Cockle Collection Moratorium Lake Illawarra
Petitioner:
Mr John Davey
| Member:
Watson, Anna
| No. of Signatories:
3,410
| Date closed:
29/12/2020
To the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly,
This petition from residents within the Lake Illawarra catchment brings to the attention of the House our concerns over extensive legal and illegal cockle collecting from Lake Illawarra. Our concerns include both the impacts of over collecting upon the cockle population itself and any secondary or flow on effects of cockle collecting upon the lake's flora and fauna.
The petitioners therefore ask the Legislative Assembly to:
1. Implement an immediate moratorium on the collection of cockles from Lake Illawarra.
2. Commission a cockle population study to ascertain sustainable collection levels and collection impacts upon lake flora and fauna.
3. Implement increased fines to support the moratorium and deter illegal activities.
4. Only reinstate cockle collection approvals once sustainable levels are understood.
5. Withhold such approval indefinitely should sustainability not be demonstrated.
