THE Wilderness Society has been active around Nelson Bay last week, interviewing community groups and businesses as part of a documentary series.
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Alex Fraser, Emma Challen and Nigel Haywood from Let's Go Adventures, members of the Econetwork and recreational fishers have all had a turn in front of the camera to talk about the Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park.
The documentary is about the marine park, and will aim to showcase the beauty of sanctuaries along the NSW coastline and highlight the importance of their protection.
"The aim of the documentary is to restore protection to marine sanctuaries," the society's Charlotte Richardson said. "The NSW government placed an amnesty on the ban on fishing in sanctuaries in March 2013, opening up previously protected areas to recreational fishing.
"Less than four per cent of the NSW coastline is designated marine sanctuaries, and even these areas are now under threat.
"Recreational fishing has been shown to impact fish stocks as well as increasing other risks such as entanglement in line by sea turtles, dolphins and birds.
"Ultimately fishermen, divers and all ocean users can see that having protected areas is necessary to ensure healthy fish populations and ecosystems into the future."
Photographers have been taking photos as well as filming.
Politicians will be sent the documentaries and the photos will appear in a exhibition at the IUCN World Parks Congress, which will be held in Sydney in November.