Rec Fishers Shafted Again - GS Marine Park

[Derek_Bullock]

Just found this. It is a news article from two days ago.

Seafood industry fears marine park plan
Friday, 27 January 2006. 12:31

The Queensland Seafood Industry says it will be far worse off under the State Government's plan for the Great Sandy Marine Park in the state's south-east.

The National Parks Association says a revised draft of the plan is still unacceptable because it gives too much to the commercial fishing industry.

It says the amount of area set aside as green zones needs to be dramatically increased.

The president of the Urangan branch of the Seafood Industry Association, Des Finlay, says the plan does not need to be made tougher.

"We're going to be impacted severely, as a mater of fact, I'm going to be severely impacted along with 30 other fishermen," he said.

"How they can say that the Government's pandering to us is just a joke - it's just another way of trying to convince the community that the Government's looking after one sector and not the rest."

Minister Desley Boyle says she hopes a final plan will be taken to Cabinet within months.

Where the hell is this revised plan they are talking about. Has anyone seen it, especially the Fishing Party.

Once again it looks like Boyle and the Queensland Government are consulting with the National Parks Association and Professional Fishing groups while the recreational fisher get shafted.


Derek

[kc]

We have been at Minister Boyles office for weeks about getting a look at the "revised" plan, only to be told it has already been submitted to Cabinet so it is "cabinet in confidence", now Boyle has said it will be taken to Cabinet within months.

At the same time the green lobby, working, it appears, with the assistance of the EPA, has been working on a "revised" plan.

This all appears...on the nose but at least, this time, we have communication, in writting, from Boyles own senior advisor which contradicts what she is saying.

This will be passed on to the press.

KC

[bevnarch]

shafted again ya not wrong ...........kc is there going to be a public meeting on the fraser coast ??? i know a lot of fisherfolk dont know about the proposed marine park in hervey bay ,where it is or how big,,,ive got into a habit at the boat ramp now of asking the boat next to me what they think , a lot of the time they know nothing. i thought a tourist town like this would have been up in arms .....if i had a map of the area of the proposed park i would post it here .....or maybe someone else could do that for me.......arch

[Derek_Bullock]

Seems to me the Govt is meeting still with everyone other than recreational fishers.

The Government met a group of conservationists, ecotourism operators and Indigenous representatives this week.

The original proposal has gone from 3% closures to less than 5%

But National Parks Association spokesman Martin Taylor says the areas set aside as "green zones" still represent less than 5 per cent.

Derek

Last Update: Wednesday, January 25, 2006. 12:49pm (AEDT)

Group rejects Govt's marine park plan

The National Parks Association of Queensland says a revised draft of the Great Sandy Marine Park in the state's south-east is still unacceptable.

The Government met a group of conservationists, ecotourism operators and Indigenous representatives this week.

But National Parks Association spokesman Martin Taylor says the areas set aside as "green zones" still represent less than 5 per cent.

He says the revised plan still allows commercial fishing in the Strait.

"It's fairly obvious - even blind Freddie can see that the Government is refusing to take on board the lessons that were learned on the Great Barrier Reef over 30 years," he said.

"We think this whole marine park plan is basically designed to protect commercial fishing interests and perhaps to a lesser extent recreational fishing interests."

But Environment Minister Desley Boyle says the Queensland Government is not pandering to the interests of the commercial fishing industry.

"Their concerns probably are valid if you think purely of the environment and how precious it is in the Great Sandy area, particularly in the Strait," she said.

"However, the Government has more to think of other than just the environment and in that context, I think we're going to come forward with what is a fair and balanced plan."

The Minister says she hopes a final plan will be taken to Cabinet within months.

[Gazza]

"It's fairly obvious - even blind Freddie can see that the Government is refusing to take on board the lessons that were learned on the Great Barrier Reef over 30 years," he said.

Can somebody tell "blind freddie" that coral-bleaching is occurring in 2006

So they've learnt "diddly-squat" in 30 years, and have "no-clue" how to stop coral bleaching.....sure as eggs...

further stopping fishing from "extracting", like oil wells I suppose

will do DIDDLY-SQUAT to biodiversity OR coral-bleaching.

[dfox]

KC, If the QSIA has a copy of this document ,cant the fishing party get a copy from them? I would have thought they,d be only to happy to get the recreational fishing community on side...foxy

[Gazza]

http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/publicatio...rn_Section.pdf

(Can't see any maps ,that are "supposed" to be shown)

[bevnarch]

http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/publicatio...oning_plan.pdf

if this is the right one ,its a hell of a big area arch page 17

[kc]

Just so those following the issue are aware we are "on this" following is recent letters to Minsiter Boyles senior advisor.

He has advised the Minister will respond in due course!!


The Fishing Party (Qld)

Branch Office PO Box 1311 Airlie Beach QLD 4802

ABN : 36 733 771 800



Contact Ph. 49464 260 (H) 0414 785 462 (W)

Email : kc@whitsunday.net.au

30th Feb 2006



Mr Nick Heath

Senior Advisor to

Hon. Minister for Environment Desley Boyle



Dear Nick,



On behalf of our members, supporters and the residents of Hervey Bay and the Great Sandy Straights I seek clarification of statements attributed to your Minister today.

In response to an email to you on 13th December in regards the Great Sandy Straights rezoning process and any opportunity, which existed to have some final input into the submission you said


“Alas, as you would be aware, release of the cabinet submission would breach cabinet-in-confidence.



Never the less you can be confident that your input, as well as that of other stakeholders including the recreational and commercial fishing sector, has been seriously considered in the drafting process which has been underway since the middle of this year.



It is now up to cabinet to decide how your input will be addressed.

We took it from this that the document was finalised and ready, if not already submitted to cabinet.



Today, we are advised by your minister that



“Minister Desley Boyle says she hopes a final plan will be taken to Cabinet within months”

You are aware of my previously conveyed concerns that a number of environmental lobby groups, headed by the National Parks Association of Qld, have been working on continued submissions to Government, well after the closing date for submissions, a date which we adhered to.

That the 10 point plan, presented by this collective of environmental lobby groups, acknowledges the support of both GBRMPA and the EPA is of great concern, regardless of wether this is the state or federal EPA.



I would enquire again. Has this document actually been completed? Has it been submitted to Cabinet? Does an opportunity exist for this organization, on behalf of the 30,000 Queenslanders who voted for us, have any opportunity to vet the submission before decisions are reached?



Regards



Kevin Collins

Chairman

The Fishing Party (Qld)



Hi again Nick,

The following comments come from the National Parks Association of Qld on 25th January. Is this wrong or are these people being shown a copy of what you told me on 12th December was "Cabinet in confidence" and something we could not get a look at or comment on?

The National Parks Association of Queensland says a revised draft of the Great Sandy Marine Park in the state's south-east is still unacceptable.

The Government met a group of conservationists, ecotourism operators and Indigenous representatives this week.

But National Parks Association spokesman Martin Taylor says the areas set aside as "green zones" still represent less than 5 per cent.

He says the revised plan still allows commercial fishing in the Strait.


Regards

Kevin Collins
Chairman
The Fishing Party (Qld)

[kc]

Arch the Fraser Coast branch of TFPQ will be arranging a public meeting in conjunction with their AGM when we have something to look at and comment on. TFPQ called a major public meeting last Feb (attended by over 500) and from this compiled and lodged a submission. It can be obtained by emailing me on kc@whitsunday.net.au and I will send you a copy.

It appears?? we have caught out the ministers office telling "porkies", giving us a line that the information was not available yet making it available to environmental lobby groups. I will be in touch with QSIA in the morning to see what they have.

KC

[kc]

Anyone interested in the TFPQ Great Sandy Straights submission can view it at

http://fishingparty.com.au/submissio...ndy-straights/

Regards

KC