Festival to promote awareness of marine environment

An air-sea rescue simulation and a marine pollution clean-up demonstration provided a dramatic backdrop to the opening of Seaweek '92 by Environment Minister Bob Pearce at Fremantle today.

Seaweek is an eight-day festival of activities designed to promote the protection, wise-use, enjoyment and understanding of the marine environment.

This year's theme is Marine Parks: Saving Our Seas.

Opening Seaweek, Mr Pearce urged the community to take a greater interest in the marine environment.

"We have a number of magnificent marine parks on our doorstep," he said.

"The State Government has created six marine parks and one marine nature reserve, totalling more than 1.2 million hectares.

"These include areas as diverse as the Swan Estuary, Shoalwater Islands and Marmion Marine Parks here in Perth, the expanse of Shark Bay and the magnificent coral reef in the Ningaloo Marine Park.

"And more marine parks are proposed to protect ecosystems, allowing the areas to be used for recreation and commercial uses which are compatible with recreation and conservation."

Mr Pearce said these areas were managed by the Department of Conservation and Land Management, but that everyone should learn about the sealife that lived there and how it could be protected for future generations.

"Sea lions and penguins live on islands within these parks, and our coastline is visited seasonally by migratory humpback whales and sea birds, as well as the occasional sunfish, turtles and dolphins that fish close to shore," he said.

"It is important that we learn how to minimise our impact on these special and often rare sea dwellers.

"This is being accomplished in part by the excellent work being done by West Australian authorities, private companies - such as Underwater World - and individuals, to protect marine life and promote awareness of the marine environment.

"As well, many Western Australians are working voluntarily to carry out research on rare marine animals, and to educate the community about marine parks and the sealife in them.

"But it is not something that one person, group or Government department can do - it is up to all of us to share the responsibility and to spread the knowledge."

Seaweek is sponsored in Western Australia by CALM, the Marine Education Society of Australasia (MESA), Underwater World and the Department of Marine and Harbours.

Seaweek activities will be held at the Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour, Rockingham (Shoalwater Islands Marine Park), Hillarys Boat Harbour and Marmion Marine Park until May 10.