The political campaign for a marine sanctuary

The story, as experienced by Bob Whiteway, of the winning of sanctuary status for three kilometres of coastal waters around Ricketts Point, Beaumaris.

Background. The lead-up to the campaign
Marine life at Ricketts Point;
Activities - fishing, recreation, school excursions
Early signs of the depletion of marine life, 1960 – 1985.

The campaign, stage 1. Enlisting local support
1986 – Advertiser’s summer campaign
1987 to 1990 – Advertiser’s campaigns continue. Police and Council give support.
1990 to 1993 – Harvesters were eating themselves out.
Cerberus collapse in 1993 reflects the state of reef life .

The campaign, stage 2. Getting our case to parliament
1994 – Murray Thompson MLA points out the path to state government protection via the Land Conservation Council (LCC)
1996 – LCC names Ricketts Point as one of the 20 marine reserves for Victoria.
1997- The LCC is replaced by the Environment Conservation Council (ECC)
1998 – 2000. The ECC works through its new terms of reference. Three politically instructive lessons emerge:
* The devil you know is better than the one you do not know.
* Campaigning is a roller coaster ride.
* Don’t be in too much of a hurry in politics.
Sanctuary commendation go to government by August, 2000.

The campaign, stage 3. The labyrinthine path of parliamentary process
2000 – legislation postponed.
May, 2001. Legislation tabled but Ricketts Point is inexplicably dropped.
We fight for Ricketts while the state opposition fights for greater compensation for commercial fishermen.
June, 2001. Acrimonious debate leads to the legislation being withdrawn.
July 2001 – Feb 2002. Why was Ricketts Point removed when it has such worthy credentials? This formed the basis of another protracted letter campaign to politicians.
March, 2002. Was Ricketts Point being reconsidered? Campaign intensifies. Fishermen suggest that if it is, then Catch and Release Fishing be allowed. Another group proposed ‘limited bag’ takes be permitted. Conservationists opposed both.
Late March, 2002. Government presents its new legislation. Ricketts is back in, but with the proviso that its shape be decided after consultation with key stake holders.   This is eventually settled with little further loss.
May, 2002. Government and opposition go into final negotiations and compromises until a final agreement is struck.  The jetty/pier statement threatens Ricketts Point at the eleventh hour.
June 13, 2002. The bill to create 13 marine parks and 11 sanctuaries was finally passed by the Upper House. Ricketts Point is amongst them. The legislation comes into effect on November 16, 2002.

Notes on the campaign for a marine sanctuary

The story (as experienced by Bob Whiteway) of the winning of sanctuary status for three kilometres of coastal waters around Ricketts Point, Beaumaris.

Background. The lead-up to the campaign
Marine life at Ricketts Point;
Reefs support a rich abundance of sea life –s/weeds, invertebrates, fish, birds. (Graphic)
Activities - fishing, recreation, school excursions
Early signs of the depletion of marine life, 1960 – 1985.

60s, 70s - harvesting not serious. 80s – snorkel and mask.
1983 – Dog whelks disappear ; the 1983 Shellfish Protection Regulations introduced
Late ’83 Council supports a marine life booklet, published early ’85
Policing of regulations proved inadequate, marine populations plummeting.

The campaign, stage 1. Enlisting local support

1986 – Advertiser’s summer campaign.
Journalist Denise Gadd takes up the issue (p5)
Public response: Some racists responded (p7); some believed pollution was the cause; there were many people concerned about shellfish plundering – including Joan Kirner (p9)

1987 to 1990 – Advertiser’s campaigns continue. Police and Council give support.
1987 summer campaign resumes (p13, 14) but poachers outnumber police and rangers (PINCER).
Depletion continues into the 1990s (p24 – 31). Marine wildlife video produced to raise public awareness.

1990 to 1993 – Harvesters were eating themselves out.
Cerberus collapse in 1993 ironically reflects the state of reef life . (p21)
Another dive location disappears that of the Cerberus which was now too dangerous The crab bet. A dollar for the finder of a crab. Only one tiny creature was found.

1994 - Whiteway getting older, feeling colder, end of diving days getting closer (Ch 17)

The campaign, stage 2. Getting our case to parliament

1994 – Murray Thompson MLA points out the path to state government protection via the Land Conservation Council (LCC)
Whiteway was calling for a total ban on shellfish harvesting and being told by some in Fisheries and Wildlife that there was no real problem. We make therefore make a submission for a marine sanctuary.

1996 – LCC names Ricketts Point as one of the 20 recommended marine reserves for Victoria.
Dream actually about to come true. (Actually, it was not, but this belongs later)

1997- The LCC is replaced by the Environment Conservation Council (ECC) The ECC was asked to take economic factors into account (as well as conservation factors)

1998 – 2000. The ECC works through its new terms of reference. Compensation for fishermen, etc., naturally loomed larger now.

Three politically instructive lessons emerge:
* The devil you know … liberating some no-mining areas that did not helping fishers but at the same time doubling no fish take areas. Fishers would have done better under the old LCC – ‘the devil they knew’.

* Campaigning is a roller coaster ride.
ECC now had to be convinced to retain Ricketts;
Uni professor attacks sanctuary for Ricketts;
But sanctuary support from VNPA, Mayor and Councillors, local Greens

* Don’t be in too much of a hurry.
(implies perseverance, complex forces)
ECC promised a 1998 draft – took till 1999. Imagine reef by then.
Liberals wanted still further consultation with fishers.
Submissions closed Feb 2000, final . . recommendations then drawn up.

Sanctuary commendation go to government by August, 2000 – two years late. And worse was to follow.

The campaign, stage 3. The labyrinthine path of parliamentary process.

2000 – legislation postponed. Labor agenda too full – no time for marine legislation

May, 2001. Legislation tabled but Ricketts Point is inexplicably dropped. (SB2 p4) Read QUOTE CH 18

We fight for Ricketts while the state opposition fights for greater compensation for commercial fishermen.
Our protest rally on Council’s initiative was reported on TV news, etc.
Response: Govt said Ricketts was degraded. Shadow Minister said people feel betrayed by dropping Ricketts. Fishers (BMYS) said no compromise was possible, D. Napthine said that dropping Ricketts was against ECC recommendations.

June, 2001. Acrimonious debate leads to the whole marine legislation being withdrawn. Started with debate about compensation and finished with each side accusing the other of the sham of pretending to want protection of marine life. It was never going to get passed the Liberal held Upper House unless there was complete agreement so the Government withdrew the legislation. And Ricketts wasn’t even on it.

July 2001 – Feb 2002. Why was Ricketts Point removed when it has such worthy credentials? This formed the basis of another protracted letter campaign to politicians.

Mike Norris enlisted additional numbers to write letters, and had research to show that the fishermen often contradicted themselves.

Some liberal politicians spoke of a rumour in parliament house about Rex Hunt. The VNPA and the MCCN supported us strongly at this time.

March, 2002. Was Ricketts Point being reconsidered? Some thought so but was the leak reliable? No one was sure. No knowing was torture. Campaign intensifies. Fishermen suggest that if Ricketts is back in, then Catch and Release Fishing should be allowed in Ricketts sanctuary – (Rex Hunt was the main proponent)

Another group (BMYS) proposed ‘limited bag’ takes be permitted. Conservationists opposed both. This involved mounting two mini campaigns.

Nail biting time. If Ricketts not in when legislation tabled, then no chance of getting it up. We had to do everything humanly possible now. We kept phoning, emailing and writing to both sides of politics.

Late March, 2002. Government presents its new legislation. Ricketts is back in, but with the proviso that its shape be decided after consultation with key stake holders.

(Careful preparation was necessary for the ensuing debate with fishing interests). This is eventually settled with a little further loss of area.

 May, 2002. Government and opposition go into final negotiations and compromises until a final agreement is struck.

Marine reserves have to be cut back by about one sixth and compensation arrangements strengthened. During this time, the government made a widespread media announcement to appease fishermen - that there were no piers or jetties in any marine park or sanctuary throughout the state

The jetty/pier statement threatens Ricketts Point at the eleventh hour. We have to concede it and lose the southern end of the sanctuary. Murray Thompson helps us win some of that back, but now either end of the sanctuary had been clipped. That was not too bad though

June 13, 2002. Some rolled up in the gallery after tea on the 12th, hoping to see the making of history. The bill to create 13 marine parks and 11 sanctuaries was finally passed by the Upper House at 1.54am . Ricketts Point is amongst them. This was the fruit of concerned effort over a period of sixteen years.

The legislation came into effect on November 16, 2002.