Fishing backlash looms in poll

[jaybee]

Brendan O'Malley 20jan04

STATE Government attempts to forge a sustainable fishing industry might have blown Labor's chances of picking up a swag of marginal seats along the central coast.

The commercial fishing lobby's Queensland Seafood Industry Association yesterday predicted a fallout from angry voters whose jobs were tied to seafood harvesting.

QSIA president John Olsen estimated the Department of Primary Industries management plan for coral fin fish would punch a $20 million hole in coastal communities every year.

On top of that, an independent report found the Federal Government's landmark decision to close one third of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park to all forms of angling would cost a further $13 million.

"We're now estimating 350 jobs will go because of the green zones (reef fishing closures) and 500 jobs from coral fin fish," Mr Olsen said.

"That's an enormous impact on regional communities and I know people are prepared to vent their anger at the polls."

The pain could prove particularly acute for the Government in the seat of Keppel, currently held by National Party veteran Vince Lester with a 1.4 per cent margin.

Because Mr Lester was retiring, there would be no incumbency advantage this time around for the Nationals, so theoretically Keppel should be a realistic prospect for Labor.

Mirani, held by the Nationals' Ted Malone on a 3.5 per cent margin, and fellow National Party MP Marc Rowell's seat of Hinchinbrook (2.7 per cent) could also feature a backlash from disaffected Labor supporters.

Mr Olsen said the coral fin fish plan was galling because there was no compensation or restructuring package attached, unlike the East Coast trawl plan finalised in Labor's previous term.

He said a succession of state government policies, from the trawl plan to closing tailor and mackerel netting and protecting grey nurse shark habitats, had seen the rapid dismantling of the fishing industry.

World Wide Fund for Nature campaigner Imogen Zethoven said she doubted the green zones would be an issue, despite a long history of Queenslanders voting on federal policies in state elections.

"I think there was so much public consultation that people have a clear idea that the green zones were a Great Barrier Reef Marine Park initiative," she said.

"We have also done Newspoll surveys in the (coastal) federal seats of Dawson, Leichhardt, Wide Bay and Hinkler which showed an average 69 per cent support for one third of the reef being closed."

Ms Zethoven said the State Government should be congratulated for trying to make fishing sustainable and welcomed its coming management plan for the inshore fishery.

Recreational angling lobby group Sunfish meanwhile predicted Labor could pick up some of the votes being lost to angry commercial anglers.

Sunfish chairman Bill Turner said that despite widespread dismay with aspects of the green zones most recreational anglers were happy with changes to minimum legal sizes for sand crabs and the closure of tailor and mackerel netting.

[Graham_N_Roberts]

For all of my fishing life, a reco and not a pro, I have always believed that the fishery needs protecting- from both sides. Recos should look after the environment and the fish they catch, releasing all fish outside the size limits. Equally, pros should do the same... and that means NO bycatch being tossed back dead.

Further, name one other food industry where a natural resource is extracted without being replaced. An example is here in the Fitzroy in Rocky. The local fish restocking group work hard to raise funds to buy barra fingerlings, and the pros net the buggers when they grow.

Ya gotcha self ta blame guys > >

Contribute to restocking, stop killing the bycatch, etc, etc .... and you may gain sympathy ..... and recos, clean up after your session, release the little ones and contribute to restocking.

That's my bellyache for the day ... ah that feels better.

[bugman]

Labor won something like 8-10 safe Coalition seats last election by an extremeley narrow margin. These would now be classified as "marginal labor" seats.

I think the Beattie government will and is putting more emphasis on retaining these seats rather than going out and targeting any further safe coalition seats.

Some journos obviously get bored.

Bugman