Reply With QuoteWell said Pinhead.
Word of mouth
Keep spreading it.
Rod
With all the recent Govt. movements re green zones and fish size and bag limits and closures etc I have been giving it some thought.
Let's take the average working man/woman that enjoys a days fishing. Let's call him Joe Public.
I have mewt hundreds like him on building sites and other places over many years and recently I have been asking a lot of those that are interested in fishing some questions.
Joe works hard 5 and a lot of the time 6 days a week. He has a chance to browse the paper during a meal break and not much more. He goes home, has dinner and maybe a drink or two then off to bed. Sundays are fishing days. Joe has not seen nor heard of anything about these zones or closures let alone public meetings regarding same.
Joe goes fishing to his favorite spots..occassionally may catch a fish or 2.
Joe will continue to do this even after any new legislation is introduced as there has been little notice to the public regarding these matters. Joe then gets busted one Sunday after many months after the new laws are in place. Just bad luck on that one for Joe..ignorance is no excuse under the law. Purely bad luck for Joe as he has never been pulled over by fisheries previously.
My point is: in 40 years of fishing off and on I have never been pulled up by fisheries or water police. If I was not a member of Ausfish I would have no knowledge of any of these matters either and would be oblivious to same when introduced.
If the Govt does not have the ability to fund sufficient officers at present to police the current laws then what difference will it make in introducing new ones. No matter how rubbery thier supposed research figures and how much of a W& F F they get..it won't make any difference.
Until the Joe Publics of the World are made away, then nothing will change.
Perhaps the first step for fisheries, other than closures is to start policing the current legislation and see what happens then.
Well said Pinhead.
Word of mouth
Keep spreading it.
Rod
My dictionary defines green as ‘unripe, immature, undeveloped'. Perfect description.
Most political parties are seen as interested in what the voters think, the Greens are seen as thinking the community should be interested in what they think.
its the fastest form of advertising Rod, and more powerful to boot.
Cheers,
Chris
I met Joe Public a number of times at Fraser Island last week - he/she didn't know the legal size limit, or bag limit, for TAILOR. There's no way they'd know about any changes to fishing regs, especially green zones, until well after they happen (if ever). They'll probably just keep wondering why they're the only ones fishing in some previously busy fishing spots inside Moreton Bay!!
I do think it's definitely up to all of us to spread the word - I definitely try to keep my mates up to speed with important goings on.
Onya Pinhead myself being joe average work 6days a week if the time and weather permits fishing is my hobby .To have people with no brains or maybe just brain dead tell me Our bay is offlimits to fisherfolk is just not ON.There are lots of people out here in the real world that do the right thing regarding Bag limits and speed near or in turtle dungong zones,spend money in local shops so on.
There was a polly about 2months back came to our door speaking about the closing down of the bay first thing I asked him Have you spoke to the Local fisherman out in the bay or at the boat ramps answer NO its going ahead.
Are we banging our head against brickwalls just to have our voices heard or Am I missing some thing or are these dropkicks just plain arseholes.
Joe
Heya Pinhead
You are right some innocents will be caught then there will be a lot more that claim not to know the rules if caught. "This is only a 60kph zone officer, I didn't know I've only been driving this road for 25years and didn't notice the signs
A few jetty spots I fish at times almost guaratee I will see undersize fish being kept probably on average every third trip. Undersize bream, tarwhine plus summer whiting being kept as winter whiting (no size), snapper, grassies etc etc and that old favorite "you can use undersize fish for bait can't you?".
None of those species have had recent changes but people don't know the rules or in some cases say they don't or simply don't want to know the rules.
The rules are getting more and more complicated for the casual angler. I can see the day when average Joe Punter will just throw the whole thing in as being too difficult. Bag, size, slot limits as well as the EPA's zoning system will make it a major issue to be doing the right thing in the right place.
Many experienced fishos cannot tell a Spotty from a Schoolie, a Spangly from a Grassie, Estuary Cod from Flowery Cod and think all Lizards are the same so how can we expect a casual one a year fisho to know these things. A strong education and enforcement arm of fisheries would go a long way to helping this situation. They should not be there to whack the cuffs on poor old Joe with an undersize Summer Whiting but tell him about his mistake and provide info so it does not happen again. Log the event and move on in the search for those who are blatantly breaking the law
A Proud Member of
"The Rebel Alliance"
These new laws look like a great opportunity for the government to do more revenue raising. Will there be more fisheries officers in than policing the bay? What will be next...aquatic speed cameras.
Re word of mouth , have a look at my idea in News "the fight for Moreton Bay"
rando
Pin Head
I cant agree more with what you said... and I am the Joe you described (well I usually dont catch anything, Joe catches 1 or 2 lol)...
Seriously though - I also consider myself an educated, reasonable person, who WANTS to be law obiding, and protect our resources etc... but if I wasnt a member of Ausfish, I would be none the wiser - and potentially subjected to massive fines / prosecution...
I make an effort with fish species and thier sizes etc.. I think this comes down to discipline and responsibility for our actions perhaps more so than other changes, but then even with defining reef species, or what consitutes a reef species??
but what about these green zones? Are we expected to buy new C-maps for our GPS every time someone rezones a no fishing area? Or buy a new beacon to beacon and be content our expensive software is out of date?
Gives them ammo to ask for more funding doesn't it.Originally Posted by PinHead
One might imagine that screaming and kicking about the damage anglers are doing might be a way of attracting publicity and funding for certain minority interest groups, and maybe certain Government departments which also stand to benefit from these issues and gain more funding themselves might even be in cahoots with them. Nah, couldn't be.
Jeremy
"The underlying spirit of angling is that the skill of the angler is pitted against the instinct and strength of the fish and the latter is entitled to an even chance for it's life."
(Quotation from the rules of the Tuna Club Avalon, Santa Catalina, U.S.A.)
Apathy is the enemy
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