Rock Reef Metting - Summary

[lampuki]

Hi all.

I just got back from the Rocky Reef meeting at inala. I will try and keep this brief.

1. Assertion was made by DPI that snapper stock in SE qld are at a critical stage.

2. Assertion was based on some very flakey figures....particularly the rec take.

3. Solutions to snapper stocks put forward by DPI are:

a. increase size limt to 38 or 40cm

b. Reduce total take of all rrf to 15 per person

c. Closed season for 3 to 4 months every year

d. Stop commercial netting of Snapper (this should have been enforced years ago!!!)

e. regulate fishing techniques


Whilst the organisers from dpi welcomed the groups criticism, it seemed as though some further restrictions were going to be placed on rec fishos regardless of our comments and we needed to choose which restrictions we would agree to, regardless of the science being putforth.....What I found most frustraing is that my personal catch rates were in complete contradiction to he DPIs figures over the past 5 years.

If I had to choose I would take the stopping of netting practices (this is a no brainer) and increase the size limit as most of the snapper i catch are well over 40cms.

The group was extremley frustrated at the lack of communication regarding the RR meetings...the turnout at inala was poor to say the least...

Anyway....i just thought i would let the other ausfishers know what went down...

[Chris Ryan]

I'll agree with the above. There was about 12 there in total, 2 of which were charter guys up from the Goldy as they didn't know about the meeting in Southport.

From the presentation, I need to get these guys to do my tax return, the numbers for rec fisho's take are so rubbery it isn't funny. All their decisions are based on this number and if it is wrong, then the fishery might not be in as bad a shape as they make out.

The key for fixing these numbers is to get true results. They use results from 4000 odd diaries.....from a fisherman group over 440,000 in size and then claim only 10% of the fishermen catch the fish..... :/ To get the true numbers they need to get a proper relationship with the rec fisho and do the right things, earn our trust and then maybe we will share data with them. Right now, they are guessing and the presenter was very put out when I put that to him....which shows to me I was close to the mark.

Anway, we need to push on and get your forms in. Also knock on your MP's door. The DPI&F guy I spoke to said they do get feedback to them from people visiting their MP's....so maybe a little pressure here may assist.

Great to meet you lampuki!

Cheers,
Chris

[Chris Ryan]

might have been a bit harsh on the presenter last night when I got home last night, he did do a good job regardless of content.

[Horse]

There was about 12 there in total, 2 of which were charter guys up from the Goldy as they didn't know about the meeting in Southport.

This was the only meeting in the entire Brisbane City Council area and we could only get 10 fishos to turn up . The DPI will see this as rec anglers endorsing their proposals and basically rubber stamping any restrictions they want to push forward

I will be suprised if they get more than a couple of hundred responses and then they can say that the other 400 000 odd fishos must have been happy with the proposals

The logical way forward is to

1. Stop Snapper netting including prawn trawling in areas with large numbers of juvenile Snapper

2. Evaluate the impact of EPA zoning systems

3. Stop any more habitat destruction and get our waterways up to scratch in terms of pollution levels

4. Use catch cards and other research methodology to gain greater levels of accuracy in biomass estimation and catch levels. Perhaps a lot more fishery officers should be employed and they count and measure fish when doing inspections

5. Education in terms of best practice release techniques

6. Greater enforcement and reduction of "Black Market" operations

The important thing to remember is that the flow on effect of many interventions will take a decade or more to reflect in adult snapper stocks

[3rd degree]

I attended the Victoria Point meeting and also found the manner in which they had arrived at the rec take to be lacking....seriously.

I've never been a fan of licenses but think it might be a way forward if the Authority can incorporate a redcued license fee or discount for those license holders who will report their catch results.

After a few years accurate data would be available to develop a real base line for rec take, which is surely a better outcome than the guesstamation theory being used at present IMHO.

Cheers

Jim