More than one-third of Australian waters are are protected by law, and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is asking Parliament to allow fishing in 80 percent of those waters, up from the current 64 percent, reports the New York Times. If approved, “it will be the first time a nation has scaled back its regulations in protected maritime areas.”
“The move could set a precedent for other countries, including the United States, that are considering similar reversals,” says the Times, in a reference to the Trump administration review of national monuments, which include huge marine reserves.
Much of the increased fishing under Turnbull’s proposal would be in the Coral Sea Reserve, off the northeastern coast of Australia, which is one of the country’s most stringently protected areas. The area supports a large number of tuna, said the Times, and Turnbull’s proposal was applauded by the seafood industry. “Environmentalists argued Friday that the plan would threaten species important to the ecosystem, injure Australia’s reputation as a global conservation leader and come at the cost of tourism.”