Dejavu

[robvee]

Just out of interest, this is an excerpt from the recreational fishing terms in South Africa.

(8) There is an overall cumulative daily bag limit of ten, irrespective of the species caught .
(9) There is a closed season for elf / shad (Tailor) from 1 October to 30 November in any year.

The bag limit for elf/shad/Tailor is 4, and take note that you may NEVER have more than 10 fish of any species.
The South African problem is that there is no policing of these rules - so plundering of fish stocks still occurs.

What I am getting at is that the Aussie regulation of 20 Tailor is VERY GENEROUS, and I agree that it could be reduced by half and still be more than enough.
BUT - until they put tighter control on the netters there will be no positive difference noticed in fish stocks .... no matter how tight they get on the recco's. Fair rules for ALL of us who love the ocean and its fish need to be in place, so that ALL of us can fish to infinity and beyond (both netters and recco's)

[Slider]

Not weakening my stance Jeff as I have always said that netting inside the mouth could be a compromise. I've also said that some netting could continue on the open beach, but can't see how that could happen if these beaches were declared Fishing Havens - so I'm actually strengthening my stance.
I now have support from the tern and shorebird people for this and who, as of yesterday are publicly stating that commercial beach netting is affecting the health and migration of migratory terns protected by the RAMSAR Treaty.

I can appreciate Jeff that you don't want netting pressure transferred from the beach to the river - but this shouldn't be a problem should it given that the same mullet are to be taken? Or are you worried about the nets spooking fish inside the mouth?

Rec anglers take a lot of fish of course, and I also see the bag of 20 tailor as being too generous when they can be caught in numbers so easily by large numbers of people. I think 35cm is too small for them also and so did researchers for Qld Fisheries who recommended a 40cm limit. But the thing is that line fishing doesn't spook fish schools for the great distances that nets do.

The altering of migrations and spawning behaviour is the great 'uncalculated' that no fishery has ever built in to their fishery management. When the fish are being taken in nets and by line in large quantities, then it is essential that they achieve maximum spawning success, and tailor for example, cannot do this when they are forced offshore as seems certain to be occurring.

[ffejsmada]

Not weakening my stance Jeff as I have always said that netting inside the mouth could be a compromise. I've also said that some netting could continue on the open beach, but can't see how that could happen if these beaches were declared Fishing Havens - so I'm actually strengthening my stance.
I now have support from the tern and shorebird people for this and who, as of yesterday are publicly stating that commercial beach netting is affecting the health and migration of migratory terns protected by the RAMSAR Treaty.

I can appreciate Jeff that you don't want netting pressure transferred from the beach to the river - but this shouldn't be a problem should it given that the same mullet are to be taken? Or are you worried about the nets spooking fish inside the mouth?

Rec anglers take a lot of fish of course, and I also see the bag of 20 tailor as being too generous when they can be caught in numbers so easily by large numbers of people. I think 35cm is too small for them also and so did researchers for Qld Fisheries who recommended a 40cm limit. But the thing is that line fishing doesn't spook fish schools for the great distances that nets do.

The altering of migrations and spawning behaviour is the great 'uncalculated' that no fishery has ever built in to their fishery management. When the fish are being taken in nets and by line in large quantities, then it is essential that they achieve maximum spawning success, and tailor for example, cannot do this when they are forced offshore as seems certain to be occurring.

We've got pro's netting mullet in Doonella, below the Royal Mail at Tewantin, Lakes Cootharaba and Cooroibah, we also have trawlers trawling for prawns in the river.
Netting and trawling the rivers does far more damage than netting the beaches in my opinion.

ALL river netting and trawling should be stopped in every river system in Australia.

A big ask, it will never happen I know.

Good to see the "birdies" on side Lindsay.

[Slider]

The river has far too much netting going on already, I agree Jeff. A system such as this which is unique, should have greater protection applied. If the birdies have their way, then there will be less netting. There is a push for less netting in the river being driven by the SCRC currently- they're concerned about fish stocks. They will now be pushing from a tern health pov as well as the tern people report monthly survey results and analysis to the SCRC.

Have watched netting at the northern end of Cootharaba from Teewah Landing and seen the fish not trapped in the nets fleeing in to the reeds and under the jetty when the net has been shot a kilometre away. The affects to fish health (those that aren't dead after being netted) in the river are the same (or worse) as the open ocean. The fish are forced away from the areas that they habitate for a reason - for feeding or spawning purposes - and most netting targets aggregated fish which are most likely feeding or spawning.

The tern people being on side is important - common, little and white winged terns are protected under the RAMSAR International Treaty and as such have serious clout. They can bring about the beach closure at the Noosa River Mouth, the beach closure to still go ahead of 14kms of southern Fraser Island, the beach closure at the last little bay on the Northern side of Double Island Point and others in NSW - that I have little knowledge of. So these people that are now proactive in trying to address the netting issue, may just help to tilt the balance in our favour.

[Pistol_P]

This is where the 'Greens' rediculous policies on Marine Parks fall to pieces.

What good is it just picking a patch of water out in the sea and saying 'this is now a marine park'.......

When pro netters are raping the rivers and beaches....!!!!

The rivers/estuaries are the nurseries and should be treated like gold.
Netting on the beaches just stinks as well.

I would be happy if they introduced a licence fee in QLD (like they did in NSW) to buy out the pro netters.

The Greens should be coming at this business of 'sustainable management' from different angles....Licence fees,Banning of netting in our Rivers and even further bag limits if needed.

Pete

[ffejsmada]

These pair of Killick's were trawling Lake Cootharaba yesterday.