Comments on the Ernst & Young 2006 report: Australia’s Marine Protected Areas: Challenging Times Ahead

The Australian Fishing Tackle Association (AFTA) and the Boating Industry Association of New South Wales (BIANSW) have commissioned an independent report by the highly regarded international business services organization Ernst & Young. This valuable report examines the reasons for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs, the legislation and procedures employed to establish them and recommends a strategy for improving the process.

It is well researched and presented, non-judgmental and suggests improvements to the process that would be of great benefit not just to the establishment of MPAs but to environmental management in general. It is strongly recommend to anyone interested in such matters. The full report titled is available at http://www.bia.org.au/marine-parks

The following is some important points from the report (in italics) and my comments on them.