Qld Spanish Mackerel season and limits

[Dignity]

I think you would still have the Tweed/Gold Coast thing, simply because there has to be “lines” you can just “fade” a zone in, it’s either this side or that side of a point/line/border. I know it’s not technically right, but reality is, this kind of thing will always exist regardless of who is in charge.

Purely from a layman's point of view that's still not a good reason for the states to not talk to each other and sensibly manage local stocks. NSW for example finally brought in a slot limit for duskies, more in line with Qld although the lower limit is still too low. Mulloway has all of a sudden been severly limited in NSW down to 1 fish pp. Now I'm not saying that our Spanish Mackerel limits have been over done, there may be some scientific reason for it but things are starting to slowly align with some species and if the states actually sat down and reasoned things out together thrre might be more sensible outcomes. Politics unfortunately intrude which makes it all that much harder.

[Lovey80]

Of course there will always be lines. Especially if you were to do local area specific manage,ent plans on more localised species. But something like Spanish you’d have one management plan for the entire stock.

[NAGG]

Of course there will always be lines. Especially if you were to do local area specific manage,ent plans on more localised species. But something like Spanish you’d have one management plan for the entire stock.

How would that work ?

Spanish mackerel from my understanding only spawn in the north of Australia - those agrégations need special protection & rules
Here in NSW they are a seasonal fish only - they dont spawn

Compare WA & Qld fisheries ....... a fraction of the fishing effort in WA compared to Qld - (population densities ) ..... rules can be different .

It makes sense why our regulations are not a case of one size fits all.

Chris

[Dignity]

How would that work ?

Spanish mackerel from my understanding only spawn in the north of Australia - those agrégations need special protection & rules
Here in NSW they are a seasonal fish only - they dont spawn

Compare WA & Qld fisheries ....... a fraction of the fishing effort in WA compared to Qld - (population densities ) ..... rules can be different .

It makes sense why our regulations are not a case of one size fits all.

Chris

You've just answered your own question. As they spawn only in yhe north shouldn't our limits and closurescapply across borders. I do not necessarily agree with our limits other than when border crossing occurs.

[chris69]

I’m wondering if they get cigartera in the NSWs Spanish markerel has anyone heard of any cases like the ones in Hervey Bay that happens every now and again or would it be less prevalent due to a different food source over the boarder.

[Lovey80]

How would that work ?

Spanish mackerel from my understanding only spawn in the north of Australia - those agrégations need special protection & rules
Here in NSW they are a seasonal fish only - they dont spawn

Compare WA & Qld fisheries ....... a fraction of the fishing effort in WA compared to Qld - (population densities ) ..... rules can be different .

It makes sense why our regulations are not a case of one size fits all.

Chris

Pretty simple really. A federal fisheries department would draw lines on the map that best suits the management of the stock and not relevant to arbitrary state boundaries. It stands to reason that if Spanish need restrictions of 1 fish per person 2 per boat on the Gold Coast, then they also need them that as far south as they migrate.

[Lovey80]

I’m wondering if they get cigartera in the NSWs Spanish markerel has anyone heard of any cases like the ones in Hervey Bay that happens every now and again or would it be less prevalent due to a different food source over the boarder.

Considering they are the same stock that migrate south during the summer months then larger fish are likely to be just as risky.

[Noelm]

It seems that everyone knows there has to be defined lines, but don’t like the fact QLD has tighter restrictions, that’s the issue really isn’t it?

[banshee]

I’m wondering if they get cigartera in the NSWs Spanish markerel has anyone heard of any cases like the ones in Hervey Bay that happens every now and again or would it be less prevalent due to a different food source over the boarder.

I know of two cases,the first,a fish from a local co-op laid some people low,was a little conjecture on this one as there could have been a mix of QLD/NSW fish on the tray but the second left no doubt when a local shamature blacked out some fish off the local reef to a local pub where fish of the day left some pretty crook.

[Dignity]

It seems that everyone knows there has to be defined lines, but don’t like the fact QLD has tighter restrictions, that’s the issue really isn’t it?

We agree some of ours are to tight as in the case of Spanish Mackerel but you must also agree that NSW is starting to see reason as in the last 18months there's been a slot limit on duskies and a severe restrictions in Mulloway. Sounds like maybe your fisheries have a more open mind than you to some of your fisheries. Whether our new limits on Spanish are correct or way out if the ball park is yet to be seen.

[chris69]

If species cross a boarder well the I think the federal government should set the allowable catch limits as these fish can travel in state and commonwealth water boundaries.

[Noelm]

We agree some of ours are to tight as in the case of Spanish Mackerel but you must also agree that NSW is starting to see reason as in the last 18months there's been a slot limit on duskies and a severe restrictions in Mulloway. Sounds like maybe your fisheries have a more open mind than you to some of your fisheries. Whether our new limits on Spanish are correct or way out if the ball park is yet to be seen.

The slot limit on Duskies was not introduced because of declining stocks (well not entirely) the stocks were considered sustainable as is, but, a decision was made to further help future limits and size limits. Mulloway are a bit of a mixed bag, some places have plenty, others very few, where I am, they are not a big numbers species, they are here of course, so, is that a case for local control? I don’t know, as I said many times, I am not disagreeing, just seeing a possible reason for the zone “lines” and my observation still stands, QLD are pissed off that NSW can keep more Spanish, because it’s over a “line” that rule means nothing to me, we don’t catch them here

[Dignity]

Sorry to disagree, I've approached this with an open mind, reread Lovely's post which I am in agreement with and as it seems you and I can't agree I'll leave it there.

[Lovey80]

I don’t know, as I said many times, I am not disagreeing, just seeing a possible reason for the zone “lines” and my observation still stands, QLD are pissed off that NSW can keep more Spanish, because it’s over a “line” that rule means nothing to me, we don’t catch them here

I guess it does come down to a few of things. Yes QLDers are rightly pissed off at our fisheries over a heavy handed approach where they feel like there’s a lot of over reach on Spanish. At the same time NSW fisheries sees fit to have a completely different approach over the same stock. Why is that? Is it because NSW hasn’t done a recent stock assessment? Have they done a stock assessment and disagree with QLD? Have they done a stock assessment on a different model and feel that the new model QLD is using is a load of shit? Do they feel that the limited time that only part of the stock makes it into NSW waters isn’t enough to have a major impact on the stock if they keep it at a higher level? Who knows?

I think it’s a reasonable enough question to ask why there’s two different management approaches over the same stock. If Mulloway was deemed the same stock from NSW to QLD and a lot of the NSW fish migrate into QLD with the majority of the stock calling NSW home apart from a spawning run or similar (think Tailor). If NSW’s stock assessment deemed much lower take and QLD had a different approach I wouldn’t begrudge QLD coming into line with NSW.

[Noelm]

Sorry to disagree, I've approached this with an open mind, reread Lovely's post which I am in agreement with and as it seems you and I can't agree I'll leave it there.

Nothing wrong with disagreeing, we have all been there on a dozen topics, the entire fisheries management is a minefield of differing opinions, local, state and federal issues all rolled into a tangled ball, politicians come and go, most have no idea about fisheries management, too few inspectors to enforce regulations, very little real science, nearly no accurate rec data, imaginary “lines” on maps to create green zones, no take zones, no net/trapping zones, Jervis Bay in NSW even has a zone that you are not allowed to even have rods on your boat, even if they are not in use. I am fully in agreeance that “some” issues are local, some are state and some are Federal, how even that is sorted out is difficult as witnessed right here in this thread……