6.1 Fishing Darwin Harbour Recreationally: Amateur or non-commercial fishing in Darwin Harbour is one of the dominant recreational aquaculture pastimes for locals and visitors alike. 45% of the hours fished annually in the Northern Territory by

resident and visitor anglers were spent in Darwin Harbour (Coleman, 1998). This indicates an acceptance by all non-professional anglers that Darwin Harbour is where ample fishstocks are present and/or that it is close to a major urban centre. However, the same study determined that only 1% of all Territorians were the member of a fishing club. It is certain that anglers can be successful with a ready catch of fish in the many mangrove-ringed inlets, bays and rivers that make up the littoral of the Darwin Harbour. Mud crabs are also an important, sought after marine creature and Darwin Harbour is a reserve for recreational crabbing only (NT Government, 1995). In fact a total ban on commercial fishing of any nature is in force for the area considered as Darwin Harbour.

Groups and individual fishers who use the harbour are as diverse as the species of fishstock, which are being exploited for sport and consumption. Table 2 has some of the fish species found in the harbour. The fisherpersons’ range of activity cover such as guided tours for tourists and those of the local fisherpersons who mostly have their own boats. A wide variety of perceptions by these anglers vary as to the relevance of harbour mangals to the marine ecosystems and marine life, which they exploit. Most of the locals interviewed or questioned regarded the mangals as a separate issue to their chosen recreational activity. That is, Mangroves may be important to the overall values of Darwin Harbour, but the government should be looking after them. They were passive in their outlook toward the relationships between the marine ecosystems and their recreational activities. "I’m a baker, not a politician" claimed one respondent, "Let the government manage the mangroves if they want to".

However, the intra-territory and the interstate visitors to the Top End who were questioned had a different story to relate. Most thought that the general public should take a more active role in the forming of government policy and legislation for the management of mangals and recreational fishing. Peter Holden, a fishing visitor from Adelaide said that: "Well I suppose I don’t know too much about what mangroves actually do for the environment. I’ll leave that to the government. I'm only a truck driver. I do know that it is the mangroves though where the fish breed and grow up. Governments should at least try to keep them and so should the fishermen who use them".

I also asked Cymon Brooks, an ex fishing tour guide in Darwin Harbour the question: "The government has mentioned a figure of 80% of the mangroves to be saved whilst the remaining 20% is to be developed. Do you have any views on this?". His verbatim reply was: "Well that sort of thing I feel it is most important that if they take 20% out they have to take 20% out of an area that is not actually used by the fishing itself because they cannot damage the fishing's ecology. The impact of 20% in the wrong area would outweigh leaving 80% behind because of my understanding of what mangroves actually do, it is simple things in the food chain that a decomposing mangrove tree is eaten up by mangrove worms and therefore the trees actually act as a fertiliser just like a normal tree would on land. If the government were to do this 20% bit it would really have to be places where the function of the mangrove themselves are not really that important to fishing. I couldn't give specific areas because to me they are very important in many areas. Because not only that you will find out at the time that if you go to the very back end of the fringe of the mangroves you still see bait fish on the spring tides right up to there so it has to have some sort of impact".

These two individuals’ reactions to my questions cannot of course be taken as a cross- representational response by all of Darwin Harbour tour guides and recreational fishers. Although, they are views and concepts held by two people, in different walks of life, these observations could very well be held by many. Another issue, which should be raised here, is that of security parking at Darwin Harbour boat ramps. Thieves frequently break into unattended vehicles whilst the owner is on the water fishing. Fenced off and manned enclosures at Leaders Creek on Gunn Point Road is a successful venture (Whitfield, 1999, p. 6). However, this is the only security carpark for angler’s vehicles.

To have security at every boat ramp in Darwin Harbour, there is eleven in total, would not only be uneconomical, but unpractical. This is a no win situation for Darwin’s anglers because the Territory Governments and the Local Councils won’t supply funds for this purpose. Most anglers are divided with no supporting lobbying association. The Amateur Fishing Association cannot afford to pay for these services but are presently lobbying community service groups to get some work done in this area, (Whitfield, 1999, p. 6).

It is difficult to decide just where mangroves in Darwin Harbour should be preserver and which ones should be earmarked for development. When asked most of the persons questioned answered that they should all be saved. However a realistic approach is required. To answer the question of which mangroves should be preserved in relation to fishing activities I have consulted the NT Fish Finder 2 and have noted on the enclosed map of the area which positions in the harbour should have at least consideration for preservation.

6.2 Sailing: Sailboat owners and those who hire yachts from the various outlets on the Fanny Bay foreshore hold this activity on Darwin Harbour. Often these craft are reliant on winds and tides for forward momentum and at first glance mangrove management and conservation seem irrelevant to sail activities. However, the values associated with sailing are the relaxing nature in boating on an unpolluted waterway, the aesthetic qualities of fresh air, scenic views and a clean environment. Moreover, the depletion of mangrove forests diminish the sailing enthusiast’ aesthetic conception of the naturalness of the harbour foreshores. Documentation has also shown that mangals act as a filtering system for toxicants and pollutants thereby acting as a cleansing agent for polluted waters. Consequently, they contribute to the clean qualities of the actual water. Mary Watson from Sydney claims: "If I want to see houses and buildings and high-rises from the water I can go to Sydney Harbour or to Surfer’s Paradise. I don’t come to Darwin just to go sailing but when I am here it is good to see natural trees and foreshores and not dirty, noisy, Sydney or Surfers".

6.3 Swimming/SCUBA Diving: Darwin Harbour is a graveyard for many marine wrecks. Some of these were sunk for a specific purpose whilst others were due to acts of war or to misadventure. Artificial reefs have been positioned off the Nightcliff Jetty, Lee Point, Stokes Hill Wharf and at Fenton Patches, all within this study’s boundaries of Darwin Harbour. These are some of the better artificial reefs in Australia if one wants to contrast them to those in other states. Inclusive is sunken barges, trawlers, Asian refugee boats, and other out of date and outmoded large objects discarded by Darwin industry. They provide good fishing, excellent SCUBA diving locations and marine habitats.

The wrecks provide many marine species with shelter and also accommodate some spectacular sights for divers when the water conditions permit. Sash Muller of Coral Divers claims that: "Offshore at the Fenton Patches divers are treated to seeing huge

Name	Dive Depth
Bennets Bottom.	35 Meters.
The Backbone.	35 Meters.
No. 6 Buoy Coral Slopes.	18 Meters.
Platters Rock.	12 Meters.
East Point Coral Gardens.	10 Meters.
Old Man Rock.	10 Meters.
Dudley Bommies.	07 Meters.
Darwin's Natural Coral Reefs And Their Accessible Depths.
Table 3:

jewfish and trevally, cobia, rays, huge cod and even sharks" (Muller, p. 113). Darwin Harbour has to rate a world-renowned dive spot if Mullers’ observations are indeed correct. Some divers have been know to travel to places such as the Carribean, Hawaii, the Philippines and other Pacific islands in search of what can be found in Darwin Harbour by Muller’s description. Furthermore, large areas of corals and other marine life abound in this Indo-Pacific marine environment (Allen, 1994), at natural reefs such as those in Table 3. Many blue water dives exist on a system of artificial reefs just outside of the Darwin Harbour but which are reliant on the harbour for sufficient tidal flow to assist in clearing visibility. Whilst a further 14 World War 2 and Cyclone Tracey ships and aircraft wrecks are also scattered throughout the area (Coral Divers, No Date).

However, the wrecks, whether they are planned or accidental, aircraft or sea-going vessel have very little relevance to the existence of mangals. Except where the wreck is within the boundaries of intertidal sand and mud flats, as are a few of the aircraft, which accommodate the mangroves. The wreck then becomes an integral habitat for mangal flora and fauna. With the exception of the aforementioned filtering qualities of the mangals to provide clear water for diving and swimming, no direct correlation is apparent or immediately recognisable. This does not mean diving on wrecks, as a pastime should be ignored for this proposal. Further dialogue could be employed to gain further information, as this is a popular pastime for visitors and locals.