Monday, August 30, 2010

Ocean conservation battle in Australia

Australia is going backwards, just when they seemed like smart protectors of the Great Barrier Reef.

Scared of losing too many votes for protecting oceans, politicians in Australia are being reeled in by recreational fishing interests. This is eerily similar to a movement in the US called "Freedom to Fish.

Called a recreational fishing movement, the US Freedom to Fish was more astroturf than grassroots, largely driven by big fishing equipment manufacturers.

There are some signs that the anti-ocean conservation campaign is working in Australia. Will fishing votes defeat ocean conservation? Check out the Shame on Shimano website to see how some people are trying to fight back against the anti-ocean protection effort.

Enjoy the nice "freedom to fish" picture from the US (right). And let's wait and see if similar things make an appearance in Australia.

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