Green Zone Warnings

[Angla]

Why are there nearly no warnings of the Green Zone (MNP12) from Scotts point down to the HMQS Gayundah wreck, when attempting to line fish from the foreshore?

I went for a bike ride on the foreshore today and saw a Dad with 5 kids and 6 rods all up were fishing at Picnic Point so I gave him a warning of a possible fine for him and all the kids. I told him the fines were fairly large and that he would find information booklets at bait and tackle outlets. I did see him later take the kids up on to the grass area for other activities.

I did locate a map sign that showed the park area in poor detail only and it did not have a activities list for the particular zone that we were standing in front of. I would think that a simple set of signs could better describe that land based fishing crabbing and bait gathering would be illegal from here to here (with a description for both points and not just a GPS location).

The Dad could have been fined $3000.00 from my calculations.

What are your thoughts

Cheers
Chris

[fishel]

Hi Chris,

I think signs are a great idea as it would be so easy for someone not regularly up on fishing news not to know about the green zones or where they are located. It would be sad to see someone innocently fishing in a green zone due to ignorance being fined to the extent you said this guy could have been. Unfortunately, ignorance is no excuse where the law is concerned.

Cheers Eleanor

[Seahorse]

chris.
not only do they fish from shore, they should patrol the area for boaties and kyacks in the green zone.
always a kuyack out there.

[cuzzamundi]

Good of you to let him know, Chris. I think it is grossly unfair and negligent of the govt to impose these areas, yet fail to adequately inform the public. Not everyone is up with the latest info, and thus, there should be much more signing erected so that the leisure seekers also know. Makes me fume to think that some bloke taking his kids down to the water and introducing trhem to a great pastime could be deemed a criminal! Sign of these very green times.
Cuzza

[tunaticer]

often see land based people fishing along those shores and off the headland at Scotts Point on the greenzone side of the line.
I agree there needs to be a sign stating it is a no fishing green zone every 30 metres. Does not have to a big overly detailed sign but they need to be prominently spaced along the shore. Maybe one detailed sign near the main car park would be advisable too.

[Angla]

The setting of the parklands there would just naturally entice you to have a quick flick of the rod while mum enjoys the grassed area with the baby. It is just so wrong that I feel it is a setup for the unwary.

Signage would have to be the right approach and anyone then ignoring those should be fined for their activities.

Maybe the local council should be addressed for something that would be aesthetic and yet prominent enough to be noticed.

Cheers
Chris

[sleepygreg]

I totally agree with you Chris. The Gayundah Arboretum is a lovely little picnic area that has almost perfect access to the shore for the dad/mum taking their kids out for the day, where they can fish, play in the water, muck around on the grass areas. In their infinite wisdom though, the PTB have declared it a green zone. I go there almost every day to drink my $1.80 maccas coffee, and have a read of the paper whilst looking out over the bay and enjoying the serenity of that little part of paradise. On at least three or four days a week I see people fishing along there.

Out of curiosity I had a wander right along the shore to read all of the many signs that are there. Not one of them mentions the green zone pertaining to that area, including one that was put up only a month ago. The only signs that are up are the ones of the whole bay....and there is no way you can tell from reading that, that you are actually in the green zone. And that goes for all the signs around the peninsula. Whats wrong with them putting up signs like the ones they have outlining the Bike path around the bay...with little arrows saying 'you are here'. Maybe they dont want to do that so they can catch more people and get more fines for the government coffers.

Greg

[-spiro-]

So much for been able to take the Family and the kids out for a fish and fish and chip lunch on the beach......As far as i am concernd it's all B/S.. I am a boaty and am ok on the green zones but as far as shore line..NOT.
This govenment needs there fuel cards and other benifets pulling from them and see what they think of it...

[TheRealAndy]

I warned another 2 people out of green zones at shorncliffe yesterday. I seem to be doing this every weekend.

I was thinking about finding a way to independantly put signs up in these area. I am going to raise the issue at an upcoming ECOFishers Meeting (this wednesday). Perhaps we can chase some funding to provide signs in these areas. Tough ask though. I wonder if there are any legal aspects with regards to erecting signs.

[Angla]

I totally agree with you Chris. The Gayundah Arboretum is a lovely little picnic area that has almost perfect access to the shore for the dad/mum taking their kids out for the day, where they can fish, play in the water, muck around on the grass areas. In their infinite wisdom though, the PTB have declared it a green zone. I go there almost every day to drink my $1.80 maccas coffee, and have a read of the paper whilst looking out over the bay and enjoying the serenity of that little part of paradise. On at least three or four days a week I see people fishing along there.

Out of curiosity I had a wander right along the shore to read all of the many signs that are there. Not one of them mentions the green zone pertaining to that area, including one that was put up only a month ago. The only signs that are up are the ones of the whole bay....and there is no way you can tell from reading that, that you are actually in the green zone. And that goes for all the signs around the peninsula. Whats wrong with them putting up signs like the ones they have outlining the Bike path around the bay...with little arrows saying 'you are here'. Maybe they dont want to do that so they can catch more people and get more fines for the government coffers.

Greg

It certainly is the perfect area for a family gathering. And it is a little hard to find with the driveway, so a perfect little hide away.
Someone has got it wrong!

Cheers
Chris

[Angla]

I warned another 2 people out of green zones at shorncliffe yesterday. I seem to be doing this every weekend.

I was thinking about finding a way to independantly put signs up in these area. I am going to raise the issue at an upcoming ECOFishers Meeting (this wednesday). Perhaps we can chase some funding to provide signs in these areas. Tough ask though. I wonder if there are any legal aspects with regards to erecting signs.

Good to see someone else concerned enough to educate the innocent people that may get caught there.

Cheers
Chris

[Angla]

This is a copy of a Email just sent to a Councillor for the regional area and the EPA. Should I hold my breath for a reply?

Cr Brian Battersby,
EPA Representative,

I was enjoying a bike ride along the foreshore at Woody Point and Margate when I came across the Green Zone (Moreton Bay Marine Park, MNP12).
I noticed a father with five children there and they had a total of 6 fishing rods and were obviously enjoying the beautiful parkland area at the wreck of the HMQS Gayundah.
The kids were ranging in age from probably 4 to 10 years old and dad seemed to be trying to show them a little about fishing while enjoying the grassy area adjacent the water there. A great Family tradition in my mind.
I stopped and asked him if he knew where the Marine Park Green Zone was and he was confused so I informed him that it was a fineable act to have a rod in the water if indeed it was a marine park. I also suggested that the fine was quite steep and could be imposed on all the members with a rod (all six of them).
I then left him to his activities and was glad to later see them change there activity to sliding down the grass hill on some cardboard toboggins.

I investigated a little farther and located a Marine Park map that did not show in enough detail where the zone started and finished and also had no legend of the activities that were illegal. This map was also not very well positioned, being at only one point of entry to the area.

The area is marked in the Moreton Bay Marine Park User Guide on page 18. where it marks the northern point of the zone at shoreline by a GPS position, 27.15.302'S 153.06.634'E and the southern point marked as well by GPS position, 27.15.741'S 153.06.788'E. This is useless information to a land based fisherman

I believe it is an injustice that this family may have been fined $3,000.00 ($500.00 x 6) for their activities when they were oblivious to the Marine Park Boundaries and the activities that were illegal.

I would like to see more signage in this area to protect unsuspecting people from the possibility of blundering into this offence and would ask that you either attend to this matter with some urgency or make representation for the concerned public to the appropriate department.A suggestion would be markers at both ends of the zone and a legend and more detailed map in a central location of the parks grassy area closest to the shoreline pathway.

I have brought this to the attention of a fishing forum and it seems there are more than a few people that have the same concerns about this location. I will also share this Email with the forum members and await a reply.

I do not condone fishing in a Green Zone and as a recreational fisherman always try to adhere to the more and more restrictions applied to our pastime. As a boatie I have found that all boat ramps appear to carry enough signage to warn Captains as they launch there vessels but I feel there is more required in this circumstance.

Thankyou for your time
Sincerely
Chris xxxxx

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[sleepygreg]

Chris, If you dont get a reply soon, and I mean in the next few days, then resend it to local member, and also a copy the Moreton Bay Regional Council Mayor, Allan Sutherland, who is a keen as mustard fisho himself and very keen to keep the EPA and all bodies responsible for this legislation accountable for their actions. There may even be some regional council responsibility in the signage.....and if there is he would make sure it fullfills its obligations. And if you dont get any satisfaction with him, pm me, and I will use some contacts I have, which I am doing anyway on my own behalf.

Cheers
Greg

[LostNearBribie]

Good work Chris.

[SWANO1]

while your at it ask them what idiot designed a marine park sign with a friggen possum on it , looks really good in the water mr epa
cheers swano