[Here is the draft letter we intend to send next week. I'm going to leave it here until 5 May so you can review and send me any feedback. Please email me any comments or suggestions to simon@wildiaries.com] 

_______________________

Hon. Steve Dimopoulos

Minister for the Environment

Suite G 02/3 Chester St

Oakleigh VIC 3166

30 April 2024

Dear Minister Dimopoulos,

We the undersigned (Appendix 1) are requesting a Parliamentary Inquiry into proper protection of Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary. 

Bayside residents are faced with poaching and illegal fishing in the Sanctuary on a daily basis. Some residents even confronting the perpetrators themselves, frustrated with the lack of action when they contact 13FISH. Illegal fishing is rife and happens multiple times every day. Reports to 13FISH have done nothing to stem the problem. The prevalence of illegal fishing continues and the consequences are:

• Threatening the recovery of Port Phillip Bay’s ecosystems, contravening the goals and priorities of the Port Phillip Bay Environmental Management Plan; 
• Prohibiting Victorians from benefiting from less costly nature-based solutions; and
• Undermining our coastal economy by increasing erosion and reducing the fair-use value of the environment for multiple other marine stakeholders, industry and residents. 

Poorly regulated fishing is now considered the biggest threat to fishing. Global studies prove that Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are extremely effective at maintaining and rapidly recovering fish for fisheries. However, without strict regulation, this fails, and the MPAs become no more effective than an unprotected area (see Appendix 7). 

It’s not just about fishing though. Without protection, our economy and all livelihoods are significantly impacted. Fish loss has been shown to have had a greater impact than climate warming and nutrient pollution combined. According to the UN, recovery of such ecosystems can contribute 8-30 times more benefit to an economy than the earnings we get from ongoing decline. The non-consumption value of these fish is central to recovery efforts and our economy (Appendix 2). 

Ultimately DEECA is responsible for compliance under the Marine and Coastal Act which is why we are writing to you. We are asking you to take alternative steps to protect the site (Appendix 4) noting that the Victorian Fisheries Authority is only responsible for enforcement of your rules. But also, when it comes to illegal fishing, the department is also failing to meet its obligations by:

1. Not adequately addressing four of the six objectives under the Fisheries Act;
2. Not having anywhere near the resources to fulfil its enforcement role (arguably there will never be enough (Appendix 3); and

This failure at Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary (Appendix 5) is significant. This is one of the only places left with resident reef fish which are essential to rebuilding coastal ecosystems and supporting fishing and all other marine activities and ecosystem services (Appendix 2). This ultimately prohibits other agencies from meeting their obligations under the Marine and Coastal Act including Parks Victoria (PV).

This Inquiry needs to recognise:

1. The role reef fish play in rebuilding living systems and how critical that is to the future integrity of Victoria’s coastline;
2. The significant livelihood and economic impact that the loss of these fish is currently having on the people of Melbourne and Victoria; 
3. The overriding significance of our national parks as a source of future economic value; 
4. The risks that illegal activity poses to the recovery of lost natural capital; 
5. The benefits this protection brings to restoring lost fish populations outside of the parks and sanctuaries; 
6. The additional safety this ensures for other water users, from the risk of being hit by a high-powered spear, boat or jet ski; and
7. The realisation that policing is not the most effective measure and there is a need to implement alternative measures to firmly protect the site’s values. 

More investment in policing won’t work. It’s already been shown that boats and human resources are insufficient to adequately address the threat. We need an alternative approach aligned with world’s best practice to create a working Sanctuary for all Victorians. 

We are asking for:

• A 500m buffer zone around the park (Appendix 3), in which no motorised boat traffic is allowed (without permit);
• No fishing equipment whatsoever allowed within the park or buffer zone.
• A VFA-led publicity campaign about illegal fishing including proper measures to inform licence holders of their obligations (e.g. licence pamphlets, signage etc). 

There is existing policy capacity and precedent for this:

• There are already buffer zones for some zoned areas of parks in Victoria under the National Parks Act 1975 and National Parks (Park) Regulations 2003;
• Fishing is already illegal in marine sanctuaries;
• There are already boat no-go zones in high public use areas of Port Phillip Bay (Ricketts Point is used by hundreds of swimmers, snorkelers and divers but not such restrictions exist); and
• Carrying a spear-gun in any park is controlled under the Weapons Act and illegal (Appendix 6). Though note, VFA have refused to acknowledge this and still tell spear-fishers they can lawfully pass through parks. 

Please may we meet with you, at your earliest convenience, to discuss this request? We would like to seek your department’s advice on how we can begin the process of implementing stronger protections. The benefits of these measures can only be positive for the government as it will increase fishing revenue and greatly benefit all Victorians. 

Yours sincerely,

Simon Mustoe

Ecologist and Sandringham resident