In a bizarre twist, one of the people responsible for bringing the Supertrawler to Australia in 2012 has just pleaded guilty to a role in a multimillion dollar syndicate importing drugs into Australia.

Thanks to huge opposition from the Australian public, the Geelong Star (AKA Dirk Dirk) Supertrawler recently turned tail and left Australian waters. But the Turnbull Government’s plans for our National Network of Marine Sanctuaries – currently tabled in Parliament – drastically cut back areas of high protection, leaving them open to Supertrawlers and overseas fishing fleets to wreak havoc in our oceans.

Sign the petition: say NO to Supertrawlers coming to Australian waters

Late last year, it was revealed in Parliament that Australia’s commercial fishing industry is in talks with the Australian Government about allowing overseas fleets into our waters. Now, the Turnbull Government’s plans will strip back our sanctuaries in the marine parks where these vessels might operate – leaving iconic areas open to industrial scale fishing at levels never seen before.

Offshore from tourism meccas the Kimberley, Ningaloo, Lord Howe Island, Albany and even our Coral Sea – these sanctuaries are hundreds of kilometres out to sea. The only ships big enough to fish that far from port are found in overseas distant-water fishing fleets.

Sign the petition to say NO to Supertrawlers and overseas fishing fleets in Australian waters.

Australia’s borders have been closed to overseas fishing fleets for almost 30 years, following massive overfishing. But there are various ways that foreign vessels can be deemed Australian. This is exactly what happened with the Supertrawler.

Supertrawlers are despised by the Australian public. They are bad for local communities, bad for recreational fishing and bad for marine life – with massive bycatch including protected dolphins, seals, albatross and even a whale shark!

Bringing in Supertrawlers and overseas fleets would have little to no benefit to Australia’s economy or regional communities. We must not expose Australia to the human rights abuses, organised crime and environmental destruction that have plagued other countries. Please sign the petition today.

The Turnbull Government’s marine parks plans ignore decades of science, the advice of the Government’s own independent Review, the wishes of local communities, and the voice of hundreds of thousands of Australians who have been consulted over the years. They will fail our oceans at a time when our marine life is in desperate need of help.

With a federal election looming, we have a powerful opportunity to let all parties know the future of our oceans is a critical issue.

Together, we stopped the Supertrawler. And together we will restore our sanctuaries, and make sure no Supertawlers and overseas fishing fleets are able to plunder Australia’s oceans again. Please sign the petition today.

For our marine life and fishing future,

Michelle and the team
Save Our Marine Life

© 2018 | Save Our Marine Life