06/03/2005 - Australian
Government Ministers for Environment and Heritage,
Senator Ian Campbell and Fisheries, Forestry
and Conservation, Senator Ian Macdonald will
today launch Seaweek by announcing $720,000
in funding from the Australian Government's
$3 billion Natural Heritage Trust to help
reduce the incidental capture of wildlife
species such as seals and sharks.
Seaweek is an annual celebration which aims
to focus on community awareness, provide information
and encourage an appreciation of the sea.
It also provides a focus for student and community
activities, the publication of educational
materials and media promotions about the marine
and coastal environments.
Senator Campbell said the funding would also
be used to address shark bycatch and identification
issues, focusing on a National Shark Education
and Awareness Raising Strategy.
"The project will build on the successful
SeaNet program, which also recently received
$1.16 million in Natural Heritage Trust funding,"
he said.
"This new work will raise national awareness
of the role sharks play in the broader marine
ecosystem, and the vulnerability of particular
shark species and critical habitat areas and
will also look at the cultural significance
of sharks to Indigenous peoples.
"Some of the funding would be used to
develop a national, coordinated strategy to
manage interactions between seals and humans."
Senator Macdonald said that the Australian
Government is putting in place practical and
cost-effective ways of minimising the unintended
harvesting of non-target species.
"This Natural Heritage Trust project
will increase our knowledge of bycatch issues
in fisheries, increase our awareness of the
role these marine species play in the ecosystem
and significantly reduce bycatch mortality,"
he said.
"The aim is to help the commercial fishing
industry reduce seal bycatch and cut back
the number of interactions between seals,
commercial fisheries and other human activities."
The Ministers said the project reinforces
the Government's commitment to improving Australia's
already good reputation as a responsible and
sustainable fisheries manager.
