FISHERMEN and tour operators who fear losing their jobs if marine parks are proclaimed have been told they can use unemployment services or seek career retraining.
The comments contained in a major report commissioned by the Federal Government have been labelled disgusting and insensitive by the multi-million dollar Cairns fishing industry which employs about 1000 people.
Our Say: Coral Sea compromise is necessary
Environment Minister Peter Garrett has distanced himself from the report but has not dismissed its contents.
Fishing representatives next week will meet officials from the Department of Environment to table their own independent report into the effects marine parks could have upon the industry.
Marine Queensland Far North chairman Wayne Bayne said the report showed the Government had little regard for the people who worked in the fishing industry.
"Just who the hell do these people think they are?" Mr Bayne said.
"They don't own this country. They manage it on behalf of the population.
"It brings to light the fact as far as your civil rights are concerned, the only civil right you have is at the ballot box."
Mr Garrett, whose department is considering turning regions such as the Coral Sea into marine protected areas, has come under fire for attempting to minimise the amount of compensation anglers who may lose their fishing grounds will receive.
The report, compiled by Australian National University researchers in Canberra and commissioned by the Department of Environment as part of its Marine Bioregional Planning process, analyses the impact marine protected areas may have upon associated industries.
It states the exclusion of the of commercial fishers from these areas was "justified on the basis that their interests will be partially protected by the provision of assistance to owners, the existence of government unemployment and training schemes, and the fact that the government has not given them any guarantee that their employer would enjoy continued access to the relevant resource."
The report has also recommended against compensation for charter boats, tourism operators and shipping owners.
A spokesman for Mr Garrett said the document, compiled by consultants Maximus Solutions, does not represent the views of the Government.
"It is only one input into the policy development process," he said.
The Queensland Seafood Industry Association president Michael Gardner described the Maximus report as "extremely worrying".
"Obviously we can see the intent of the report is, and that is essentially that the Government wants to position itself legally to absolutely minimise its responsibility in terms of compensating displaced effort," Mr Gardner said.
"That's pretty clear.
"The thing that concerns you is that if this is what they're thinking, they want to keep the costs down as much as possible, or as close to nothing as possible."
The Howard government was forced to fork out $222 million to more than 600 fishermen and fishing-related businesses impacted by controversial rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in 2004.
Cairns Professional Game Fishing Association chairman and charter boat operator Daniel McCarthy has been working in the fishing industry for 20 years, leading trips into the Coral Sea.
"Just to put a small number of zones in the wrong place, and my business becomes completely unviable," Mr McCarthy said.
He found the notion of being forced on to the dole "disgusting".
"The industry is worth about $60 million to Cairns every year," he said.
"I'd like to think I've got another 20 years in me."
Mr Garrett’s spokesman said the Government's priority was to avoid or minimise impacts on existing users.
