Science Behind the Headlines: Marine Parks and ‘No-Take’ Zones

November edition of Science Behind the Headlines looked at the issues of marine parks and ‘no-take’ zones as proposed earlier in 2012 by the federal government.

Both sides of politics claim the science is on their side but under the politics the science appears one-sided and in favour of marine parks.

Just what is the science underpinning marine parks and are we being duped by the media into a false debate? Is the campaign opposing the ban to recreational fishing scientifically justifiable or just PR? Has the focus of the content switched from the science to politics and emotion?

RiAus Director and moderator Paul Willis  on the night  discussed marine parks with media representatives and experts: Joseph Milton – Media Officer at the Australian Science Media Centre, Tory Shepherd – Writer/Editor at ThePunch.com.au, Peter Fairweather – Professor Marine Ecology, Flinders University,David Williamson – Postdoctoral Research Fellow, ARC Centre of Excellence Coral Reef Studies.

Download the Science Behind the Headlines – Education Resources about Marine Parks

View videos from the event

Related Content

Government resources:

See the map of Marine Protected Areas

Commonwealth marine reserves: The science behind the design of new marine reserves

Centre for Policy Development: Zoning South Australia’s marine parks

News Coverage:

Read an article from The Conversation: Good news for fishing industry: marine reserves make more fish(16 November 2012)

VIDEO: ABC News – Burke unveils marine reserve network (16 November 2012)

Latest news from news.com.au – Fish of Fury: Marine parks based on ‘dodgy science’(16 November 2012)

Read an article from AdelaideNow: Experts challenged over South Australian marine parks at public forum (12 November 2012)

Read a blog post by Josh Coates: The Wilderness Society discusses South Australia’s proposed Marine Parks (9 November 2012)

Read a blog post by Kim Harvey: The Marine Park Network – a great idea or eco-extremism? (9 November 2012)

Read a blog post by James Byrne: Where is All the Bad Marine Park Science? (1 November 2012)

Read an article from e! Science News:
Now in Science: It’s not too late for troubled fisheries (27 September 2012)

Read an article from ABC News: Fishers say marine park documents lack detail (29 August 2012)

Read an article from the Australia Network News: Cook Islands unveils world’s largest marine park (29 August 2012)

Read an article from the Conversation: Our new marine parks: the unanswered questions (17 August 2012)

Read an article from ABC News: Marine park action group fights for no-take zone changes (31 July 2012)

Read an article from the Weekly Times Now: Battle for Coral Sea fishing (23 July 2012)

Read an article from ABC News: Opposition slams marine parks impact report (18 July 2012)

Read an article from the Conversation: Marine parks could help cut down on illegal fishing (5 July 2012)

Read an article from the Conversation: Marine parks a buffer for marine species and the fishing industry (17 June 2012)

Read an article from ABC News: Joyce lashes out at marine park network (17 June 2012)

Read a media release from the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities: Gillard government creates the world’s biggest marine reserves network (14 June 2012)

Read an article from ABC News: Australians swindled by ‘fraudulent’ marine park science (11 June 2012)

Find out more about the work of Conservation Council SA around Marine Parks

View videos:

ABC TV – Environment Minister Tony Burke has unveiled plans to create the world’s largest national marine park network

Sounds Fishy – The cost of marine parks to our communities

In association with AusSMC

Supporting the Inspiring Australia initiative: This project is supported by the Australian Department of Innovation, Industry, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.