Conservationists welcome gillnet fishing ban in Great Barrier Reef world heritage area

The federal environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, announced the $160m plan on Monday afternoon

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The federal and Queensland governments will phase out commercial gillnet fishing in the Great Barrier Reef world heritage area by mid-2027 and create new net-free zones to better protect endangered marine species.

The environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, announced the $160m plan Monday afternoon and said it would significantly reduce net fishing and high-risk fishing on the reef that injure and kill threatened dugongs, turtles, dolphins and protected shark species.

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