ABC radio hosts debate on bay closures

[Mike Delisser]

Did anyone hear the debate on 612 ABC this morning, speaking were the enviroment minister and the president of the seafood assoc but no rec fishing spokesperson? Is there one?
The minister quickly dissmissed the rec lockout as only 15% and they will just find new spots with the seafood pres agreeing and later when the minister said something needs to be done to reduce the rec catch to help save the fish stocks the seafood industry spokesman agreed telling the listeners the rec take in the bay is far greater than the pros. Hardly a united front.
Cheers
Mike

[nonibbles]

What percentage of viable inshore fishery equates to 15% of the bay? My guess would be somewhere above 70% but that is only a guess based upon tactics used for closures elsewhere (up north)

[Horse]

I have never been in favour of aligning with the commercial sector. We compete with each other for a shared resource. THey will fight tooth and nail for their share of a resource that is coming under increasing pressure from pollution and habitat loss.

Certain commercial practices are wastefull and do considerable environmental degredation to fish habitats as well as associated bycatch issue. We have previously fought the pro's on ring netting Spotted Mackeral and in the beach netting of tailor. I can see future issues with inshore trawling and certain forms of netting.

Pro line fishing, Crabbing and some trawling probably do minimal envoronmental damage and produce high quality products for consumers and should be supported while other methods that are either wastefull or habitat destroying should be fought against by rec fishos

We should not be part of the same lobby group. At times our objectives will be aligned such as in the fight against pollution but at other times we will be fighting for our share of the resource and the long term sustainability of our fisheries

Neil

[Chris Ryan]

Hi All,

The ABC were supposed to call and notify us when this was happening. The arrangement was supposed to be with representatives across the commercial and recreational sectors - I am astonished they didn't have the courtesy to even call and say we were not going to be there. Didn't even get a chance to ring through and pose questions.

Chris

[RayDeR]

G'day!

Chris O'Brien, the (stand in) announcer on 612 mornings is normally their State political reporter. He has admitted to "not being a fisher'" a number of times. So he does not know fishing but knows the State politicians.

I wonder if some Rec Fishermen should invite him to become educated as to what the problem is from our point of view.

It may also be an idea to educate a few "pollies" by taking them ona fishing tour.

The late Tom Burns was a great spokesperson for Rec Fishermen. Have we identified any other person with a similar profile who can assist us? Was it Matt Hayden who is a keen fisherman? I seem to think there were other high profile local sports people who "go fishing" but can't think who they are.

We need to identify those who stand with us and can give their influence to our words.

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Ray de R

[Fafnir]

I think it's short sighted for groups such as the seafood industry, commercial fishermen and even diving bodies to split ranks like this. There is a time to fight each other, but getting into bed with the enemy to try and further their own interests will ultimately come back and bite them on the bum.

I feel for the MBAA in this. Trying to get all sectors to agree would be like trying to heard cats. All this twit of a president has done is to give the opposition ammunition that will eventually be used against them. We should ALL be sticking to the fact that fishing in the bay is sustainable just the way it is. Stating anything else will come back against them in the future.

[Fafnir]

I would suggest that we tee up whoever it is that is the spokes person for rec fishing, ideally we would have more than one, and include a scientist on our side, and then bombard the ABC with emails and letters until they give us an opportunity to present our side of the argument.

Whoever goes up needs to know their facts, and needs to be well spoken and not easily rattled. If the announcer/producer of the show has left us out, and we get air time with them through harrassing them, it's likely that they will be trying to trip our spokes person up during any interview.

[flick]

This point of view has been floated for a couple of years. A High profile person that the media would go to for a point of view or response when a green point of view is put forward. A science based person also. TV and print love a good stoush. This is our best way of being heard.

Imagine a photo on the front page of the Courier with the premier, , ET, Haydos or the like. All on the bay, on a boat talking fishing.

[Mike Delisser]

Believe it or not, the majority of the public would be behind the Gov on this issue.
They see and hear all the publicity surrounding turtle & dugong deaths (different issue we know but the most of the public don't).
They would think 15% of the bay closed leaves 85% left for the rec fisherman, what's he complaining about.
They hear about all the bycatch trawlers kill.
There are hundreds of people where I work and those that know about the closures don't have a problem with it or don't care. A few are only concerned about the price of seafood going up and just a couple of guys who arn't worried because their fishing spots will be ok.
We need to get more of the public behind us on this, if I were with the pros I'd be down at cleveland giving away free seafood to the public to highlight their 50% lockout, that would bring the press.
Whoever is organizing the rec fisherman's defence should be taking the field reporters from all the radio & tv stations out on the the water to do stories showing our side, showing kids catching fish then letting them go, ect ect. Surely 4BC would help us out.
BTW who is organizing the rec fishermans defence, the greens are cashed up and have guys with degrees in media studies organizing theirs?
Mike

[Chris Ryan]

Hi all,

We have some good support behind us after some serious meeting the last couple of days. All will be revealed in due course.

As for the ABC seeing as the "back-up" crew are on air (and I daresay production) then I think the details fell through the cracks. There will be some on air stuff coming over the next day or so, tune in and ring in for support when you hear it. The more of the station lines we can chock up with support for the family rec fisho, the better.

We need to make noise, lots and lots of noise people. Jeremy's great letter to the Courier Mail shows that it will get printed. Smash them with like letters. Talkback, ring up, voice your disgust that the EPA are doing this and have shut out the DPI and are letting pollution grow which is the real issue. How they have an unbalanced attitude to Environmental Protection by letting the 2nd Runway project suck 150million tonnes of sand out of a SEAGRASS area (yup for the dugong and turtles they want to save) BUT be clear with your speak, be polite and articulate and most of all do not get sucked into a debate on something you are not comfortable or have an understanding of. If they lead you that way, just apologise politely and say you do not know the answer.

Any questions about this, just let me know.

Cheers,
Chris

[Mike Delisser]

BTW who is organizing the rec fishermans defence
Mike

??????
Mike

[Chris Ryan]

The defence is coming from several areas, the MBAA, Sunfish and you & me and our friends in fishing.

We as fisho's should stand up for ourselves for a change. Yeah, the greens are cashed up - you know why, because they went through the hard yards and stood together on all their agendas. This issue is our agenda - it is the last great bastion of a Bay on the East Coast of the country. The greens want it, I say to them piss off it is fine how it is, has 46% protection of different forms already and the fisheries managers, DPI&F, tell us & the Government it is sustainable.

So to make this a political issue, we need to make noise and lots of it. The Rally is one thing but it doesn't stop there. There is 1/3 of all QLD registered boats in the SE corner who would use Moreton Bay in some shape or form. 80% of those boats are used for fishing according to industry data. So if these people all write a letter to the papers, their local member and call talk back radio - do you think that will get attention? Add a rally to this mix it makes lots of noise.

This noise assists the MBAA and Sunfish in their approaches. It all works together to make a potent force. If we don't mobilse ourselves, we can't expect someone else to do it for us and in the end only have ourselves to blame.

Chris

[RayDeR]

G'day Chris!

You say " As for the ABC seeing as the "back-up" crew are on air " (and I daresay production "

Do you know the real situation? On ABC 612 there are 5 regular Brisbane based presenters. Only one, Madonna King who presents from 8.30am to 11am is on holidays. Her replacement Chris O'Brien is the ABC State Political Reporter and the person who hosted the discussion referred to in this thread. I think you would get a more intelligent interview and undertanding from Chris then you would with Madonna.

So what fell through the cracks?

Ray De R

[Chris Ryan]

Wish I knew Ray.

I made the 'back-up crew' comment based on what has happened in a lot of other radio stations over this past week with people and presenters fishing up for the year. Looks like I was wrong with that assumption in regards to the ABC 612.

I will be calling them this morning to have a chat about what happened and see if we can't get another go.

Chris

[craftycarp]

I love how we are supposed to align with the pros yet they will back stab us.. I am actually quite happy if the WHOLE bay is closed to the seafood industry! Never get into bed with a Rabbid dog!