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In Ocean with David Attenborough, the legendary broadcaster and naturalist documents the damage that destructive bottom trawling is doing to our ocean. But he also shows us how fully protected marine sanctuaries are essential to conserving our ocean for generations to come.
“The ocean can bounce back to life. If left alone it may not just recover but thrive beyond anything anyone alive has ever seen. … If we save the sea, we save our world. … I’m sure that nothing is more important.”
– Sir David Attenborough
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Bottom trawling is an intensive fishing method that ploughs heavy gear across the seabed, removing target species while damaging entire marine communities that can take generations to recover.
Yet it is still permitted across 13 million hectares of Australia’s federal marine parks, almost twice the size of Tasmania.
These are not remote or forgotten places. They include the significant waters around WA’s world-renowned Rowley Shoals, the biodiverse waters of Jervis Bay (NSW), and the vast Coral Sea Marine Park (QLD).
Australia’s federal marine park network is currently under review, a process that occurs only once every decade. What is decided now will shape the future of our oceans.
This is a critical opportunity to strengthen marine sanctuaries and ensure protected areas are truly protected.
Scientific evidence shows marine sanctuaries lead to more fish, bigger fish and healthier ecosystems. They increase resilience to coral bleaching and climate impacts and help replenish surrounding waters.
We, the undersigned, call on the Australian Government to ban bottom trawling from all Australian Marine Parks, and to strengthen marine sanctuaries to properly protect our oceans.
What Happens When I Sign the Petition?
To increase your impact, this petition and its signatories will be submitted during important public consultations about reviews of Australia’s federal marine park networks in 2026–28. They may also be presented to key decision makers to demonstrate public support for increasing the protection of our ocean.
What’s the Difference Between a Marine Park and a Marine Sanctuary?
Marine parks are meant to protect our ocean. Yet more than half of our offshore Australian Marine Parks are open to damaging activities like industrial fishing, drilling for fossil fuels, and seismic blasting.
Marine sanctuaries are a type of marine park that act like national parks in the ocean. They fully protect marine life from damaging activities like bottom trawling, seismic blasting, and drilling for fossil fuels. Recreational activities like snorkelling, surfing, boating, and diving are still allowed.
Scientific evidence shows marine sanctuaries lead to more fish, bigger fish and healthier ecosystems. They increase resilience to coral bleaching and climate impacts and help replenish surrounding waters. They are the heart of a healthy ocean.
Who Can Sign the Petition?
Anyone! This petition is open to the public anywhere around Australia and internationally. If you love the ocean, we strongly encourage you to add your name.
This petition also appears on the Save Our Marine Life website. Save Our Marine Life is an alliance of conservation groups co-led by AMCS. You are welcome to sign the petition on both websites. Each name will only be counted once when we present the petition.