Marine park proposal between Bremer Bay and Eucla open for feedback

Goldfields residents can have their say on a contentious proposed marine park between Bremer Bay and Eucla, with a community survey now open.

The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions is calling for feedback about how the community currently uses the earmarked area to help the State Government develop a plan for the proposed marine park.

Community engagement and information officer Lori-Ann Shibish said data from the community was vital to making the project a win-win for users and the environment.

“It’s really important to have the community’s knowledge because it’s the community members who are using those areas and have historically been using the areas (who are) the ones that know the coastline and marine environment best,” she said.

“We know residents in Kalgoorlie and Boulder often come to the south coast and use the south coast for recreation activities — for surfing and fishing and camping — so it’s important for the Kalgoorlie-Boulder community to have the opportunity to provide input.

“That information is important for the planners to understand the connection that community members have with the marine environment.”

During a first meeting between the DBCA and the community in October last year, Esperance residents said they were concerned about sharing their favourite fishing spots with the DBCA and that popular areas for recreational and commercial fishers would be shut down.

• Proposed marine park a ‘threat’ to fishing on south coast

Ms Shibish said the proposed park was expected to include sanctuary zones which would be “look but no take” areas, but the DBCA was aware those zones could be contentious.

She told the Kalgoorlie Miner that information shared by users would be used to help determine which areas should be more heavily protected. The aim was for a mutually beneficial plan that did not strip access to locals’ favourite fishing spots.

“As a community where are those really valuable places that people still want to be able to fish and have access, but then balance that out with where are the areas that the whole of the environment needs that ecosystem protection,” Ms Shibish said.

The survey is open until the end of July, with physical copies available at Freerange Supplies and the Parks and Wildlife office on Brookman Street, or online at the DBCA website.

• Online tool to map marine use for proposed protected park between Eucla and Bremer Bay

Feedback will be analysed by DBCA before a community reference committee meets at the end of August to start discussing zoning options in the study area.

The DBCA said at the October meeting a marine park might not extend across the whole area and would have only a select few areas protected as sanctuary zones, with the rest of the area zoned for general use without any changes.

However, locals believe prohibiting access to certain areas could be detrimental to commercial fishing operations in the proposed area.

The park forms part of the Plan for Parks strategy announced by the State Government in 2019 to create five million hectares of new national parks, marine parks and reserves across WA within five years.