Green Group Urges More Grey Nurse Shark Protection

October 12, 2005

Release from: ABC News Online (Australia)

The Nature Conservation Council wants scuba divers to reject the NSW Government's proposed levy on the industry until it comes up with adequate protection for the grey nurse shark.

The council says Julian Rocks near Byron Bay, on the north coast, and the Solitary Islands near Coffs Harbour, on the mid-north coast, are two areas that need stronger protection.

The council's director, Cate Faehrmann, says there need to be 1,500 metre exclusion zones around the critical habitat areas.

"What that means is less than 1 per cent of the waters off the NSW coast made off-limits to fishing, now if the Government did this we would probably ensure that the grey nurse shark would not become extinct within our lifetime," she said.