Moreton Bay.... I'm Sorry !

[Chris Ryan]

The Moreton Bay Marine Park Zoning Plan 2008/9 is a joint Departmental bill co-signed by the EPA and the DPI&F - that's why the department didn't stand up against the EPA, their Minister wouldn't let them.

I use the snapper re-stocking as an example and would be 100% supportive of any restocking system for any species deemed to be required. I just think people in power all too quickly dismiss restocking as a solution to sustainability rather than locking it away. I am sure if the balance of bag limits, closed seasons etc equaled restocking programs that the biomass of fish would be sustainable forever and a day. They do need habitat so once again supportive of arti reef systems. Trouble is the $1m put aside for one in Moreton might buy one reef ball after all the red tape, research, paper shuffling and Government process eats up $950,000 of it.

Chris

[Lovey80]

Chris, havent we read on hear many times that DPI-F's own research suggests that the fishery is fine and sustainable? If so there can be only a few options for them going along with this farce..........1. At the time of printing they were trying to justify thier own jobs and printing results that weren't actually true to make out they were making a difference. Something that I highly doubt as the raping of fish stocks pre bag and size limmit reforms has been haulted.... a measure we all have seen a benefit from. 2. DPI-F are powerless and gutless to the EPA and the green movement when it comes to using the argument of greenzones and fish sustainability.

If the EPA actually believed DPI-F's reports that the bay and region is sustainable as a whole and had to take 'the experts view' and didnt use fish sustainability argument and stuck to thier turtle gugong story then they would probably have a bit more credibillity but they don't and are trying to propegate the propaganda from every angle as it is more for us to defend right?

Am I wrong in my understanding of this whole mess? Have i missed something. Please pull me up if i'm making a senseless un fact based argument so I can contribute more effectivley to these types of threads.

As far as I am concerned right now, DPI-F should be the sole provider for research and regulation on fisheries management (albeit with a significantly better budget..... probably taken from EPA's) and EPA should be looking after environmental issues solely like foreshore management, weedbed management, urban runoff!

Sorry for the long post.


Cheers

Chris

Am I being unfair with this ussumption?

[Lovey80]

Sorry I forgot to add.... Give me the million dollars and Ill garantee you see a million dollars worth of reef! If we had a real Gov't with some balls the arti reefs would go like this. Gov't TELLS EPA that several arti reefs are to installed in the bay.... Surely with all the money they have wasted researching the bay and its 'jewels' they already know of area's that would be good for this. EPA gives restrictions on types of structure that can be sunk...heaps of research from all over the world done on this. DPI-F gives their oppinion on likely good area's for them. A decision is made(in conjuction between the two) where the reefs are to be set. (not only that one but for many more too). The QLD Gov't requests the help of the 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment and 21 Construction Regiment (Engineers Based at Enoggera) through the federal government. The two regiments get directed as part of their construction/watermanship training budgets to assist when time is available from the federal govt. The million dollars is spent purely on things like construction materials for making moulds and concrete for reef balls/fuel costs etc and they use army equipment (Floating Support bridge capable of holding 70t at a time) Army working divers (integral to both units) to build the reefs is a series of training exercises.

These types of tasks are done every year by Engineer Regiments in the Army, they have construction and Watermanship budgets purely for the sake of maintaining soldiers skillsets and training value. Roughly every 2 years 21 Construction Regiment spends 9 months away building houses for indigenous people in very remote locations. Why not have them build something of purpose in thier own back yards, they would get so see their wives every night and LOVE to do the work. The man power required would not even be that big and would have it done in record time. Let them name it after something militarily significant and they can use the reefs too!

I can imagine the reports in 5 years time.... Bagged out on Gallipoli today or got smoked at ANZAC last night?

Not that hard in a real world but im sure these useless beaurocrats could screw that up and of course Im dreaming because our current pollies are all gutless.
Sorry for the spelling.

Cheers

Chris

[JIMBO99]

jimbo99
So you think rec. fishermen can sway the government? How many recreational fishing party members do we have in any government ,State Federal, or the senate standing up for the common mans right to catch fish for food. er! none!!!
How many green party members are there offering their election failure votes to the major parties, LABOUR LIBERAL. er! heaps I suppose.
who do you think the elected government is going to favour, us the common man, or the greens who bolster their votes at election time.??
We are probably the majority ( Rec. Fishermen ) in this country, but we all vote for one or other of the parties that control our right to catch fish for food.
During the second world war the government for one year 1941 I think it was decreed that anyone at all could net fish to feed Australians as part of the war effort, it suited the government to do so at that time, and it was a popular decree, because food was rationed. Governments run with the tide whether it is flooding or ebbing, they hate slack water, it frightens them, and so they create as little slack water as they can.

[TimiBoy]

Actually that's not correct, Jimbo. I know that Andrew Laming has done quite a bit to help the Recs here, and is interested in fishing himself. He has been quite active through the process of the Moreton Bay Marine Park crap, very much on the rec's side.

I'd be willing to bet there are others.

Cheers,

Tim

[Lucky_Phill]

Chris.


This is exactly the thing that has to be drummed into any pollies head... atm.

And be brought up at the RRFF meetings.........
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[JIMBO99]

well Timiboy I was at a meeting at cleveland where Andrew laming spoke and he certainly was pro rec fishing, so I will retract my NONE and replace it with ONE. unfortunately one is not enough, and governments are using your tax dollars to buy the best legal minds to defeat you and I at every turn. How do you fight with just reams of paper, when the other side is using unlimited funds provided by the common man to defeat the common man. want to buy a boat?

[Chris Ryan]

Hi Chris,

The dual signatures on the bill was told to me by the ministers concerned with it. I have argued until I am blue with the senior EPA staff and the Minister that the report from the DPI&F states fishing in all forms is sustainable so why is his department sticking its nose in. The response is that they are not managing the fishery, they are looking after the ecology of the Bay to ensure the environment is safe for the fish stocks as well as they have an "international responsibility" to close off part of the Bay as no take marine parks.

No matter anyway, Labor are all supporting this and with a majority in Parliament its a done deal unless we can influence some Labor members otherwise.

Chris

[Lucky_Phill]

Jimbo, to clarify a couple of things.

We are not in a contest and therefore are not going to be defeated.

We recreational anglers are more conservation minded than some of the people about to make decisions that will more than likely not affect them in any way and will affect us hugely.

We recreational anglers are simply trying to convince the EPA that their methodology is flawed and that the DPI&F should manage the fishery and they ( EPA ) should protect the environment.

We recreational anglers have always supported bag and size limitations, DPI&F research and have undertaken the responsibility of educating the next generation of recreational anglers. The education is in the form of Catch & Release, captured fish handling, boating safety, conservation, anti-pollution measures and the appreciation of our all encompassing fishing environment.

Recreational anglers have had a huge input into the banning of High Speed Ring Netting in Hervey Bay and the banning of Tailor Netting on Fraser Island. Recreational anglers have also made a significant inroad with respect to the now de-criminalising of Green Zone breaches.

To say we do not have a chance is apathetic. We have to believe, no matter the odds, that we will be able to make a difference to the proposed Zoning plan, to make it a commonsense approach, to open the eyes of the people that are supposed to represent us and to assist the general public understand that we are not the Neanderthals the radical green conservation groups make us out to be.

I believe, I have faith, I am doing something and I have a choice………………
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[JIMBO99]

Jimbo99
hi phill ! I have read your letter above and one word jumps out at me and that is the word (supposed) I am 70 years old, and I have watched governments come and go and as my life draws to a close, I can see the avarice and personal greed that has crept into the political structure. No longer do politicians have reguard for the Neanderthals, or in fact anyone that stands in the way of their aims to retain, or gain control of our nation. We now have speed cameras that require no attendant, prawn trawlers must have satellite units installed that are switched on with the ignition key so that they can be tracked to the centremeter,and a host of other personal rights invasion that marks our every move. I agree that we, the people, should have an input into everything that effects our rights, and that we should be conservation minded, but if that isn't in the interests of the various government bodies your petition will be shredded. I love you and all creatures great and small. so get out and fish while you still can. 10% will become 100% soon enough.
love Jimbo99
p.s Take your kids with you.

[ShaneC]

Firstly I do not know enough about the facts of what has gone on to be honest, I have sent emails and filled in questionaires however I have not attended any rallies or meetings due to my work commitments that have me o/s for most of the time. I think that if there has been some political backdooring with regard to cut off dates for submissions etc. then why not approach an organisation to make these facts public??

ACA and Today Tonight thrive on scandals of sorts and if anything has gone on that is untoward they will exaggerate it and blow it out of proportion in order to get viewers. Whilst I am not a fan of trash journalism, no doubt they will get the attention of the common fisherfolk who will realise that these closures will effect them when they go fishing. A lot of people go fishing, whether it be five times a week or five times a year, and once they all have an idea that their pastime will be adversely affected by these unjustified closures maybe then there will be sufficient numbers to become a threat to the parties that have an election to win.

Alternatively, newspaper media will print anything if the price is right. Full page "advertising" can be done, much in the same way that pollies do it at election time, to get a point across. I for one am willing to put my money where my mouth is and support financially (within reason- obviously many others would have to be prepared to do the same) any ideas to get the information out there via print press so normal Joe Sixpacks can find out how they will be affected, as I truly believe that they have no idea of what is about to happen.

JMHO.. thanks.

[rodneyk]

hi all my two bobs worth look at northern territory afant booted a govt mid /late 90s i think not many commercial barra net endorsement left strict clousures around river mouths etc great fishing can be had if timed right in qld we have a dog brekkie at best look at it we all have an impact and should work together including commercail /charter I own a small marine component business and have seen this situation brewing for some time lobby groups seem to let snippets of info go to start division ALL /////sorts of our recreation are being taken like no campfires that about says it all doesnt it cant see it getting better than here @now ps carbon tax will make rain appear over murray /darling rivers too have a nice day fellow fishers

[Johnob]

I have posted my letter.

I hope more rally to the cause.

Once done, it will be hard to get it undone.

Send the pollies a mesage.

John OB

[shayned]

You are spot on Harry......... This is exactly the options open to the powers that be, if they want to listen.

I know there was a saltwater stocking of Whiting in the Maroochy River some years ago. Unsure of the success, but believe it was worth the effort. What happened there , was the whiting had a ' marker ' placed in them... ? unsure of specifics, but something like an enzime, that could be traced under laboratory conditions. This enabled scientists to study growth etc through re-captures.

This idea , Harry, is exactly what should asked at the meetings and also added to letters, emails and submissions.

Other things to add is ' Seagrass ' regeneration. We can grow new grass / crops on the land, why can't we do this in our Bay ?

Cheers
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Unsure if this is redundant, but I believe the late, great Tom Burns championed this effort and by all reports it was a successful release of whiting and flathead by DPI. By all accounts the capture rate of these species jumped dramatically as a result and the project could be counted as a success.

The people involved still exist as does the ability to repeat it, what is missing are the funds and the permission to repeat it.

[harrystrybos]

Unsure if this is redundant, but I believe the late, great Tom Burns championed this effort and by all reports it was a successful release of whiting and flathead by DPI. By all accounts the capture rate of these species jumped dramatically as a result and the project could be counted as a success.

The people involved still exist as does the ability to repeat it, what is missing are the funds and the permission to repeat it.

Tom Burns had one major failing as a politician, he was an honest guy. Tom saw the realities of life in a simple and straightforward way. He was one of the original proper people in our ever deteriorating political scene. When asked about how he felt when Jo Bjelke finally lost the election to Labour, his comment was "well, you would have to suck a lemom to keep the smile off you face!".

Hope to find another person like Tommy Burns to influence our political scene. In the meantime, all we seem to have is yuppies, do-gooders and wankers, none of which have any contact with real people.

Green usually means somebody with some degree of money (or, more often, hiding their lack of) making decisions for the "unwashed hordes".

I don't know how to deal with this great fishing debate. Lets close it all and wipe out the great Australian pastime of "going fishing with a mate". Bloody hell, its about time we stopped enjoying ourselves! Seems Malcolm Frazer was right, "life wasn't meant to be easy"...well, other than for people with lots of money.