Growing up on the coast of WA, sea country is my spiritual home.

 

Part horse, part fish and part seaweed, the mythical Leafy and Weedy Seadragons are two of nature's most radical relatives. Learning to dive in my 20s, I fell in love with this fish called "Wonder".

For the past 20 years passionate seadragon custodian of Banjelungup-Bremer Bay, Craig Lebens, has been guiding people from across Australia and from around the world to marvel at this wonder fish.

The local tribe of seadragon in Bremer Bay now need our help.

Specialized habitats are critical for seadragon survival. Despite being a protected species, poaching, climate change, pollution and habitat destruction are compounding threats to their existence. Scientific evidence is mounting that Leafy Sea Dragons are in decline.

Important seadragon sites have no protection. We call on WA Fisheries Minister Don Punch to create three Fish Habitat Protection Areas at significant sites for seadragon encounters in Banjelungup-Bremer Bay; Little Boat Harbour, Back Beach Bommie and Black Point. Alternatively, with community support, we ask that these sites be created into sea dragon sanctuary sites - as an extension of the South Coast Marine park.

The sea dragons of Banjelungup-Bremer Bay need your help!

I'm asking WA divers who are passionate about their uniquely Australian marine life to sign and share this petition (takes 3 minutes) to ensure significant habitat for Leafy and Weedy Sea dragon in the Banjelungup-Bremer Bay coast is protected.

This remarkable fish called "Wonder" is unique to Australia's south coast waters. Seadragons are at risk from growing threats by poachers, habitat destruction, pollution, coastal development and climate change.

Currently there is no inclusion of seadragon sites in Bremer Bay in the South Coast Marine Park proposal which is preposterous considering the ecological importance of these habitats and the special significance these unique fish have to WA divers. Sea dragons and their habitat are vulnerable to disturbance by human activity.

Public comment for the South Coast Marine Park plan closes on 16 June, so I am urgently raising awareness about this campaign and asking in this petition for Minister for Fisheries, Don Punch, to hear the dive community (WA dive clubs, WA dive schools and WA dive businesses), Bremer Community and the wider communities' interests in protecting sea dragon habitat by creating three Fish Habitat Protection Areas (FHPA) under Section 115 of the Fish Resources Management Act (FRMA) 1994, for the purpose of protecting specialized habitat for sea dragon. These sites are relatively small but tremendously important to the local community and its ecotourism economy, West Australian divers and ocean-lovers alike.

FHPAs may prohibit spearfishing or commercial fishing but permit recreational fishing for fish such as tailor, herring, whiting, skipjack and garfish, subject to recreational fishing rules for the South Coast region.

Precedent was set when the Cottesloe Fish Habitat Protection Area was proclaimed in 2001, as the result of a proposal by a group of local snorkelers and concerned citizens worried about the risk to local sea dragons by human activity. This protected area now provides an amazing focus for education, scientific research, spiritual renewal and marine conservation for the Perth community and life underwater.

Please sign and share with your local dive club, dive business, ocean-loving friends and seadragon-lovers, sea sisters and ocean brothers.

Please sign this petition to ensure these enchanting creatures continue to thrive!

 

Photo credit: Stefan Andrews. Great Southern Reef Foundation.