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Australia to Ban Fishing from Third of Barrier Reef |
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| AUSTRALIA: March 26, 2004 | ||
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CANBERRA - Australia will ban fishing and shipping from one-third of Australia's Great Barrier Reef from July 1 under laws approved by parliament Thursday for protecting the world's largest living structure.
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The coral reef, one of Australia's main tourist attractions with its magnificent array of tropical fish, is under threat from record high temperatures, over-fishing and pollution. Environment Minister David Kemp said the new zoning would increase protection to 33.3 percent from 4.5 percent of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park which covers 134,400 square miles - an area only slightly smaller than Germany or Japan. "It's going to mean healthier corals, it's going to mean bigger fish for tourists to come and see," Kemp told reporters. Tourism activity on the Great Barrier Reef, situated off Queensland state in Australia's northeast, injects an estimated A$4.5 billion ($3.3 billion) into the economy each year. From July, companies caught breaching green zone rules face fines of up to A$1.1 million and individuals A$220,000.
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REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
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