9 May
2006 - As part of the Australian Government's
$388.9 million budget boost to combat illegal
foreign fishing in northern Australian waters,
$2 million will be invested in a fast response
vessel to further protect Australia's World Heritage-listed
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park from the ravages
of illegal foreign fishing, the Minister for the
Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell,
announced today.
"The 2006-07 Federal Budget
includes $2 million over the next three years
for the acquisition and operation of a fast response
vessel in the Reef's northern waters," Senator
Campbell said.
"Illegal foreign fishing
not only harms our unique natural heritage, it
also damages our $1.448 billion fishing industry.
"As part of the Australian
Government's initiatives to combat illegal foreign
fishing, the Australian Defence Force and Coastwatch's
Joint Offshore Protection Command's capability
will be significantly enhanced in Australia's
northern waters.
"The new fast response
vessel will be designed to work with the command
to protect our Reef."
The vessel will be a similar design to an existing
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority compliance
vessel which has proven effective in supporting
operations to combat illegal foreign fishing in
the Reef.
"The Great Barrier Reef is undisputedly as
one of the world's most important natural assets,"
Senator Campbell said.
"The Reef is the largest
natural feature on earth, stretching more than
2300km along the north-east coast of Australia,
from the northern tip of Queensland to just north
of Bundaberg."
In a 2003 report, the Productivity
Commission estimated that the economic worth of
tourism in the Great Barrier Reef catchment and
lagoon is $4.3 billion a year - of this, some
$1.4 billion is directly attributable to the marine
tourism industry.
"This vessel is an important
initiative to protect Australian interests, both
environmental and economic," Senator Campbell
said.
Why is this important?
• This initiative will further protect environmental
and economic features of the World Heritage-listed
Great Barrier Reef.
Who will benefit?
• Further protection of the Reef will benefit
current and future generations of Australians,
and in particular the fishing and tourism industries
operating in and around the Reef.
What funding is the Government committing to the
initiative?
• The Australian Government is committing $2 million
to this initiative.
What have we done in the past?
• This initiative complements operations undertaken
by the Joint Offshore Protection Command - a joint
Australian Defence Force and Coastwatch initiative
and by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
The Command links Australian Defence Force responsibility
for counter-terrorism prevention and response
with Coastwatch's civil maritime surveillance.
When will the initiative conclude?
• The initiative is funded over three years and
will conclude in 2008-09.
