Sunfish Bill tell ABC clossures are ok

[Jeremy]

So I thik we should be happy that EPA is doing some of the job that DPI&F should have done years ago

Dunno where you are getting your information from. I think the DPI&F have been doing a good job managing the fishery. There is no evidence of any commercial or rec species which are overfished or threatened. The DPI&F has just produced a RIS on the East Coast Fin Fishery which proposed much tighter bag limits on higher size limits on a whole range of fish. A proactive measure. There is no scientific evidence that MP NTAs (no take areas or green zones) will have any positive effect on fish stocks.

Jeremy

[Jeremy]

G'day!

Sunfish Representative (President?) Bill Turner was on ABC 612 talking to Peter Gooch.

Bill told Peter that Sunfish represents the recreational fisherman and that basically the 15% closure is not a problem.

He said there is a lot of second hand and false information around. He encouraged everyone to go the EPA websuite and have a look at the closures for themselves.

Bill said you will see it is only a small area and so no problems for the rec fisher.

You can email Peter Gooch at the ABC on : gooch.peter@abc.net.au

RayDeR

well Ray, now you have been called a liar. Are you? Do you have something against Sunfish? Made me look like a d-head for contacting Sunfish and making them follow up on this. What is going on Ray?

Jeremy

[Fafnir]

"Fafnir"- Shouldn't it be up to the Sunfish members to demand Bill Turner resigns from THEIR organization (if warranted)?

To start with, I did say 'IF' the alleged comments were true, that he should stand down. If he did not make those comments, nothing I said in relation to Bill and his position have any relevance.

But as for should it be up to the members, yes ultimately it would be, but as far as I am concerned, if Sunfish are seen to be representative of recreational anglers, and I am a recreational angler, then I have ever right to be outraged at any comments they make, as they are seen to be commenting on my behalf. If a minister says/does the wrong thing, it is the OPPOSITION, and/or general public that demand that they stand down, not typically their own party members. So I stand by my comments.

As for getting off my backside and checking out Sunfish for myself, or worse still needing to become a member or join them, surely that is a joke. As far as I am concerned they either a) make it crystal clear that they only represent their membership, and not all recreational anglers or b) they go to the effort to find out the views of ALL recreational anglers through surveys, feedback forms etc. Option c) of course would be that they keep their comments/opinions out of the press.

I personally do not like yellow zones (and NO I AM NOT, NOR HAVE I EVER BEEN A PRO-FISHERMAN). So someone from an organisation that apparent represents me stating that they don't have a problem with yellow zones gives me every right to be furious. As I said, speaking on behalf of their members is fine, but speaking on behalf of recreational anglers as a whole is not acceptable. Comments like that simply make it harder for those people who are trying to fight the current draft zoning plan.

As I stated Sunfish DO NOT REPRESENT ME and I am a recreational angler.

[kitty_cat]

regy
this is what sunfish are good for telling you what you want to here
i have not yet seen much good come out off sun fish for us reco guys i think webbys got it right

[regy]

To Jeremy for a decade scientists and reseachers have told us that tailor are a threatned spicies, it has taken fisheries that long to put the legal size up to 35 cm to put a bag limit , and close Fraser Is. to Tailor netting. This is just an exmple of what goes on behind the closed doors of Fisheries. Politics rules your fishing not science, even now the scientific recomendations for Tailor size limit is 40cm. current graphs and infofmation show rapid decline in many spicies, if you want an examnple ,what ever happned to the Brisbane Perch. Be warned Geremy just brcause you are told something isn't wrong ,does't mean it isn't, Goverment feeds on votes not sustainability, whish is why we have the MBAA

[seatime]

I was listening to that ABC program when comments were made by Bill Turner.
At the time I thought "what the! why is he saying this?". On first impression it did come across as him not opposed to the EPA plans, and I don't think I'm the only one who heard it that way.
Obviously this wasn't what he said and without the benefit of a recording of the 'interview' questions asked, reponses given, and used in the correct context, I'll take Dave Bateman's explanation that he didn't say it.

cheers, and keep up the good work Sunfish.

[Mike Delisser]

Fafnir, Of course Sunfish doesn't represent you, it represents it's members & affiliats, 45,000 in total, 100% of whom are recreational anglers.
The 45,000 make it the peak rec angling body in Qld.
It's quite simple realy.
If you start up a organization and get 45,001 members then your mob would get a seat at the table and the media would be calling you.

BTW Local paper advises EPA staff will be at the Sandgete Community Centre
153 Rainbow St between 6p & 8p on Jan 24 to answer questions on MB Draft Plan.

[regy]

It seems the MBAA doesn't support Green Zones, Yellow Zones, or Dark Blue Zones so what is left, light blue zones, and I think commercial fishing has little or no restrictions in them, wouldn't that be good for recreational anglers.

[regy]

By the way anybody who would like to have a face to face discussion with Bill Turner about Sunfish or that he thinks of the EPA's Draft plan I can arrange that just post your Name & Ph. No and I will ring you.

[Luc]

So Sunfish does'nt represent you because you were not asked for your opinion!!

Sunfish operates throught its local branches and receives plenty of feedback from them. The branches are well aware of the local issues from both their members and Rec fishers who don't wait to be asked.

When the Finfish and Moreton Bay proposals came out, did you read, digest, analyse and then drafted a response?

Do you also keep an eye for other initiatives that may affect Rec fishers?

Sunfish and it's branches did and does.

Also, the Qld government views SUNFISH Qld as the peak body representing rec fishers.
If you don't like the way Sunfish is run or operates, don't just winge, do something about it.
Get other who think like you to join your local branch, get elected to your local branch executive or even the state executive.

You won't change anything unless you participate or is participating too much bother!!

Luc

[PinHead]

So Sunfish does'nt represent you because you were not asked for your opinion!!

Sunfish operates throught its local branches and receives plenty of feedback from them. The branches are well aware of the local issues from both their members and Rec fishers who don't wait to be asked.

When the Finfish and Moreton Bay proposals came out, did you read, digest, analyse and then drafted a response?

Do you also keep an eye for other initiatives that may affect Rec fishers?

Sunfish and it's branches did and does.

Also, the Qld government views SUNFISH Qld as the peak body representing rec fishers.
If you don't like the way Sunfish is run or operates, don't just winge, do something about it.
Get other who think like you to join your local branch, get elected to your local branch executive or even the state executive.

You won't change anything unless you participate or is participating too much bother!!

Luc

A question Luc..who funds Sunfish????

[Moonlighter]

It seems the MBAA doesn't support Green Zones, Yellow Zones, or Dark Blue Zones so what is left, light blue zones, and I think commercial fishing has little or no restrictions in them, wouldn't that be good for recreational anglers.

Perhaps Regy, you simply don't understand MBAA's position, which I have already stated quite clearly on this post, or alternatively you are going very close to intentionally misrepresenting our work - I'm not sure how that sort of behaviour would be viewed by the Mods if it carries on.

It really is becoming quite offensive for you to bandy about these rediculous and totally unfounded accusations of a commercial conspiracy/takeover/agenda of MBAA or whatever you want to call it, when nothing could be further from the truth. If you want to discuss the real facts with me, PM me and I'm happy to talk. Happy to meet you at my recreational Club, the Redlands Boat Club, where I am a former fishing captain and have been a member of the boating and fishing events committee over many years. Hope that establishes my rec sector credentials enough to satisfy you. Both MBAA's Chairman, Bruce Alvey (AFTA and also, as it happens, on Sunfish board) and Deputy Chairman (me) are from the rec side of things. Enough said.

Regardless, it is time you realised that all groups are doing things in their own ways and for the good cause we all support.

Unless of course under your alias, you are really one of AMCS's operatives deliberately trying to create a rift in the fishing ranks, which is exactly what the anti-fishing lobby would love to see. If you're not, then you can prove it simply by stopping these divisive posts.

I will say again to everyone that I think it would be better if all of the major groups were 100% together on this matter. MBAA does talk to Sunfish people regularly, but in my opinion if they came on board with us even at this late stage it would send a powerful message of solidarity to the Govt, surely!

You might not know that an Ausfish poll in 2007 showed that around 70% of us agreed that rec and commercial need to stand together to present a united front to EPA on this rezoning. And that, on a site dedicated to the rec fishing sector, says a lot to me about how most rec people are easily clever enough to see the big picture.

Grant

[PinHead]

Fafnir, Of course Sunfish doesn't represent you, it represents it's members & affiliats, 45,000 in total, 100% of whom are recreational anglers.
The 45,000 make it the peak rec angling body in Qld.
It's quite simple realy.
If you start up a organization and get 45,001 members then your mob would get a seat at the table and the media would be calling you.

BTW Local paper advises EPA staff will be at the Sandgete Community Centre
153 Rainbow St between 6p & 8p on Jan 24 to answer questions on MB Draft Plan.

Oh but according to Sunfish they do represent all of us..so they say.
I would love to see where they get 45000 members from.
From the Sunfish website:

"Representing all recreational anglers as well as members, SUNFISH QLD is the state’s peak recreational fishing group and consults all the major Statewide fishing organizations such as:"

see..they say all rec anglers..therefore shouldn't they be consulting us if they claim to represent us..if not then I suggest they do not make these claims.

[craftycarp]

quite frankly who gives a toss about the pros they aren't on ourside and like someone said if your a pro go find your own website.

If you think the pros are on our side you really need to read this thread.
http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/sho...d.php?t=121030

If the pros had half a chance they would lock us out of their areas faster than any greeny!

[Luc]

Hi Pinhead,

Sunfish Qld gets grants from the State and Federal government, donations and affilliation fees from its members and branches.

The bulk of the $$ from the Qld govt and all the Feb govt grants get used on community projects (Take A Kid Fishing Days and similar, Angler education, Instructor training, etc...).

Part of the Qld grant money is used to cover runing expenses.

Sunfish Qld is also trying to get funding from corporate sources.

Now, I'm certain many will say Aha, Qld govt money so they're in the government's pocket and won't to anything to risk loosing that funding.

As I've said before, Sunfish Qld tries to remain politically neutral so it can work with the government of the day whether Labour, Liberal, Coalition etc..

Getting in bed with a political party would serve no purpose other than damage Sunfish Qld's reputation as a provider of advice/information based on science and members' feedback.

Naturally, the ideal situation would be enough corporate $$ and especially membership fees/donations so that none of the running expenses are met from government $$.

Qld has around 750,000 rec fishers. It would be great if 50,000 would be prepared to give $10/year to Sunfish. With that sort of $$ to meet expenses, Sunfish could employ scientists to work on project to help rec fishers.

Unfortunately, I can't see that happening to either Sunfish or any other similar organisation. In Australia, the average fisher is simply not prepared to fund an organisation to represent them. They're happy to whine, winge and then curse.

Luc

For more info on SUNFISH http://www.sunfishqld.com.au/