Commercial fishermen agree to protect Coral Sea reefs.The Coral Sea Coral Sea, southwest arm of the Pacific Ocean, between Australia, New Guinea, and Vanuatu. The Great Barrier Reef lies along its western edge. During World War II it was the scene of a major U.S. Fishers Association (CSFA CSFA Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America CSFA Center for the Study of the First Americans (College Station, TX) CSFA California School Finance Authority CSFA California State Floral Association ), one of Australia's largest commercial fishing groups, has volunteered not to fish some of the country's most lucrative reefs. An agreement between tourist dive-boat operators and the CSFA means trawlers will no longer take fish from Bougainville, Osprey osprey (ŏs`prē), common name for a bird of prey related to the hawk and the New World vulture and found near water in most parts of the world. , Flora Dart and Herald's Surprise reefs, apart from small-scale fishing to replenish stocks for public aquariums This article is about public establishments that contain aquaria, for the water containing vivarium see Aquarium. A public aquarium (plural: public aquaria or public aquariums) is the aquatic counterpart of a zoo, housing aquatic species for viewing. . The near-pristine reefs, which lie in the Coral Sea outside the Great Barrier Reef Great Barrier Reef, largest complex of coral reef in the world, c.1,250 mi (2,000 km) long, in the Coral Sea, forming a natural breakwater for the coast of Queensland, NE Australia. , attract divers from around the world. Commercial operators will be banned from fishing within 2 km, effectively leaving the reefs to recreational fishing and dive-boat operators. 'The Coral Sea fishery covers an area of 92 000 square kilometres and while commercial fishing is already intensively managed, we recognise that the reefs in the Coral Sea closest to Cairns Cairns, city (1991 pop. 64,463), Queensland, NE Australia, on Trinity Bay. It is a principal sugar port of Australia; lumber and other agricultural products are also exported. The city's proximity to the Great Barrier Reef has made it a tourist center. are of particular importance to dive chart operators,' says CSFA member Rob Lowden. 'This shows that the people who make a living from the reefs care about them greatly,' he said. Lowden said he believed the agreement was the first time commercial operators had voluntarily surrendered fishing rights anywhere in the world. Shark researcher and cinematographer Richard Fitzpatrick said the agreement protected large fish species and was a boon for tourism. 'The move to maintain the ecological balance of these reefs is a fantastic effort by both parties.' |
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