Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Boswell for his question. I know he remains interested in the bioregional planning process. The Senate would be aware that Australia has made an international commitment to establish a representative network of marine reserves by 2012. This policy does fall under the responsibility of Minister Burke, but I will come back to the Senate if Minister Burke wants to add anything further to this response.

The government is conducting a transparent process that includes meaningful consultation with all stakeholders and a comprehensive socioeconomic evaluation of research of reserve proposals. While the benefits of marine reserves are certainly substantial, they are not necessarily felt by the people who experience the impacts of creating them. A socioeconomic assessment of each regional marine reserve network proposal is being conducted in parallel with public consultation on the proposals. The assessment is being conducted by ABARES. It is the government's intention to release a socioeconomic analysis of each final marine reserve network prior to declaration. The assessment is examining the displacement of fishing effort that would result from the proposed marine reserves and the regional economic impacts. The assessment also includes surveys and analysis of the social and community values and potential impacts associated with the areas under consideration for new reserves.

Turning to the issue of fishing gear assessments, the fishing gear assessments have been conducted for each of the marine regions and independently reviewed by the CSIRO. The risk assessments are one input into the zoning of the proposed marine reserve networks. The risk assessments have identified a range of fishing methods— (Time expired)