Date: Wed, 1 May, 1996
South Australia: New Part-Time Whale Park

ADELAIDE, AAP - The whale sanctuary in the Great Australian Bight will be significantly enlarged, but only for half the year, South Australian Premier Dean Brown announced today. He said the new proposal, which will extend the permanent sanctuary at the head of the Bight to Cape Adieu in the east and westward to the West Australian border, was a victory for the Southern Right Whales that congregate in the area in summer and autumn to breed and calve.

However the new conservation zone to operate on both sides of the permanent sanctuary will operate for only half the year and will be made available for mining and fishing for the remaining six months.

Mr Brown said the new plan updated last year's plan for just the permanent sanctuary at the head of the Bight and will also include new sanctuary zones for Australian sea-lions. The proposal will not be implemented for two months to allow public comment and to finalise the boundaries and management plans.


South. Australia: Support for New Part-Time Whale Park

ADELAIDE, May 2 AAP - Conservation and minor political groups today welcomed moves by the South Australian Government to enlarge a whale sanctuary in the Great Australian Bight as a good start, but still urged further steps.

The Australian Democrats called for the federal government to extend the protection zone into waters it controlled and the Conservation Council said the proposal was a compromise and more needed to be done. Council executive officer Michelle Grady said original advice from scientists and a 16-member panel including representatives from the local community, industry and Aboriginal groups, called for a total exclusion zone from the head of the bight to the Western Australian border. She was also critical of a government decision to extend the protective zone for only six months of the year, allowing access mining and fishing for the remaining six months.

Under the proposal, Premier Dean Brown said the permanent sanctuary in the head of the bight would be extended in summer and autumn to Cape Adieu in the east and westward to the WA border. Mr Brown said it was a victory for the Southern Right Whales and the sea lions that congregated in the area to breed and calve. He said the new conservation zone would cover approximately 300 kilometres, compared to the 35 kilometres of the permanent sanctuary.

But Ms Grady said a full-time conservation zone was required to protect what was recognised as a unique southern ocean ecosystem.
"We don't allow grazing for six months in our national parks, neither could we envisage oil rigs and mineral extraction next to sensitive marine mammal breeding areas," she said.
"There is no such thing as a part-time oil rig."

State Opposition leader Mike Rann also ridiculed the concept of a part-time park and said it would make South Australia "a laughing stock".
"Now, under pressure from environmental groups, eco-tourism groups, miners and fishers, the Premier is set to offer another half-baked compromise which he believes will make everyone happy," Mr Rann said.

Democrat MP Mike Elliott said he welcomed the government's announcement but remained concerned that the new conservation zone extended out only to the three nautical mile state limit, with waters beyond that under federal jurisdiction.
"Failure to extend these zones would severely limit their effectiveness in protecting our marine mammals," Mr Elliott said.



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