BILLFISH FOUNDATION
Pat Mansell is a passionate
tag-and-release angler and
has been involved with
The Billfish Foundation for
more than 15 years. He has
authored several books about
offshore gamefishing and the
personalities of the sport, and
was an early advocate for the
benefits of circle hooks. From
his home in Florida, Pat has
fished the waters of the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans, and the
Caribbean Sea for more than
five decades.
Conservation not preservation
There is a distinct difference between the ‘do not touch’ preservation
advocacy of some environmental groups and the conservation ethos
based on finding a scientifically determined balance that enriches
the lives of resource users without harming its sustainability.A
ny effort to conserve and protect the interests of the sportfishing community calls for
responsible use by all users of the ocean’s resources based upon informed, fact-based
research.
Consider the mantra of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF):
“The long-term conservation and sustainable use of global tuna fisheries is our goal. It’s
not easy, but through science-based practices, collaboration and advocacy, we believe it’s
achievable.” ISSF is a global coalition of scientists and the commercial tuna industry. It
promotes science-based initiatives for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna
stocks, reducing bycatch and promoting ecosystem health.
Phrases such as ‘science-based practices’, ‘collaboration and advocacy’, ‘long-term conservation’,
‘sustainable use’, ‘reducing bycatch’ and ‘promoting ecosystem health’ are all terms to be kept
in mind by users of ocean resources and advocacy groups.
Without the will to act and the wisdom to listen to
user groups, the managers of a nation’s resources
cannot follow through with a fair and effective
conservation campaign that supports sustainability.
Few things stand in the way of progress more
than well-meaning ‘conservation’ groups (green
environmentalists) that advocate for the closure of
massive areas of the ocean without the scientific facts
to back them. These groups also tend to disregard
the needs of the communities affected by such closures. Essentially, their strategy is one of
preserving, not conserving – aiming to shut down all harvesting and ensuring the resource
remains completely unfished. In contrast, knowledgeable advocates of marine conservation keep
in mind the human and economic factor when recommending solutions to the problems of over-
fishing and stressed-out fisheries.
While the sportfishing industry and its varied affiliates are at the forefront of advocacy, it
should be noted that many of the commercial fishing entities recognise it as well. Both anglers
and commercial fishers are user groups, whereas environmentalists are not.
Many anglers and commercial fishers bristle at the term ‘marine-protected area’ as it gives
the impression that their fishing grounds – whether used for pleasure or for making a living- are going to be taken away from them forever. However, there is a way to protect marine
areas without closing them completely. A balanced management plan takes into consideration
the status of the marine resources and all stakeholders affected by its proposals: community
groups, industry, tourism, environmental groups and indigenous communities.
With the recent environmental push to close much of Australia’s waters to fishing, many user
groups and government officials had reason to be hyper-conscious of the need to protect its
ocean resources. After all, the country is surrounded by some of the most highly prized ocean
playgrounds in the world.
Australia’s Marine Park Authority recently rebuked the closure approach to conservation
adopted by environmentalists. The decision is a demonstration of their management resources
recognising the human and economic factors in its final Park Management Plans. In other
words, the government has chosen to support conservation over preservation.
The responsible management of Australia’s marine parks is of critical importance to any
interests that rely upon the oceans for their economic survival. The area of Cairns – which was
not much more than sugarcane fields and a fishing outpost 50 years ago – has become one
of the premier tourist destinations in the world. The commercial and economic impact of this
area on the entire country is inestimable. For years a high percentage of tourists travelling to
Australia did so to visit Cairns to enjoy the world famous Great Barrier Reef.
To what extent the new management plans will restrict users’ activities in the area remains
to be seen. However, unlike the ill-conceived plan of environmentalists, the government’s
approach takes into account the impact the plans will have on surrounding communities. At the
same time, as users of these managed areas we must also bear in mind our own responsibility
to use them in ways that will ensure their continued resource health, popularity and economic
significance as marine resources.
“There is a way to protect
marine areas without
closing them completely.”
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