The NSW Government has freed up recreational fishing in a major southern marine park as some of the area was locked up for "no ecologically sound reason".
Five new fishing areas have been created in the Batemans Marine Park on the South Coast, and there is also a review into the park itself.
NSW Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall said five new fishing zones would be created in the Marine Park, granting recreational fishers and holidaying families greater access.
"These newly created zones within the Batemans Marine Park will allow families to access more fishing areas ahead of summer school holidays," he said.
The five sites identified for increased access are: Brou Lake (South), Clarks Bay (Freshwater Bay), Forsters Bay, Montague Island (East and South) and Nangudga Lake.
Member for Bega Andrew Constance said the announcement delivered on a commitment earlier this year to boost fishing access in the Marine Park.
"The Greens and Labor locked up 85 per cent of the region's best fishing grounds with the stroke of a pen, which was an absolute body blow to our community's recreational fishers," Mr Constance said.
"Tragically a lot of these areas weren't locked up for any sound ecological reason, meaning recreational fishers missed out simply because of senseless politics.
"The sites we have identified are low hanging fruit and areas where it makes sense to wind back restrictions on recreational fishing activities.
"Today's announcement will provide immediate access to these areas before school holidays start and we see tourists and families heading out for some quality fishing.
"A broader review of the Batemans Marine Park is ongoing and will provide Government with key information about management of the Park going forward.
"I want to see a Marine Park that balances recreational, tourism and conservation values."
The huge Batemans Marine park extends from the most northerly point of Murramarang Beach near Bawley Point to the southern side of Wallaga Lake entrance at Murunna Point.
According to the Department of Primary Industries, the marine park includes: "approximately 850 km2, extending from the three-nautical-mile offshore limit of NSW waters to the mean high water mark within all rivers, estuaries, bays, lagoons, inlets, and saline and brackish coastal lakes (excluding Nargal Lake); offshore islands including Tollgate Islands and Montague Island. The park was established in April 2006."
But the National Parks Association of NSW (NPA) says it is outraged at the announcement.
NPA Executive Officer Gary Dunnett said "earlier this week NSW Minister for Environment, Matt Kean acknowledged the relationship between climate change, drought and fire, offering hope that the NSW Government recognises the acute challenges facing our environment. That hope was dashed when Agriculture Minister Marshall announced that he was ditching important sanctuary zones in the Batemans Marine Park".
"Just how big a hint does the government need before they accept that the survival of our coasts, rivers and wetlands are at risk?," he said.
"At a time when the community is demanding governments lift their game on environmental protection, Minister Marshall has taken a huge step backwards, removing protections from the breeding fish stocks that drive the productivity of our South Coast fisheries.
"Astonishingly, the Minister's media release acknowledges that they are stripping protections before a review of the Batemans Marine Park management plan is completed. The Marine Estate Management Act has strict requirements for public consultation, yet here we have a Minister rushing to a dreadful decision before completing the statutory review triggered by his government.
"Sidestepping the statutory process shows that the Minister is unwilling to confront the science - these sanctuaries are essential to the health and productivity of our southern coasts.
"While damage to our marine reserves may be hidden from view, it is willfully negligent to pretend it is not real. Decimating the sanctuary zones of marine parks is just as bad as logging in national parks. Just because we can't see the results doesn't make them any less real."
The following changes by the NSW Government today will take effect in these zones:
Brou Lake South
Catch and release recreational fishing will now be permitted.
Montague Island South and East
Recreational fishing activities will now be allowed (including line, spear, trap & net, hand haul prawn net).
Fishing will be restricted to protect grey nurse sharks between 1 November and 30 April each year
o No fishing with bait
o No fishing at anchor
o No fishing with a wire trace line
o Not nets (landing nets allowed).
Clarks Bay - Freshwater Bay and Forsters Bay
Recreational fishing activities will now be allowed (including line, spear, trap & net, hand haul prawn net).
Nangudga Lake
Recreational line fishing and prawning using a hand held scoop net will now be permitted.
Last year the Government promised a new management plan "to replace existing zoning and operational plans is being developed but we want to ensure we consider the social, cultural and economic values of our marine park, as well as its many environmental values."
"It's the first time we have looked at a marine park through the lens of threats and risks. The Committee will identify values to be conserved by the marine park and the biggest threats to those values," Mr Constance said.
New people were appointed to the 20 member Batemans Marine Park Advisory Committee, filling four vacancies, it was reported then.