Boating & fisheries patrol, visible presence

[PinHead]

saw the fisheries in Whalleys Gutter today..writing an infringement notice for a couple of blokes in a tinny.

[f.t.r.]

i have been checked twice in three years

once while going through the rous channel from the e.p.a. and once near peel by the water police.

recieved 'stern warning' while near rous, still not sure why. i was not in go-slow area, that didn't matter to them, i was of the understanding i could be where i was, they told me i wasn't where i was. all that money on a you beaut g.p.s. and no one wanted to see it. they took my details and sped off straight across the banks.

both of these times i did not have my catch checked.

i am thirty now, and still have memories of fishing with my father in moreton bay.
every second weekend we would greet the harbours and marine mob at the ramp for a check of the catch.

that was over twenty years ago, maybe some practices back then were worthwhile. no one seems to care much anymore.

i thought we were supposed to be smarter than back then. sad really

matty

[seamaid]

HI Fellows
pulled up several times here in Hervey Bay,the younger fisheries guys are a bit toey, when you here some stories of old people being book its out of line to me
Isuppose they can say their only doing their job.
CHEERS

[thargor]

Take into account that the number of Fisheries Inspectors for Brisbane and surrounding area has not changed since the early 80's.

Take into account that its not uncommon for budget contraints to stop patrol activity over weekends.

Take into account that the turnover of inspectors has increased markedly and that the patrol is losing those with good local knowledge and enforcement skills. This is mainly due to other agencies poaching inspectors due to better pay and working conditions.

Take into account a huge increase in boating activity in Queensland waters and that overall inspector numbers has remained unchanged in the last 10 years.

Take into account the increase in "accountability" leading to "red tape" and "paperwork" and so more time spent in the office.

Take into account the change in the nature of work performed from just enforcing fisheries to enforcing marine safety, GBRMPA zoning and Marine Park zoning and the associated "tick the box" paperwork. This leads to less contacts overall.

Thats why its likely you will see less of them.

[Burley_Boy]

hmm, spent a week on a house boat last week.
Mid week just north of slipping sands (south end or North Straddie) we pulled up mid morning to moor and do a bit of wake boarding. The buggers come up and moor just in our perfect run but you get that then they sat there watching TV all bloody day.
The kids inspected the boat well with the binoculars (75m away) they referred to the "lady midget" the tall blond chick and the guy/girl with a mow. Kept the kids amused for hours and the fisheries guys pulling the curtains (but they didn't have enough).
Maybe they have a relaxation outing for the execs who knows but they spent the day/night moored and watching telly.
In the morning they were still moored but the inflatible was gone. Maybe they went off to get milk.

[texas4qld]

We ran into the fisheries patrol at Donnybrook (just near Bribie Island) They pulled us up on the water and asked a few brief questions, checked our boat rego and life jackets etc. Another patrol pulled up next to them, but they were polite and didn't muck us around too much.
The next day a different patrol pulled up at our camp and asked to see what mud crabs we had in our esky, Again they were very polite but I was kinda over it by that stage.
I've never seen them out on moreton bay.

[Rodman]

Mate

Watched the fisheries guys checking boats at the boat ramp at Carlo Point Rainbow Beach at Xmas time and they caught two boats without enough life jackets.

One of the young fellows was mouthing off and the boat driver got a ticket. The other boat got off with a warning for the same thing.
It pays to be humble on occasions

Ken

[mik01]

got pulled up by the water police on Sunday at Mud.
nice blokes - we had all the correct gear on board so no worries.

yeah I agree with Ken above - pays to be polite and humble to an extent. your mouthing off could be the difference between a good and bad day for them, which means you could be in for a bad day in return if you have anything slightly amiss on your boat in realation to correct gear etc.

[oldboot]

I can't believe that there are still, mentaly defficients out there who think they can be anything but polite to police and get away with it

cheers

[Horse]

Hows it going guys
been inspected twice this year once by fisheries when i was tied of to Neils (HORSE) boat trying to get the motor started the decided to smash ito his boat while we were trying to cross load batteries and by the water police at the Manly ramp the other day. The water police were a good bunch of blokes who had a bit of chat before moving to another ramp

I remember that case very well. Middle of the shipping channel, two boats without batteries (we had transferred ours to Russ)and theyF%#% us around for 10 mins and then P*%$ off. They certainly smashed into us very hard while rafted up and then left us drifting. No seamanship and IMHO the fools should be off the water

Last weekend we had a visit from two female fisheries officers. They were friendly and exhibited perfect boating etiquette. I certainly had no problem with them coming overand support their work whole heartedly.

Neil

[oldboot]

Did you say female fisheries officers?



So are we going to do the jokes or take them as done & chuckle quietly to ourselves .

cheers

[punter]

I went for a walk on the old Hornibrook Highway this afternoon, if their would have been any fishing inspectors they would have been writing a few tickets as I saw 2 different people using cast nets that were to big and their was other people that had bream in their buckets that were about 20cm.

I walk the bridge most Sundays and it is the same scenero every time people taking undersize bream and whiting and people using oversize cast nets but from what I have just read in a previous article if your going to break the laws do it on a weekend or public holiday as your chance of getting caught appear to be nil.