RRFF. RIS. Statement of Position.

[Lucky_Phill]

HI,




Below you will find an ‘ overview ‘ of a strategy we feel needs to be adopted to satisfy the needs and wants of all stakeholders with the RRFF.

This is solely aimed at the Recreational Angler and there are details that need to be clarified and quantified.

Costings have been done to accommodate the areas to be introduced and these costs are minimal and should be well received within Fisheries. No costs will be borne by the Recreational Angler.

It is understood that scientists and others within Fisheries have been “ concerned “ for over 30 years about fish stocks and only now, with a push from outside political interests, that drastic steps are being taken to implement policy directed at a presumed problem.

It is also understood that the RRFF species differ in many ways in many regions contained within the boundaries and this specific area needs to be taken into consideration when any new policy or management regime is introduced.

Other pressing factors have not been taken into account when modeling is undertaken by Fisheries, and those are essential and will be used by a non-government agency to produce real-time and future models aimed at providing accurate information that can be passed on to the Fishery management and only then, can informed and productive management tools be activated.

Bipartisan agreement is acknowledged but not confirmed for Co-Management and Regional Management of RRFF.

Certainly, a moratorium on implementing new regulations is sort, until such time as a consensus of stakeholders is found.

Please be aware the below document is an “ option 5 “ for the RRFF RIS, although there is only 4 options. There are also other elements not mentioned below, such as TAC’s and this is on purpose.

I also acknowledge I am not a scientist or expert in marine biology or similar, but have taken on board many members ( Ausfish, ECOfishers, Sunfish, other forums and areas primarily associated with RRFF ) thoughts and anecdotal evidence, which in a lot of cases provides better info that has been gained by current fisheries management.


If you feel you have some positive input in regard to the document, please add a comment.

ECOfishers Qld position and Statement on Snapper RIS 2010.

ECOfishers Qld believes the current data collection, processing methods and modeling used by Queensland Fisheries is highly unlikely to make accurate or acceptable assessments of the fish stock at historical, current or future levels.

ECOfishers Qld does not support any options available in the RIS as they stand.

ECOfishers Qld believes that any assessment of a fish stock must include best possible data and input from each stakeholder within that fishery.

ECOfishers Qld believes the best way forward to successfully manage the fishery is with Co-Management.

ECOfishers Qld will support an initiative to assess the fishery with the following criteria:-

......1. Commercial Fishermen continue to provide catch records via log book system.

......2. Charter Operators continue to provide catch records via log book system.

......3. Recreational Anglers to provide catch records through the introduction of a log book system.

Or:-

......3. a. A Recreational Angler tagging program be established for RRFF and that program be administered by a non-government authority.

......4. Queensland Fisheries to continue with their monitoring and policing and to provide an enhanced education program to all sectors on best practice release methods for unwanted fish.

......5. A Recreational Angler log book system / tagging program be made available to all anglers through various methods that include:-

. . . . .Tackle Shops
. . . . Bait and Tackle retailers
. . . . Boat and Chandlery retailers
. . .. Web based agency. ( downloadable PDF )
. . . . Vessel Registration Renewal certificates
. . . . VMR and Coast Guard Squadrons
. . .. Non-Government Administrative Authority

6. The collection and processing of data from the recreational log book system / tagging program to be undertaken by a non-government agency through:-

. . .. Post and return log book page
. . . .Web based, online completion of PDF
. . . .Phone in ( recorded )
. . . .Return to place where acquired
. . . .VMR or Coast Guard at boat ramps

7. Any recreational log book system / tagging program is to be completed with anonymity and be made non compulsory.

8. The non-government agency to administer the recreational log book system / tagging program is to be funded by monies currently held within Treasury. ECOfisher Qld supports an increase of the PPV to provide these funds. ECOfishers Qld does not support any fee for a permit or licence or log book to be introduced by Queensland Fisheries or the Government.

9. ECOfishers Qld states that the benefits to Queensland and Australia through recreational fishing cannot be calculated to any specific degree due to the variations in those benefits which include:-

><> ><> ><> .1. Economic

><> ><> ><> .2. Health and Well-Being

><> ><> ><> .3. Educational

><> ><> ><> .4. Social interaction

10. ECOfishers Qld states that recreational fishing is the largest participative recreation activity in Queensland with about 800,000 citizens wetting a line every year. Recreational fishing is the major stakeholder in all marine environs in Queensland and therefore should be acknowledged as such. Recreational anglers are the Stewards of the waters in which they participate on a daily basis and are well aware of all that takes place within those waters. Recreational anglers undertake sound environmental practices with an emphasis on conservation of the fishery and the habitat. ECOfishers Qld will support any government ( current or future ) department that shows a willingness to listen and displays a trustworthy and honest approach to recreational fishing within Queensland.

Regards

Phill Kliese
Secretary
ECOfishers Qld
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[Adam_G]

Phil,

With our RIS responses due to be completed by the end of Feb will eco fishers be releasing a guide to answering the questions with a bias to the rec anglers? I have my own views and I don't like any options but I am sure there are a lot of people who haven't kept up to speed with what is happening and would benifit from some guideance instead of taking a guess at the answers.

It may even encourage more people to read the RIS and understand what is happening. Same as election time, how many people number all the boxes compared to the amount who put 1 for their prefered party and let the party decide for them?

Adam

[TimiBoy]

Phil,

With our RIS responses due to be completed by the end of Feb will eco fishers be releasing a guide to answering the questions with a bias to the rec anglers? I have my own views and I don't like any options but I am sure there are a lot of people who haven't kept up to speed with what is happening and would benifit from some guideance instead of taking a guess at the answers.

It may even encourage more people to read the RIS and understand what is happening. Same as election time, how many people number all the boxes compared to the amount who put 1 for their prefered party and let the party decide for them?

Adam

Adam, with my response, I crossed out quite a bit of stuff, stated that none of their set responses were satisfactory, and gave an explanation as to why at the end.

Having said that, it's not a bad idea. I'll harass Phil for a guide!

Cheers,

Tim

[dayoo]

Phil,

The proposals put up by Ecofishers Queensland were basically what was originally proposed by the recreational reps on the RRFF working group with the following exceptions:

• Logbook completion be the responsibility of the skipper of the recreation boat. (i.e. skipper records all snapper caught and released on the boat)
• If skipper wishes to participate in catching RRFF species then he/she be given a RRFF symbol sticker to attach to the boat.

A logbook for every angler is a administrative and logistical nightmare.
A boat fishing for snapper without the RRFF symbol can be identified easily by Fisheries enforcement staff.

The free RRFF sticker symbol will give an indication as to how many recreational boats are participating in the fishery. (Over 99.5% of all snapper are caught from a boat according to Fisheries researchers)

The logbook (catch card) must be mandatory otherwise statistics on snapper numbers caught will be meaningless.

The database of the recreational snapper catch must be transparent to Queensland Fisheries and the organisations representing recreational anglers (e.g. Ecofishers Queensland and Sunfish).

Cheers
Barry

[honda900]

Barry,

the log book could be as simple as a one page A4 sheet, that can be printed at home. it does not need to be complicated, so the distribution of the sheet could be done online, with minimal work.

One thing I would add to this is that, log book if done must have a minimum number of participants, that represent a broad range of coastal areas to have any value at all. without a minumum number the statistics will be as bad DPI's phone poll scenario.

Regards
Honda.

[TimiBoy]

Adam, with my response, I crossed out quite a bit of stuff, stated that none of their set responses were satisfactory, and gave an explanation as to why at the end.

Having said that, it's not a bad idea. I'll harass Phil for a guide!

Cheers,

Tim

In fact, can I recommend drawing a line through the whole questionnaire with a nico pen, and printing out the EcoFishers position and pasting it into the comments section?

In retrospect, it's what I would have done.

Cheers,

Tim

[dayoo]

Barry,

the log book could be as simple as a one page A4 sheet, that can be printed at home. it does not need to be complicated, so the distribution of the sheet could be done online, with minimal work.

One thing I would add to this is that, log book if done must have a minimum number of participants, that represent a broad range of coastal areas to have any value at all. without a minumum number the statistics will be as bad DPI's phone poll scenario.

Regards
Honda.

Attached is a draft catch card (logbook) prepared over 18 month ago and submitted to Fisheries.

Cheers
Barry

[PinHead]

Barry,

In options 1 & 2 they include pearl perch and teraglin..but not in 3 & 4.

I cannot understand their line of thought.

[dayoo]

Barry,

In options 1 & 2 they include pearl perch and teraglin..but not in 3 & 4.

I cannot understand their line of thought.

Neither can I and I have requested that Pearl perch and Teraglin be deleted from options 1 and 2 on the last two teleconferences I had with Fisheries staff.

The sustainability of Pearl Perch and Trag was never raised as an issue at any of the RRFF working group meetings.

There was a suggestion made that it would be advisable to provide for the inclusion of Pearl Perch and Trag on the catch card or logbook so that the quantity of these two species taken by recreational anglers could be monitored to avoid having a sustainability issue in future years. I agreed that this could be implemented in a couple of years if not now.

Thanks for your participation on this forum even though you appear to accept the 4 month closure as inevitable.

Cheers
Barry

[PinHead]

Neither can I and I have requested that Pearl perch and Teraglin be deleted from options 1 and 2 on the last two teleconferences I had with Fisheries staff.

The sustainability of Pearl Perch and Trag was never raised as an issue at any of the RRFF working group meetings.

There was a suggestion made that it would be advisable to provide for the inclusion of Pearl Perch and Trag on the catch card or logbook so that the quantity of these two species taken by recreational anglers could be monitored to avoid having a sustainability issue in future years. I agreed that this could be implemented in a couple of years if not now.

Thanks for your participation on this forum even though you appear to accept the 4 month closure as inevitable.

Cheers
Barry

I have made myself quite clear on some other threads, Barry.
I support none of their options..their guesswork is way too rubbery for my likings so I won't be ackowledging any closures nor paying any fees.
I am too old n cycnical to put up with any more nanny state crap based on guesses.
Show me some serious research results and then I may be in favour of some form of closures or alteration to size and bag limits.
I am totally against any extra taxes to be burdened on people.

To sum up my position..they can do what they want but i will keep on doing what I do..if it lands me in court I don't really care.

[oldboot]

One major point overlooked is that the vast majority of recreational anglers do not target anything specific.....they are happy to catch anything with fins...and take home anything legal for a tasty fish supper.

So any form of regestration, licencing or symbol attachment activly discriminates against the majority of the recreational community.

Picture the average mug angler, lucks out and lands a " fish of a lifetime snapper" ( still a runt to the serios guys).........does this bloke have to throw back this otherwise perfectly legal and delicious capture because he dos not have a picture of a snapper stuck to his boat.

Who is going to tell a bloke like "Pinhead", he cant keep the one and only legal snapper he ever caught?
Who is going to deprive him of returing home to his family, the great white hunter triumphant with his one good fish?
Who is going to deprive him of that sweet white flesh, a meal well and honsetly earned?
Not like he is a threat the the TAC.

catch reporting by all means, but lets not invite fisheries brand us on the forehead for the privaledge of catching snapper.

The mug punter ( sorry small boat angler) realy has been left out of this whole argument......the focus has been on the "serious snapper angler" and their offshore activities.

Any measures need to consider the mug angler and include them in the programe rather than ignore them.

A simple catch card is all that is required.

cheers

[Big Deez]

G'day Phil
Well done on your options. Obviously a well thought out response. Without wanting to steal the thread, would you also encourage fishers to log zero catches if no snapper were caught?

[TheRealAndy]

G'day Phil
Well done on your options. Obviously a well thought out response. Without wanting to steal the thread, would you also encourage fishers to log zero catches if no snapper were caught?

I think this is very important, and is the reason some of the infofish data is so comprehensive.

[dayoo]

One major point overlooked is that the vast majority of recreational anglers do not target anything specific.....they are happy to catch anything with fins...and take home anything legal for a tasty fish supper. Who has overlooked this?

So any form of regestration, licencing or symbol attachment activly discriminates against the majority of the recreational community. How is this discriminatory? Boats have to be registered and an additional sticker together with the rego sticker is placed on the boat whether its a 10 metre rig or a 4 metre tinny.

Picture the average mug angler, lucks out and lands a " fish of a lifetime snapper" ( still a runt to the serios guys).........does this bloke have to throw back this otherwise perfectly legal and delicious capture because he dos not have a picture of a snapper stuck to his boat. Most offshore fish species south of the Sunshine coast in SEQ are RRFF species so why wouldn't you when re-registering your boat in 2011 tick the box on the rego renewal notice applying for the free RRFF sticker and catch card????

Who is going to tell a bloke like "Pinhead", he cant keep the one and only legal snapper he ever caught?
Who is going to deprive him of returing home to his family, the great white hunter triumphant with his one good fish?
Who is going to deprive him of that sweet white flesh, a meal well and honsetly earned?
Not like he is a threat the the TAC. Most of Pinheads offshore excursions these days are on charter boats so if he selects the right charters he will be able to land a snapper and pay the charter operator $4.28 per kilo if the charter skipper puts him on snapper in the first place

catch reporting by all means, but lets not invite fisheries brand us on the forehead for the privaledge of catching snapper.

The mug punter ( sorry small boat angler) realy has been left out of this whole argument......the focus has been on the "serious snapper angler" and their offshore activities. Not so

Any measures need to consider the mug angler and include them in the programe rather than ignore them. The small boat owner has been considered and he/she would really be a mug angler in not asking for a RRFF sticker

A simple catch card is all that is required. For who every offshore angler of just the boat owner/skipper who is responsible for what happens on the boat

cheers

My replys are shown in red above.
You must have had too much Christmas cheer mate.

Cheers
Barry

[PinHead]

Oh this poor mug angler..lemme think..yes I did catch a legal snapper ..as well as Maori Cod, Estuary Cod, Pearl perch, Tuna, Hussar, Moses perch, Bream, Flathead, Murray Cod amongst others...still after that elusive bass...beats sitting at home wondering if i have the correct force on the crimp lugs and have not exceeded critical length of wiring etc.
I have no problem putting a sitcker or anything else on the boat and filling in catch card as long as it is voluntary and not rammed down our throats.

You get better response by spelling out the reasons and asking people for assistance then telling them must do it with the threat of penalties if they don't.