The Australian Government is reviewing the management arrangements for 44 Australian Marine Parks across the North, North-west, South-west and Temperate East Networks and the Coral Sea Marine Park. The review will help shape future zoning and management settings, including how Australia meets its commitment to protect 30 per cent of its ocean in highly protected areas by 2030.
AFTA supports effective marine conservation and is advocating for balanced, evidence-based decisions that also recognise sustainable recreational fishing, public access and the contribution fishing makes to regional communities and businesses. The submissions below present AFTA’s formal position.
AUSTRALIAN FISHING TRADE ASSOCIATION FORMAL SUBMISSION
Proposed Proclamation and Expansion of the Lord Howe Island, Gifford and Norfolk Island Marine Parks
Submission to the Director of National Parks
14th September 2026
Executive Summary
The Australian Fishing Trade Association (AFTA) supports the proposed proclamation and expansion of the Lord Howe Island, Gifford and Norfolk Island Marine Parks.
AFTA recognises the exceptional environmental significance of these marine environments and supports Australia’s objective of effectively conserving and managing at least 30 per cent of its marine and coastal environment by 2030.
AFTA’s support for expansion does not mean every internal zoning boundary should be accepted without examination. Marine protected area planning should be based on the ecological values requiring protection, the threats to those values and the management response supported by clear, transparent and scientifically defensible evidence.
The objective should be effective protection, not simply protected area.
Accordingly, AFTA supports the proclamation while seeking evidence-based zoning, sustainable recreational access where compatible with conservation objectives, direct engagement with island communities, proportionate management at Gifford, and scientifically designed Sanctuary benchmark areas supported by long-term monitoring and adaptive management.
1. About AFTA and Recreational Fishing in Australia
The Australian Fishing Trade Association is Australia’s national peak industry organisation representing the recreational fishing trade. AFTA members operate throughout the supply chain, including manufacturers, importers, wholesalers, distributors, retailers and other businesses servicing Australia’s recreational fishing community.
Recreational fishing is one of Australia’s largest participation activities. The National Social and Economic Survey of Recreational Fishers estimated that 4.2 million Australian adults – around one in five – participate each year. The survey estimated recreational fishing’s contribution at approximately $11.5 billion to Australian GDP and more than 100,000 fulltime-
equivalent jobs, including direct and flow-on activity.(1)
AFTA has a particularly direct relationship with this community. Fishing tackle dealers engage with recreational fishers every day and routinely provide practical tuition and guidance on fishing techniques, regulations, species identification, responsible fishing, fish handling and caring for our oceans and fisheries.
AFTA members also develop, manufacture and supply equipment that supports the speedy, safe and best-practice release of fish, including improved hook technologies, de-hooking devices, handling equipment and release systems.
This gives the recreational fishing trade an important role not only in economic activity, but in education, stewardship and the practical adoption of responsible fishing practices. Healthy fisheries, productive habitats and resilient marine ecosystems are fundamental to the future of recreational fishing and the businesses and communities that depend upon them.
2. AFTA Supports the Proposed Expansion
AFTA supports the proposed proclamation and substantial expansion of marine protection surrounding Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island and Gifford across the associated offshore marine environments.
The proposal would significantly increase protection of seamount chains, deep-water habitats, pelagic ecosystems, reef systems and migratory pathways. The consultation material indicates that Norfolk Marine Park would increase from approximately 188,444 km² to 430,792 km², while Lord Howe Marine Park would increase from approximately 115,954
km² to 406,382 km², incorporating the existing Gifford Marine Park.(2)
These are very substantial additions to Australia’s marine protected area network. AFTA supports protecting these extraordinary environments. The separate question is what level and form of protection is required within each part of the expanded parks to achieve the identified conservation objectives.
3. Science-Based Marine Park Planning
AFTA supports Australia’s 30 by 30 commitment. However, a percentage target is a policy objective, not a conservation methodology.(3)
Marine protected area planning should not be about drawing arbitrary lines on a map to achieve a predetermined numerical outcome.
For significant zoning decisions, government should be able to demonstrate:
• the ecological value requiring protection;
• the specific threat or pressure affecting that value;
• the evidence supporting that assessment;
• why the proposed boundary and zoning classification have been selected;
• how the restriction addresses the identified threat; and
• how the conservation outcome will be measured.
Different environmental pressures require different management responses. Where recreational fishing presents a demonstrated material risk to an identified conservation value, AFTA supports appropriate and proportionate management action. Where the identified threat is bottom-contact fishing, seabed disturbance, anchoring or another specific
activity, management should target that threat rather than automatically exclude activities not demonstrated to compromise the conservation objective.
What ecological value is being protected? What threatens it? What management response does the evidence support? How will success be measured?
4. Recreational Fishing, Stewardship and Marine Conservation
Sustainable recreational fishing can coexist with effective marine conservation across substantial parts of Australia’s marine estate. Recreational fishers have a direct interest in healthy fish stocks, productive habitats and resilient marine ecosystems.
Modern recreational fishing practices continue to evolve. Education, improved tackle, fishhandling practices and release technology can reduce environmental impacts while maintaining sustainable community access. Where an identified risk can be effectively addressed through education, equipment, gear restrictions or fishing practices, those measures should be properly considered alongside spatial exclusion.
Where evidence demonstrates that exclusion is necessary to protect an ecological value, AFTA supports appropriate protection. The management response should be proportionate to the demonstrated risk.
5. Norfolk Island
AFTA supports the substantial expansion of Norfolk Marine Park and welcomes the proposed standalone Norfolk Island Marine Park Management Plan. The proposed expansion of the Special Purpose Zone is also a positive recognition of local use.(4)
Zoning close to Norfolk Island should reflect where residents and visitors actually undertake recreational and charter fishing. Unlike mainland fishers, Norfolk Island residents cannot simply travel along the coast to an alternative fishing location when access is displaced. Vessel size, weather, sea conditions, distance and safety substantially determine where
fishing can practically occur.
AFTA recommends that final arrangements be developed through direct engagement with the Norfolk Island community and retain sufficient appropriate zoning across accessible waters to maintain sustainable recreational and charter fishing. Local representation should also be incorporated into development and ongoing review of the standalone management
plan.
6. Lord Howe Island
AFTA similarly supports the expansion of Lord Howe Marine Park. Lord Howe Island and its surrounding marine environment are internationally significant and warrant strong long-term protection.(5)
Management arrangements should also recognise the importance of sustainable recreational and charter fishing to the island community and visitors. The proposed Recreational Use Zone represents only a very small proportion of the substantially expanded park. AFTA recommends that the final management planning process justify this allocation and assess whether additional areas could accommodate sustainable recreational fishing without compromising the ecological objectives of the park.
7. Gifford – Match the Management Response to the Risk
AFTA supports the continued protection of the Gifford seamount and its associated benthic and pelagic ecosystems within the expanded marine park network.(6)
Where the principal conservation objective is protection of sensitive benthic habitat from physical disturbance, Habitat Protection zoning can prevent bottom trawling, dredging and other destructive seabed-contact activities. Recreational line fishing in the water column presents a different environmental risk.
AFTA therefore recommends that final zoning at Gifford be determined by evidence about the activities that threaten the conservation values being protected. Where Habitat Protection zoning adequately addresses those threats, recreational line fishing should not be excluded without a demonstrated conservation need. Where evidence establishes an additional material risk, further management measures may be appropriate.
8. Sanctuary Zones as Scientific Benchmark Areas
AFTA proposes that selected areas currently intended for highly protected or “green zone” status be established as genuine Sanctuary Zones or equivalent scientific benchmark areas.
This is not a proposal for reduced protection. In selected locations, AFTA proposes a higher standard of protection specifically designed to generate meaningful long-term scientific evidence.
Benchmark areas should be selected across representative reef, seamount and benthic habitats and paired with ecologically comparable sites where sustainable recreational fishing continues. The program should:
• use independent scientific criteria for site selection;
• establish ecological baselines;
• use consistent and measurable ecological indicators;
• provide long-term monitoring and independent review; and
• make data and findings publicly available.
Such a design would allow meaningful comparison between areas subject to different levels of human use. If ecological condition performs demonstrably better within Sanctuary benchmark areas, that evidence should inform future marine park and fisheries management. If comparable ecological change occurs across benchmark and sustainably fished areas, management should investigate other pressures, including marine heatwaves, disease, water quality and climate-driven environmental change.
Measure what works and manage accordingly.
9. Socio-Economic and Displacement Assessment
Effective marine planning also requires an understanding of the consequences of management decisions for communities and users. AFTA recommends an appropriate assessment of recreational fishing, charter fishing and community use, particularly around Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island.
The assessment should identify existing fishing activity, areas of greatest community importance, likely displacement, accessible alternatives, implications for local businesses and tourism, and vessel-range, weather and safety considerations.
Understanding these impacts does not diminish environmental protection. It allows government to determine whether conservation objectives can be achieved in ways that minimise unnecessary social and economic impacts.
10. Monitoring, Transparency and Adaptive Management
Parks Australia should publish sufficient information to allow stakeholders to understand the basis for final zoning decisions and how their effectiveness will be evaluated. Monitoring should establish appropriate baselines and measurable ecological indicators, with results made publicly available.
Marine parks should be managed adaptively. Where monitoring demonstrates that arrangements are achieving their objectives, they should be maintained. Where evidence demonstrates that change is required, management should respond accordingly.
11. Recommendations
1. Proceed with the proclamation and expansion of the Lord Howe Island, Gifford and Norfolk Island Marine Parks.
2. Base marine park boundaries, zoning classifications and restrictions on clear, transparent and scientifically defensible evidence, rather than arbitrary spatial allocations designed primarily to satisfy a percentage target.
3. Maintain appropriate sustainable recreational fishing access around Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island where compatible with conservation objectives, with direct community engagement in the final management arrangements.
4. Determine the appropriate zoning at Gifford by reference to the demonstrated threats to its conservation values, retaining recreational line fishing where it can occur consistently with those objectives.
5. Establish selected proposed highly protected areas as genuine Sanctuary Zones or equivalent scientific benchmark areas, paired with ecologically comparable areas where sustainable recreational fishing continues.
6. Fund long-term ecological monitoring, independent evaluation and public reporting so future zoning and access decisions can respond to measured outcomes.
7. Undertake appropriate recreational fishing, charter fishing, socio-economic and displacement assessments.
8. Recognise AFTA and the recreational fishing trade as partners in angler education, marine stewardship and the adoption of best-practice fish handling and release techniques.
12. Conclusion
AFTA supports the proclamation and expansion of the Lord Howe Island, Gifford and Norfolk Island Marine Parks.
These expansions provide an important opportunity for Australia to protect internationally significant marine environments while demonstrating that conservation, rigorous science and sustainable recreational use can coexist within a modern marine protected area network.
AFTA does not seek to diminish the conservation ambition of these proposals. Its recommendation for genuine Sanctuary benchmark areas proposes stronger protection in carefully selected locations while creating a long-term evidence base for future management.
Protected marine planning should not become an exercise in drawing lines on a map to achieve a predetermined numerical target. The expanded parks provide an opportunity to protect what needs protection, maintain sustainable access where compatible with conservation objectives, establish genuine scientific benchmark areas, measure the outcomes and adapt future management according to the evidence.
The objective should be effective protection, not simply protected area.
With approximately 4.2 million adult Australians participating in recreational fishing, the sector is a major stakeholder and potential partner in marine stewardship. AFTA’s direct connection with fishers provides an established national network through which responsible fishing, ocean stewardship and improved fish-handling and release practices can be promoted.(1,7)
AFTA would welcome the opportunity to work with Parks Australia, the Australian Government, scientists, the Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island communities, and recreational and charter fishing stakeholders in developing these arrangements.
Endnotes
1. Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC), National Social and Economic Survey of Recreational Fishers 2018-2021, Final Report and Executive Summary, 2023. The survey estimated 4.2 million adult recreational fishers nationally, approximately $11.5 billion in GDP contribution and more than 100,000 full-time-equivalent jobs. https://www.frdc.com.au/about-recreational-fishing/nrfs
2. Australian Government, Minister for the Environment and Water, “More protection for Australia’s precious ocean”, joint media release, 31 July 2026; Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), 2026 marine park consultation material. The announcement states that the proposed expansions would add 671,500 km² of highly protected waters. https://minister.dcceew.gov.au/watt/mediareleases/joint-media-release-more-protection-australias-precious-ocean
3. DCCEEW, Proposal to prepare six draft management plans for 44 Australian Marine Parks, 2026. The consultation identifies the Government’s commitment to protect 30 per cent of Australia’s ocean in highly protected zoning (IUCN Ia and II) by 2030. https://consult.dcceew.gov.au/six-draft-mgt-plans-for-44-australian-marine-parks
4. Australian Government, Minister for the Environment and Water, “More protection for Australia’s precious ocean”, 31 July 2026. The announcement records the proposal for a stand-alone Norfolk Marine Park management plan and refers to local support for greater protection. https://www.tanyaplibersek.com/media/media-releases/more-protection-for-australia-s-precious-ocean/
5. DCCEEW, Lord Howe Island Group World Heritage information; Australian Government, “More protection for Australia’s precious ocean”, 31 July 2026. These sources describe the ecological significance of the Lord Howe marine environment and the proposed expansion. https://www.dcceew.gov.au/parksheritage/heritage/places/world/lord-howe
6. DCCEEW / Parks Australia, consultation material on proposed changes to Lord Howe and Gifford marine parks, 2026; Lord Howe Island Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters) Management Plan, conservation objectives concerning the seamount, habitats and ecological processes.https://www.dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/lordhowe-plan.pdf
7. FRDC, A national study of stewardship in recreational fishing, Project 2024-073. The study reports strong awareness of responsible fishing practices and substantial potential for further recreational-fisher stewardship participation. https://www.frdc.com.au/project/2024-073
Prepared by:
The Hon. Bob Baldwin
Chair
Australian Fishing Trade Association (AFTA)
E: bobbaldwin@afta.net.au
14th September 2026