WHY PROTECT THE SEA?
The quest to protect our ocean is fast becoming a hot election issue for Australia's upcoming elections at a Federal and a State (NSW) level.
On the 5th September 2018, 97.3 ABC Radio's Illawarra Presenter Nick Rheinberger interviewed Map to Paradise co-director Danielle Ryan as a part of an on-going public debate on whether or not we need to protect the ocean in the State of New South Wales and beyond.
You can listen to the interview below.
How have we gotten to this point?
On the 31st August 2018, Leader of NSW's State Opposition withdrew his support for marine sanctuaries live on 2GB Radio and anti-marine sanctuary representatives have just announced that they will be running election campaigns based on this issue. (You can learn more here). The unfolding debate 'seems' to put recreational fishers up against conservationists.
More than ever
We need to be asking questions...
WHY IS THE QUEST TO PROTECT THE SEA NOW AN ELECTION ISSUE?
Reference 1 FROM INTERVIEW
In Danielle's interview, she questions why the issue of habitat protection from exploration and mining has been neglected in the current debate in New South Wales, including in the State's proposal for a marine park for Sydney. Could this be a future issue that both fishers and conservationists find common ground on when it comes to creating marine protected areas? For example, both fishers and conservationists share the same concerns about the safety of wildlife when it comes to offshore seismic testing off the coast of Newcastle, New South Wales. Danielle refers to a parliamentary document, which includes a map showing the potential for offshore mining throughout the waters of New South Wales. See the document - HERE.
Reference 2 FROM INTERVIEW
In the interview, the ABC Radio Presenter refers to Danielle's latest blog Protection is Forever, which includes a historical timeline, which looks at the deterioration of support for marine sanctuaries in NSW, possibly kick-starting the counter movement to remove conservation areas on a national level in Australia and in the USA.
In her blog, Danielle says most people think because something has been protected, it is protected forever.
"While in theory, this should be case, it is not true, " says Danielle.
"Politicians, by their very nature, like to manipulate the rules."
WHY IS OUR ABC INTERVIEW RELEVaNT?
Education and civil debate are the keys to bringing groups together and finding some common ground on these issues.
The Map to Paradise documentary is relevant more than ever as the film will show audiences what good leadership is about when it comes to protecting nature. We hope to use community screenings in Australia to show some good examples of leadership when it comes to protecting the sea on a local and international level. At the screenings, we also hope to give communities access to scientists and experts, so that they can learn more about these issues and about the means for protecting nature in their backyard.