News Extra Report showcases unique underwater life threatened by looming government decisions on future of marine parks and sanctuaries Unique and endangered marine life at risk from a NSW government decision to wind back important protection measures along the coast has been documented in the report Beyond the Beach: Exploring NSW’s underwater treasures. The report highlights the benefits of marine sanctuaries which allow fish and other marine life to recover and rebuild their stocks. The report combines stunning photographs, compelling stories, and facts and figures that showcase NSW’s marine parks. It can be viewed at: www.saveourmarinelife. org.au/beyond. The NSW government has taken the unprecedented step of allowing fishing in critical marine sanctuaries, which are like national parks of the sea. Less than seven per cent of NSW waters are safeguarded in marine sanctuaries. The report also focuses on how important the state’s marine parks and sanctuaries are for tourism. Diving and whale-watching tourism are worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the NSW economy and depend on a healthy marine environment full of fish and other marine life to continue to thrive. ‘Sanctuaries are proven to help populations of fish and marine life
Spotted Wobbegong Shark surrounded by schooling Slender Cardinalfish, Solitary Islands. Photo Gary Bell Oceanwide Images
rebuild so allowing fishing in the small areas set aside as sanctuaries will work against the interests of people who fish and all of us who want to see our marine life there
for the future,’ Nature Conservation Council of NSW chief executive officer Pepe Clarke said. A government decision on whether to make fishing in sanctu-
ary areas permanent is now due. ‘This unprecedented decision removes protections at a time when the rest of Australia is increasing them. The O’Farrell government
needs to protect our marine sanctuaries which are an insurance policy for the future,’ Mr Clarke said. Clean up Australia chairman and founder, former Australian of the Year Ian Kiernan, AO, has written the foreword to Beyond the Beach. ‘It takes time for the benefits of marine parks and sanctuaries to kick in, but when they do it’s a bonanza for regional economies and a foundation for sustainable fishing,’ Mr Kiernan says. The Wilderness Society Sydney campaign manager Belinda Fairbrother said: ‘NSW is home to six incredible marine parks, from Cape Byron in the north, to Batemans Bay in the south, and Lord Howe Island far out east. ‘These marine parks protect precious creatures like green turtles, dolphins, colourful reef fish, weedy seadragons and many species threatened with extinction.’ NSW government’s most recent poll found 85 per cent of NSW residents supported protecting some areas of the marine environment, even if it means recreational and commercial fishing is excluded. In Sydney support increased to 89 percent (www.environment.nsw. gov.au/community/whocares2009. htm).
The truth about Pastafarianism The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, while having existed in secrecy for hundreds of years, only came into the mainstream in May 2005. With millions, if not thousands, of devout worshippers, the Church of the FSM is widely considered a legitimate religion. Some claim that the church is purely a thought experiment, satire, illustrating that Intelligent Design is not science, but rather a pseudoscience manufactured by Christians to push Creationism into public schools. These people are mistaken. The Church of FSM is real, totally legit, and backed by hard science. Anything that comes across as humour or satire is purely coincidental. Pastafarianism is a real religion. Most of us do not believe a religion – Christianity, Islam, Pastafarianiasm – requires literal belief in order to provide spiritual enlightenment. That is, we can be part of a community without becoming indoctrinated. There are many levels of belief. By design, the only dogma allowed in the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is the rejection of dogma. That is, there are no strict rules and regulations, there are no rote rituals and prayers. Every member has a say in what this church is and what it becomes. However, here are some general things Image by Pastafarian Milek
North Coast news daily: www.echonetdaily.net.au
that can be said about Pastafarianism. t 1BTUBGBSJBOT CFMJFWF QJSBUFT UIF PSJHJOBM Pastafarians, were peaceful explorers and it was due to Christian misinformation that they have an image of outcast criminals today. t 1BTUBGBSJBOT BSF GPOE PG CFFS t &WFSZ 'SJEBZ JT B 3FMJHJPVT )PMJEBZ t 1BTUBGBSJBOT EP OPU UBLF UIFNTFMWFT UPP seriously. t 5IFZ FNCSBDF DPOUSBEJDUJPOT UIPVHI JO that they are hardly unique). One of the chief supporters of Pastafarianism, Bobby Henderson, notes that ‘what our scientist does not realise is that every time he makes a measurement, the Flying Spaghetti Monster is there changing the results with His Noodly Appendage. ‘We have numerous texts that describe in detail how this can be possible and the reasons why He does this. He is of course invisible and can pass through normal matter with ease. ‘You may be interested to know that global warming, earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters are a direct effect of the shrinking numbers of Pirates since the 1800s.’
www.venganza.org
The Byron Shire Echo January 14, 2014 45