One Hook in Yellow Zones.

[elprez]

Funny how restrictions change from park to park. Yellow zones in gssnz read one line one hook for rec fishos, no restrictions on netters in fact gov. to maintain present pro levels. This one realy got up my nose.

[kc]

While vowing to keep my nose out of these threads and leave it to others to pick up the ball it is the case that the TFPQ submission put to the EPA in respect of Yellow zone rules in the rezoning of Hervey Bay were adopted and the one line one hook restrictions do not apply to the Great Sandy Straighst yellow zones.

I have a personal note from then minister Boyle to that affect.

It may pay to follow the same line of argument and the GSS submission is available for those who wish to pursue this matter.

You will be faced with the ludicrous situation where NQ Yellow zone rules, are different to Great Sandy Straights Yellow Zone rules are different to SE Yellow Zone rules....all intent on making it so bloody confusing that it just becomes to complex and one of lifes simple pleasures...stops being simple and goes in the "too hard" basket.

KC

[Lucky_Phill]

Good to see ya put ya nose in again Kev.

The ' then ' minister will have no impact on the current/ about to be implemented Yellow Zones , whether they be GSS or MBMP.

I see no advantage in having ' different ' rules for Yellow zones and you could right, Kev, easier to confuse the public than educate them. A little knowledge etc etc.....

As stated above, the ' one hook ' rule is inconsequential when bag and size limits are the governing factor for recreational anglers.

I also agree that a Yellow Zone restricts commercial netting. There is significant data to support the ceasing of commercial netting in estuaries and passages, like the Pumicestone.

A prime example of a sustainable fishery is the Nerang River. It is amazing that the fishery is so good, despite development and recreational fishing pressure, this can can only be put down to the river never being open to commercial netting.

Phill

[kc]

Couldn't agree more Phil,

Just that those doing submission might like to follow the same line of argument we mounted with the EPA in respect of Hervey Bay.

Below is an extract from the GSS submission document and this line of thinking must have pressed the right buttons somewhere in the ivory towers.

Modify this to suit the Bay and firs to off.

KC


That the One Line One Hook policy drafted for the GSS yellow/purple zone by rejected in favour of recreational bag limits for all regulated finfish species and a TAC imposed on commercial fisheries working in the GSS.



It is a long held belief that 10% of the fishermen, catch 90% of the fish.

Skilled anglers are just that, skilled, usually as a result of a lifetime obsession with the sport and a natural affinity with the water.

As an angler’s skill base improves they move away from the grass roots of the sport and move towards lure, fly and in many cases blue water game fishing.

Generally they retain a connection with the roots of the sport and take time out to enjoy the “fishing for food” aspect and when they do, it is usually with a great degree of success.

These are, by nature, 1 line, 1-hook fishers. They will carefully target a specific species and use their knowledge gained from years on the water to ensure success.

A particular stage of tide, moon or seasonal conditions, often pinpoint placement of bait, lure or fly, the skill the top 10% possess is typical of any sportsperson involved at the upper end of their field.

The rest of us, the 90% mere mortals, fish for an entirely different reason and with much less intensity.

We fish to enjoy just being on the water, to hopefully locate an area with some fish holding potential and to spread our options, by way of 2 or 3 different rods/baits/lures in the hope of actually catching a fish.

It is not greed or wanting to catch more fish that encourages an angler to fish with more than 1 rod. It the hope of catching any fish or alternately a variety of fish which dictated the way the 90% of fishers enjoy their sport.

The proposal by several tears of Government to restrict recreational fishing to 1 line, 1 hook in Yellow/Purple zones displays both a lack of understanding on behalf of the law makers of just how and why people fish, as well as a lack of understanding as to how such restrictions will impact both environmentally and economically.

. What the new zoning laws will mean is that a time honored method of recreational fishing, enjoyed by the 90% majority of fishers, will now no longer be legal.

The activity of sitting in a boat along a sand bank on a falling tide, flicking a worm or yabby into the shallows in the hope of a whiting, while at the same time a cut bait drifts back on the drop off for bream and perhaps even a live bait is cast out into deeper water in the hope of a flathead.

For fishers in a reef environment this can manifest itself in a standard bottom fishing trip being supplemented by floating bait well behind the boat hoping for a mackerel.

This is a standard practice and how “we” fish. Do we catch more fish because of this…debatable. Do we target several different species in the same area…most definitely?

As an example if a 1L1H policy is put in place then average fisher will, if they still fish, spend all of their energy targeting the most common species..say whiting. They will catch more whiting as a result but likely very few of the occasional species targeted with alternate lines…flathead, bream etc.

A skilled angler using 1L1H will catch far more fish than the 90% of bait soakers who like to cover a few bases at once and enforcement of a 1L1H policy will lessen the impact on some species and heighten the impact on others.

The issue is, will people still fish in a 1H1L area.

Demonstrably the answer is no.

Included in this document are figures compiled by KPMG in regards the drop out rate and subsequent effects on business of the Great Barrier Reef rezoning.



If you take what was simple, easy pleasure to many people and then overregulate, complicate and demonize it, people leave the sport.



To use an analogy some will understand
If you tell a golfer he/she can still play their favorite course, but with only 4 clubs you lessen their enjoyment of that course and leave them with choices.

Still play golf but not enjoy it as much

Find a new course which lets you play the way you enjoy.

Give up golf.

The message a 1H1L policy sends to the community is Recreational Fishing is tolerated but not really welcome. This is the message it sends our children, this is clearly the message it send to potential visitors and holidaymakers and it is a message you send to people intending to move and retire in Hervey Bay.

The EPA’s “Draft Public benefits test” document, on page 15, says in part “ is expected to experience economic growth, including significant flow-on effects to related industries (e.g. bait & tackle shops)”

This “expectation” is in fact wrong….and demonstrably wrong. A similar “expectation” was put forward by the GBRMPA as part of its rezoning and now the evidence is to hand which proves such moves are economically devastating for these industries.


Again, using a golfing analogy, it is better to play 9 holes the way you enjoy than 18 with 4 clubs.
Let recreational fishers enjoy the way they fish but by all means, if some evidence exists which indicates we are placing too much pressure on the fishery, then restrict the number of fish we are able to catch by bag limits.

If restricting the catch is not the purpose of the 1L1H policy in Yellow/Purple zones, then what is the purpose?

The effect will be to severely curtail the involvement in the sport….so to this end, will achieve a reduction in pressure but at what social and economic cost?
We have already, too many fat little kids sitting in front of TV sets and here is one family pastime, fundamental to the lifestyle of Hervey Bay, about to be destroyed.
This is one of the very few cross generational sports in this country. A sport where 3 generations can sit, enjoy and more importantly, participate on an equal footing. Don’t destroy this please. It has been partially destroyed in NQ and people demonstrated their disappointment at the polls.

[whadda]

as a new member it has been great to read about concerns of this nature, I am fairly new to off shore fishing, and have found these threads to be very eye opening,,ihave talked to alot of guys about the zones and rules that are placed on us ,, and it was alarming the amount of people that just can't be bothered going out anymore just because it is so hard to know if you are doing the right thing or not,, or in the right place (for those without GPS)or even if you have the right fish and or length on board,,, the whole one hook thing is a bit silly though,,

thanks for my say

Whadda

[Mark Malcolm]

On the subject of 1 Line 1 hand for the designated yellow zones, could someone please clarify to whether this includes restrictions on number of rods/lines onboard at that point in time.

I regularly use multiple rods when lure fishing for bream simply to eliminate time wasted tying knots/leaders to try out a different lure/size jig head.

With this also if you are wanting to both lure fish and fly fish are you allowed to have both rod's on board at the same time.... or will one of these rods need to be left at the boat ramp in the car/sun?

Cheers,

Mark

[Scott nthQld]

no it doesn't affect how many lines you can have onboard, you can even still have them rigged, ready to go. As long as the extra rods are stowed either in the boat or rod holders and they are not in the water they are fine. The same principal applies in green zones, except no fishing, you can still have rigged lines but they can't be in the water.

[Gary Fooks]

Same BS as in the Great Sandy Straights debacle. They were always going to use this one.

The problem you face is you expect then to make sense and do something logical. If you can get that out of your mind, you may start to understand.

Their aim is for us all to be vegetarians, and like rust; they want to break us down, a little here, a little there.