根据自由信息法获得的数据，澳大利亚商业捕鱼每年从海洋公园移除至少220万公斤的鱼类和其他海洋生物[1]。这些捕捞活动采用包括底层拖网和延绳钓在内的争议做法[1]。绿色和平组织高级活动人士Elle Lawless指出，"底层拖网涉及沿海底拖重网，粉碎珊瑚或海草地等生态系统"[1]。
澳大利亚联邦政府正在进行海洋公园系统的10年评审[1]。环境部长Murray Watt表示，政府提议在Lord Howe岛和Norfolk岛周围增加671,500平方公里的高级保护区，禁止捕鱼活动[1]。澳大利亚海洋保护协会受保护地区经理Adele Pedder指出，目前仅9%的本土水域受保护[1]。这些新增保护措施旨在帮助澳大利亚完成2030年保护30%澳大利亚海洋的承诺[1]。
Commercial fishing operations remove at least 2.2 million kilograms of fish and other marine organisms from Australian marine parks each year, according to data obtained through freedom of information requests [1]. The extraction occurs across 18 Commonwealth fisheries that are wholly or partially located within protected areas, utilizing controversial practices including bottom trawling and longline fishing [1].
Bottom trawling involves dragging heavy nets along the ocean floor, destroying ecosystems such as coral reefs and seagrass beds, according to Greenpeace senior campaigner Elle Lawless [1]. In the Southwest Network region alone, 54 fishing vessels annually catch approximately 887,160 kilograms of seafood and fish products, while 41 vessels operating in the Coral Sea region land around 808,840 kilograms [1]. These operations remain entirely legal within the current regulatory framework governing Australia's 60 Commonwealth marine parks, which employ varying zoning systems [1].
The Australian government is currently conducting a decade-long review of the marine park system and has proposed adding 671,500 square kilometers of high-level protection zones around Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island, areas where fishing would be prohibited [1]. Environment Minister Murray Watt announced the expansion as part of efforts to meet Australia's commitment to protect 30 percent of its marine territory by 2030 [1]. However, the Australian Marine Conservation Society's protected areas manager Adele Pedder highlighted that only 9 percent of Australian territorial waters currently receive protection [1].