Anger at Proposed New Fishing Regulations

Anger at Proposed New Fishing Regulations

The Mossman Boat & Fishing Club has up-graded the Network for Sustainable Fishing in Douglas Shire to meet growing demand and political inevitability. The ‘Douglas Shire’ has been dropped from the name and replaced by Far North Queensland, new contacts established and some old ones dropped.

This has already paid dividends with Kim Martin, Chairman of Capricorn Sunfish informing us about a public consultation meeting held at Rockhampton Leagues Club, 4^th February. Based on their dissatisfaction, even anger, at the results of Phase 1 of the Inshore Fin Fish Fishery review a motion of “No confidence” in the ability of the DPI&F to fairly manage our inshore fishery was supported by 200 people at the meeting.

Below is a summary of what Kim has sent us, if I misunderstood any of it I am sure Kim will advise me in due course. What Kim has sent is great food for thought prior to our own public consultation meeting with DPI&F on our inshore fishery at the Clubhouse, Newell Beach, on Wed. 5 MARCH, 7 p.m. (All welcome, do please come, member or not, and “Have your Say”; note: it is basically a ‘numbers’ issue to show DPI&F that we are organised and we do have the numbers to encourage politicians to act).

Kim writes that the Rockhampton community have developed a group submission which they expect will be supported by over 500 signatures.

Their submission REJECTS:

• all proposed changes until a more balanced management planning process is undertaken, as these are grossly biased in favour of the commercial fishing sector …and also,

• any increase in the number of shorter nets in waterways,

• the proposed use of 1200m nets, as it is an unacceptable risk to pelagic finfish creating on-water conflict between sectors,

• the proposal for any netting in existing Dugong Protection Areas.

The submission DEMANDS:

• a phased removal of all commercial nets from rivers, creeks and estuaries by 2014,

• that the recreational fishery is guaranteed a share of the inshore fisheries resource, commensurate with its stakeholder dominance and economic contribution,

• sustainable total allowable catches (TACs) be imposed on the commercial fishing sector for all key recreational species before bag/size limits are determined,

• netting to be capped at a maximum level determined by resource sustainability,

• all commercial netting be banned within 500m of headlands,

• commercial bait nets be used only to catch bait and not allowed in coastal Yellow Zones,

• on-the-water net attendance, within 100m, at all times mandatory for all nets not accessible from the shore.

Their submission SUPPORTS:

• Zoning of the commercial fishery.

Moreover, our Rockhampton mates are working on a BLUEPRINT for the East Coast Inshore Fishery.

The blueprint includes their Vision which is:

“The Inshore Finfish Fishery will meet recreational fishers' expectations of being able to catch a variety, size and quantity of fish sufficient to provide food for the family whilst enjoying a healthy and desirable outdoor experience. The fishery will also support a small, viable commercial net fishery that operates remote from major population centres and largely supplies high quality product to local markets.”

Rockhampton recreational fishers have also identified a set of SPECIFIC GOALS which include:

• ensuring recreational fishers have access to the major share of the available inshore fish resource,

• a removal of commercial netting in rivers, creeks and estuaries south of Cape Flattery by 2014,

• zonal management,

• recreational limits to ensure resource sustainability,

• restructuring of the existing inshore commercial net fishery to create a small viable geographically and species-based sector, located to minimise interaction with recreational fishing.

For those of you based in Douglas Shire, our own open (public) meeting held at on Sunday, January 27, at the Clubhouse, discussed many views similar to the above. From our discussions we have drafted our own proposals. These will be discussed more fully with, and presented to DPI&F on Wednesday, 5 March at our Newell Beach Clubhouse.

Do please come to the meeting and lend your support. Prove that you care about our inshore fish resources and the need to ban all offshore and out-of-town netting in our inshore waters by joining the Club, if only for this year. See you there a week on Wednesday, 7p.m!

Best wishes,

David Cook

Conservation & Liaison Officer

Mossman Boat and Fishing Club

PO Box 597, Mossman, QLD 4873

Tel: 4098 7933

Operating The Network for Sustainable Fishing in Far North Queensland

Affiliated to Douglas Shire Sustainability Group, see: www.dssg.org.au

For the full story on our campaign to save our locals stocks of Grey mackerel see: