BAIT_MAN
10-11-2006, 07:26 AM
Fin Fish Review
Below is some of the topic of discussion at the Bundaberg, Tin can Bay and Noosa public meetings. There is a lot more that was discussed but this give you some idea of what is going on in other parts of the state. I strongly advise you all that need to find the time to attend the Public Meetings that is closest to you and go along and have your say.
Next meetings can be found following link http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb/16050.html#six
I personal feel that the DPI & F have got this one right and from what I can see this time round they are coming to us first and getting the information and then producing the proposals instead of the other way round. Please remember if you don’t attend these meetings down the track when the Management plan is completed you cant jump up and down because you didn’t get my say. I would also like to thank Ausfish Members Ziggy and Redspeckle for their input.
Fisheries overview: The most consistent concerns and comments accrued from all the Fin Fish Review Public Meetings will be collated and formulated into one document/proposal. Additional Public meetings will be scheduled for 2007 and the DPI & F will present the findings to the Public for further comment and refinement. Upon the completion of this process, the proposal will be presented to the Minister for approval and implementation.
Topics of Discussion
- Seasonal Closures eg it was discussed that the seasonal closure on Fraser Island for taylor was no long needed as it was put in place to protect the species because of the fact that we now have bags limits the DPI & F should look at removing the two month closure.
- Monitoring There should be better monitoring of the rivers and creeks in the state
- Enforcement Lack of DPI & F Officers to enforce the rules and make shaw that every one is doing the right thing. The 10 lt bucket on prawns was a prime example of people abusing the rules.
- Better communications between government departments and authorities like EPA, GBRMPA, Public and DPI & F.
- Simplify the regulations: eg not two types of flathead or whiting. Simplify the different types of fish so that people cannot get the size and bag limits wrong. Most fisherman want to do the right thing and current regulations make fish legality and identification very stressful as families worry about whether they have a legal catch. Fishing should be family fun, even for the people who only do it a few times a year. By the time you get out your book, ID your catch if it is unfamiliar to you, then find out the size limit and try to put it back only to find it floats away, it takes a lot of the pleasure out of fishing. Not everyone knows the different types of fish, size and bag limits, we are not Pro's or marine scientists! We should not have to study a book before going fishing every time.
- Penalties: getting a criminal record when you are caught in a green zone - many concerns were raised - eg if you work for the gov and you get a criminal record you loose your job. - GBRMPA was at the meeting and he did say they were looking into the regulations for Yellow zones and the criminal record bit - he did not go into detail much. He feels that the zones are all based on science.
- Spear Fishermen: The spear fisherman feels they do less harm to the fish and environment than Recreational Fisherman, but they have more restrictions put on them. Discrimination.
-Conflict Try and find a way to remove the conflict between the Recreational and the Commercial fisherman.
- What to do with excess fish when bag limit inadvertently exceeded: Concerns over people reaching a bag limit then catching a bigger fish - what do they do? - put a smaller fish of the same type back – dead?
- Don't put a limit on a boat: just stick to bag limits per person, not a boat limit.
- Public awareness: not many people know about these meetings, a lot more could have been done to promote the meetings to the general public.
- Spawning Closures If a fish species is decline base on science put a spawning closure in place.
-More education on offence provisions, size limits etc: if it is correct about not getting a "normal" criminal record then what is it? Put out a publication with the size limit next to a photo of the fish in it. The fish photo should be one that could be mistaken for another fish.
- Marine Park Boundaries - they do not have fences out in the ocean and the maps do not give you good information - not everyone has a GPS. One comment - "If you are going to green zone a patch of reef, don't do most of it and leave a small bit on the end, it is very easy to anchor up and then your line drift back into the green zone, then what? I get caught, get a huge fine that I can't pay and a criminal conviction, it is just not fair, it is like you are trying to catch us out." The fines are way to big.
- Green Zones: Fisheries stressed many times they were not involved in and do not have control over Green zones.
- No Take Species: If you pull up a fish that is no take you have to put it back - most of the time it is from deep water and when you put it back it is dead, or will not survive. Put the bag limit to one, at least the fisherman will not feel like he/she is being ripped off and/or risk dire consequences. Fisheries are indicating that there will not be NO TAKE SPECIES inshore, unless sustainability issue eg shark. The Public feels the “sustainability issue” will be the tactic to implementation of No Take Species. The divers spoke about Barra Cod, no reason to have “no take” on them. No reason to be a “no take” on Chinaman fish. DPI & F said it is because of poison from the fish, but if this is the case shouldn't they have all fish that eat smaller fish, that eat smaller fish ect. You get the idea, that is what causes the poison.
-Other conditions that manage fish stocks are - if we get 2 or 3 weeks of wind and not many people will be catching fish - mother nature keeps the fish stock alive and well.
- Fisheries Management and Govt inconsistencies: One person said they rang up EPA or fisheries and asked about why have so many size/bag limits, why the green zones etc, and they were told it was because of G Warming. Another person told them, because of population growth and sustainable fish stocks for the future, and the pollution entering into the water. They rang up another gov dept and they were told that the zones were all based on these area not having sustainable fish stocks and these areas were being over fished. The depts should get the facts right and then be consistent.
Everyone agreed that Fishing should not be stressful and if we make a mistake we are only human - we should not be harshly punished, we can learn from our mistakes without getting put infront of the firing squad.
Regards Shane
Below is some of the topic of discussion at the Bundaberg, Tin can Bay and Noosa public meetings. There is a lot more that was discussed but this give you some idea of what is going on in other parts of the state. I strongly advise you all that need to find the time to attend the Public Meetings that is closest to you and go along and have your say.
Next meetings can be found following link http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb/16050.html#six
I personal feel that the DPI & F have got this one right and from what I can see this time round they are coming to us first and getting the information and then producing the proposals instead of the other way round. Please remember if you don’t attend these meetings down the track when the Management plan is completed you cant jump up and down because you didn’t get my say. I would also like to thank Ausfish Members Ziggy and Redspeckle for their input.
Fisheries overview: The most consistent concerns and comments accrued from all the Fin Fish Review Public Meetings will be collated and formulated into one document/proposal. Additional Public meetings will be scheduled for 2007 and the DPI & F will present the findings to the Public for further comment and refinement. Upon the completion of this process, the proposal will be presented to the Minister for approval and implementation.
Topics of Discussion
- Seasonal Closures eg it was discussed that the seasonal closure on Fraser Island for taylor was no long needed as it was put in place to protect the species because of the fact that we now have bags limits the DPI & F should look at removing the two month closure.
- Monitoring There should be better monitoring of the rivers and creeks in the state
- Enforcement Lack of DPI & F Officers to enforce the rules and make shaw that every one is doing the right thing. The 10 lt bucket on prawns was a prime example of people abusing the rules.
- Better communications between government departments and authorities like EPA, GBRMPA, Public and DPI & F.
- Simplify the regulations: eg not two types of flathead or whiting. Simplify the different types of fish so that people cannot get the size and bag limits wrong. Most fisherman want to do the right thing and current regulations make fish legality and identification very stressful as families worry about whether they have a legal catch. Fishing should be family fun, even for the people who only do it a few times a year. By the time you get out your book, ID your catch if it is unfamiliar to you, then find out the size limit and try to put it back only to find it floats away, it takes a lot of the pleasure out of fishing. Not everyone knows the different types of fish, size and bag limits, we are not Pro's or marine scientists! We should not have to study a book before going fishing every time.
- Penalties: getting a criminal record when you are caught in a green zone - many concerns were raised - eg if you work for the gov and you get a criminal record you loose your job. - GBRMPA was at the meeting and he did say they were looking into the regulations for Yellow zones and the criminal record bit - he did not go into detail much. He feels that the zones are all based on science.
- Spear Fishermen: The spear fisherman feels they do less harm to the fish and environment than Recreational Fisherman, but they have more restrictions put on them. Discrimination.
-Conflict Try and find a way to remove the conflict between the Recreational and the Commercial fisherman.
- What to do with excess fish when bag limit inadvertently exceeded: Concerns over people reaching a bag limit then catching a bigger fish - what do they do? - put a smaller fish of the same type back – dead?
- Don't put a limit on a boat: just stick to bag limits per person, not a boat limit.
- Public awareness: not many people know about these meetings, a lot more could have been done to promote the meetings to the general public.
- Spawning Closures If a fish species is decline base on science put a spawning closure in place.
-More education on offence provisions, size limits etc: if it is correct about not getting a "normal" criminal record then what is it? Put out a publication with the size limit next to a photo of the fish in it. The fish photo should be one that could be mistaken for another fish.
- Marine Park Boundaries - they do not have fences out in the ocean and the maps do not give you good information - not everyone has a GPS. One comment - "If you are going to green zone a patch of reef, don't do most of it and leave a small bit on the end, it is very easy to anchor up and then your line drift back into the green zone, then what? I get caught, get a huge fine that I can't pay and a criminal conviction, it is just not fair, it is like you are trying to catch us out." The fines are way to big.
- Green Zones: Fisheries stressed many times they were not involved in and do not have control over Green zones.
- No Take Species: If you pull up a fish that is no take you have to put it back - most of the time it is from deep water and when you put it back it is dead, or will not survive. Put the bag limit to one, at least the fisherman will not feel like he/she is being ripped off and/or risk dire consequences. Fisheries are indicating that there will not be NO TAKE SPECIES inshore, unless sustainability issue eg shark. The Public feels the “sustainability issue” will be the tactic to implementation of No Take Species. The divers spoke about Barra Cod, no reason to have “no take” on them. No reason to be a “no take” on Chinaman fish. DPI & F said it is because of poison from the fish, but if this is the case shouldn't they have all fish that eat smaller fish, that eat smaller fish ect. You get the idea, that is what causes the poison.
-Other conditions that manage fish stocks are - if we get 2 or 3 weeks of wind and not many people will be catching fish - mother nature keeps the fish stock alive and well.
- Fisheries Management and Govt inconsistencies: One person said they rang up EPA or fisheries and asked about why have so many size/bag limits, why the green zones etc, and they were told it was because of G Warming. Another person told them, because of population growth and sustainable fish stocks for the future, and the pollution entering into the water. They rang up another gov dept and they were told that the zones were all based on these area not having sustainable fish stocks and these areas were being over fished. The depts should get the facts right and then be consistent.
Everyone agreed that Fishing should not be stressful and if we make a mistake we are only human - we should not be harshly punished, we can learn from our mistakes without getting put infront of the firing squad.
Regards Shane