Announced today by Lucy Stanton, ALP candidate for Wide Bay as part of her push for the Fraser Island World Heritage extension that includes the Sandy Straights, Cooloola's beaches and Noosa River and Lakes.
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http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au...g-ban/2992398/
Wouldn't that be something to see. Shame it could just be another shallow election promise, but at least somebody has actually picked up on the fact that it could be worth votes.
Lucy Stanton says:
"I want to protect the environment and drive eco-tourism,'' Ms Stanton said.
"If we are going to enhance the recreational fishing experience resource extractive industries like gill-net fishing have to come to an end."
The greenies clearly see us rec fishers as an "extractive industry".
"Extractive industries" and the rationale she is touting was the same rationale used to justify the implementation of green zones that banned recreational fishing in many zones in Moreton Bay and elsewhere.
What she is talking about here is effectively a yellow zone, which is one step away from a green zone. And, next time there is there is a review they can easily be upgraed to green zones......
Be careful what you ask for or support. What starts off as selectively banning one form of "extractive industry" can be changed wiith the simple stroke of a pen to all forms.
Just sayin'.
Note to self: Don't argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience....
The volume of green zones will in fact be less should the area be declared a net free zone. The 'greenies' see NFZs as a conservation measure not far short of a green zone and are happy for less green zone percentage to complement the NFZ.
The attached map of the 2010 Australian gov proposed World Heritage Area is also a map of the Lucy Stanton proposed NFZ. If recreational fishers want this to go ahead then they need to vote for Lucy in Wide Bay and get her over the line.
Queensland Recreational Fishing Network statement below regarding Lucy Stanton's plan for a net free zone.
Seems certain that this issue will be central in deciding the outcome in the seat of Wide Bay. For recreational fishing in Queensland, this outcome is of unprecedented importance. If Lucy Stanton wins the seat, then there will be no doubt that the recreational fishing vote and net free areas have been pivotal in getting her there and the major parties will be in no doubt that this has indeed been the case. Should she lose, then any proposed NFAs, and even the existing NFAs, are at risk.
Media Release
Recreational fishers applaud ALP candidate’s stance on Net Free Zones
Queensland Recreational Fishing Network (QRFN) has welcomed the announcement this week by the ALP candidate for Wide Bay, Lucy Stanton, that commercial netting within critical areas of the Fraser Island World Heritage Area, its proposed extension and the adjacent Great Sandy Marine Park be banned.
A local QRFN spokesperson said the fishing tourism potential for the region is enormous and would be enhanced substantially if Net Free Zones suggested by Lucy Stanton were implemented. The spokesperson said it was widely recognised and proven that the economic value of recreational fishing far exceeded that of commercial netting in inshore areas.
Lindsay Dines, QRFN spokesperson said, “Studies are showing a steady decline in angler participation and catch rates over the past decade which is very disturbing. We are hearing repeatedly that anglers are no longer bothering to go fishing because they believe it is unlikely they will catch a fish due to the serious stock depletion from excessive commercial netting in our inshore waters.”
Mr Dines said, “Netting bans on the Fraser and Cooloola coasts will have far reaching beneficial effects for key species prized by recreational anglers as well as having significant overall ecosystem health benefits.”
Mr Dines said he believed that with the removal of net fishing, fish stocks would rebuild and recover back to levels not seen for decades, as already being seen in the recently introduced net-free areas in north Qld, and local economies would enjoy a much needed boost as visitors came to the region to fish and leave new money behind when they did.
“The long term sustainability of our inshore fisheries is of extreme importance to us and areas closed to commercial netting complimented by better overall management of the resources, will assist greatly in buffering the effects of climate change and human population growth,” Mr Dines explained.
“QRFN as well as other influential conservation groups strongly believe it is essential that commercial netting be prohibited in World Heritage waters and that the conservation zones in the Great Sandy Marine Park should receive the same level of protection as all other marine parks.”
“Qld Recreational Fishers Network fully support Lucy Stanton and any other like-minded candidates and sitting members in pursuing this excellent proposal.”
Originally Posted by Moonlighter
100 % agree - aledge labor and the greens are not to be trusted imho
cheers
Did we get the 3 net free zones Labor promised before the last state election?
~~~><))))*>
We did Mike and the reports are of fish coming back to these NFAs in numbers not seen in living memory - within 6 months of nets being removed.
As far as green zones are concerned in the proposed NFA - there is every reason to believe that the percentage of green zones in the Great Sandy Marine Park will be less if the World Heritage area is declared and nets banned within. I have it on good authority that no decisions will be made on green zones in the GSMP until after the federal election and the result of Wide Bay known. That is, if Lucy Stanton wins Wide Bay and a NFA becomes a probability, then that will be taken into consideration when deciding on the percentage of green. NFAs are seen as a conservation measure by this government and the Minister responsible in particular. Conservation groups such as WWF and AMCS are expected to accept less green and support the NFA. Scott Mitchell and the Fraser Coast Fishing Alliance are also well positioned to represent the interests of rec fishers and are currently doing just that.
Lucy Stanton herself is single minded in that she wants fish populations to recover so as to enable a thriving recreational fishery. She is well aware that the economic value of rec fishing far exceeds that of the commercial sector and that the tourists will only come if nets are banned and the fishing is good.
However, if the LNP win the seat, then there will be no NFA implemented, more green zones in the GSMP and the distinct possibility of existing NFAs being opened to netting.
some of us have allegedly heard all this before from would be labor parliamentarians down here at the bayside area mate and once they get in if they do they are then overruled by the majority or told to back off by the heavy hitters to maintain the greens preferences and its the greens that allegedly wag the labor tail
and of course any net free zones are a fantastic idea but not much use to the rec fishers if they then are then made a green zone and what do you really think will happen in a newly declared "world heritage area" if it gets up - so it begs the question are you a dedicated greeny lindsay and no offence as i have no doubt your committment is in the right place ?
at least with the other side you know what you are getting - wont be great but better than a million green zones and all the decent areas closed off -
i am yet to find anyone who fishes who is not a dedicated greeny or a labor supporter that thinks moreton bay fishes better after the greens zones increase than before it - must be one person somewhere though
cheers
Seem to remember the member for Cleveland making a lot of statements that never even got on the table.
I cannot comment on the current fisheries minister but the previous one was of the same ilk as Tom Burns and certainly kept his commitments re the NFA.
Cheers
Ray
yep its all about the individual strength of the minister and tom was a real good bloke (who loved his crabbing ) i sort of knew him on a passing gday basis - not so sure about this last bloke although i think he tried and anyone ever sighted the new one - but as i said its the extreme greens that wag the tail these days - and the moment the conservation mobs plus the epa and the environment minister get in the act just forget it imho
cheers
We do know what we are getting with the LNP and that is bugger all. The disallowance motion to prevent the Nth Qld NFAs told the story in very explicit terms and they are still well and truly behind the netters ... or put another way - against recreational fishing.
As stated in my previous post, if there is no NFA in the Sandy Straights, then green zones will be at a higher percentage than if there is the prospect of a NFA. If you want to even have a chance of reducing the percentage of green then we need Lucy Stanton as the member for Wide Bay.
Commercial fishers around the globe fish the edges of no take reserves .... I wonder why that is??
If wanting to get back just some of the fish that I've seen disappear in my lifetime makes me a greeny then so be it. I only started to push for a Cooloola NFA because the fishing became so bad that it was obvious to me and every other regular fisher in the area that something had to be done or we would all be drinking ourselves to a premature death.
yep totally agree that the lnp do bugger all for the rec fisher - well good luck lindsay and as i said i have no doubt your heart and commitment is in the right place - but dont be too surprised if the good lady forgets all about her promises and commitments once she is part of the charming labor green alliance - and isnt the local member for bundaberg alledgedly the new unsighted and basically unheard of female fisheries minister
cheers - at least your giving it a good go
I agree we need something done, I've seen first hand the overwhelming number of fish taken from the noosa north shore in nets and the huge amount of bi-cach, often left to drift off into the ocean. However i'd be more like to let the fox sleep in the hen house then put all my hopes in a politician regardless of how dedicated they claim to be. these things need to start at grass roots not handed over to some aspiring back bencher looking to find a springboard into government, even if they do have a genuine concern it is most likely going to be steamrollered the second she puts her hand up.
The ALP announced three net free zones before the last election, and they got my vote for the first time in my life. All three zones and corresponding buyout of licences were implemented on time. Is there a single thing to complain about? I can't think of anything. I had a good day last Sunday - fished the Fitzroy River for 4 hours and caught and released 6 barra between 65 and 83cm plus a few rats, maybe 9 or 10 king threadfin up to about 75, and 4 blue threadies around 65cm. Most of these fish were in the prime size range to get stuck in a net, and would already have been extracted'' if the area could still be netted.
The LNP through Deb Frecklington tried really hard to stop the implementation of these net free zones, and have since said a number of times in the media that an LNP government will look into getting the gill nets back in to these areas when they return to government. Ms Frecklington is now the deputy opposition leader and the shadow minister for fisheries. Something to look forward to.
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Some people are bloody hard to please. If you think its a risk to support a politician that wants to implement a net free zone, then what kind of risk is it to support a politician who will try and INCREASE the netting effort? Í'm not interested in the old party allegiances (so please don't spout some rhetoric at me), I can't tell the differences between the major parties any more. If you assume both of them have an equal chance of doing what they say they will, then you may need to rethink your own old party allegiances and give the current mob a go. They are the first government that's done something for the rec fisho that I can remember.
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