales and dolphins, sea turtles, and rare healthy populations of large ocean predators such as sharks, tuna, sailfish, and the only know black marlin spawning event in the world. The 2013 Abbott review is proposing to strip the Coral Sea of much of its protection.
The Australian Marine Conservation Society, along with the Save Our Marine Life alliance of 25 conservation groups, are seeking the complete reinstatement of the Coral Sea Marine Reserve and our national network of sanctuaries.
The next public consultation is coming soon, possibly our last chance to secure the future of our vital marine reserves. 50,000 public submissions were generated last round, and we're aiming for more. Watch this space!
Thanks for all you do for our oceans.
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