Qld Net Free Fishing zones

[Douglas]

Well, I went to a regional fishing seminar in Gladstone yesterday.

Lots of interesting subjects.

Seminar was opened by Fisheries Minister Bill Byrne and he then had the floor for approx. 1 hour to give the latest on Net Free Zones and the MRag review.

In respect of net-free zones Bill Byrne had this to say:

The policy was taken to the election earlier this year and it’s a pledge to the people of Qld that he is determined to keep.

The Fisheries Dept website public comments section closed last Wednesday with some 6,500 comments recorded. There was overwhelming public support for the 3 net free zones policy.

He will make an announcement in August reaffirming Govt intention to introduce them and will instruct Fisheries Dept to draw up the legislative instruments. Those instruments (Fisheries Regulated Waters Declarations) will be signed into law to be effective at noon on 1st November this year to coincide with the beginning of the closed barramundi season on the east coast.

So its last drinks call for commercial netting in those 3 zones.

Representatives of the Qld seafood Industry Assn were at the meeting and had private discussions with Bill Byrne after his address. Those discussions revolved around strategies for compensation packages for those who wanted to leave the industry and those who wanted to stay on but netting in other areas.

Bill Byrne also made these comments:

The 3 previous volunteer buybacks (2012, 2013 and 2014) by the LNP Govt only had limited success in reducing fishing effort as some netters surrendered their licences, claimed the compensation, promptly leased dormant licences from the compensation package payment and continued netting. $7 million of taxpayers’ money spent for very little gain.

He said he was determined not to have that happen again and is reducing the netting effort to zero in the 3 nominated areas to ensure the outcomes the majority of people want and didn’t get previously.

There is $10 million set aside for compensation out of the Qld contribution to Great Barrier Reef management agreement with the Federal Govt.

There is to be a Charter Action Plan announced on or about 1 Feb 2016 ( opening of east coast barramundi season) to support local council and tourism bodies setting up industries based on tourism fishing.

He also said that after these 3 zone closures are “bedded in” he will turn his attention to other zones with Moreton Bay being next cab off the rank (as per the policy paper). There will have to be funding allocation in the 2016 budget for Moreton Bay.

The commercial netting interests at the meeting appeared “gutted” by what he had to say. Chairman Kev Riebel and CEO Karen Collard were in attendance. Minister Byrne also stated that he wanted to boost aqua-culture industries (barra farming in this instance) to augment the availability of Aus fresh barramundi for sale.

The election policy announcement in January by the Labor party caught everybody by surprise. Minister Byrne said that the policy wasn’t cobbled together at short notice. It had been refined over an 18 month period.

My observations are that the netting interests took the proposal as yet another easily fought off attempt to stop netting. They dragged out and dusted off the 3 old hoary arguments that had worked in the past and set about the other usually reliable tactic of getting the Minister’s colleagues to develop cold political feet from netting interest pressure and dissuade him from proceeding.

None worked with this Minister though and the netting interests had no plan B.

Their tactics were outdated. They tried to simply oppose any change and got steamrolled instead of jumping on-board the change express and influencing the direction that the change would go. A serious error of judgement.

[Clino]

Hi Douglas,

Is there a transcript available from this meeting held yesterday?

Clino

[al49]

we have netters in the sandy straits right now smashing the grunter and whatever else .just not right, good chance to they don't even come from here

[Douglas]

http://www.gladstoneobserver.com.au/...ebate/2714639/

Don't know Clino

Above is Gladstone's paper report. Not a very good one.

Minister may put out media release otherwise look for announcement next month.

Al
Bill Byrne is anticipating more requests for additional zones after Moreton Bay. Get a group together and put up a request. Govt might be broke by then.

[Douglas]

Well

I've had a look at the NetsOut Qld website and spoken to the organisers. Very few people outside the CQ area have voted support for the proposals. Apathy at work. I'm all right Jack.

That's OK as the smart money says the proposal is going through to get the Governor's tick of approval.

Then the legislative change will sit in Parliament for 10 sitting days to see if a Notice of Motion to disallow the change is made by the LNP. If so its debated and then voted on. Govt is confident it has the numbers. If no notice is lodged then it passes straight into law on 1 Nov.

Any follow up areas like Moreton Bay will then be addressed by the Govt as promised.

Lets hope nobody in the regional areas is as apathetic when SE corner anglers are looking for support. They're gunna need it as there's more at stake.

[tackle_buster]

That maybe so Doug for nets out Qld, for which I did put a vote in, but they are not the only group that have got their finger in this Pie. If you checked other posts on this site you would know that. Can only hope your right about it getting the go ahead.

Then let the push for Moreton Bay begin.

[Clino]

This is from the Gympie Times on Friday 14th August. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come.

ROCKHAMPTON MP and Minister for Fisheries Bill Byrne has dismissed petitions, signed by more than 5000 people, which demanded the government abandon plans to create "net free zones" off the Capricorn Coast, Mackay and Cairns.
The two petitions had a combined 5054 signatures.
The net-free zone off Mackay would be put in place at Seaforth.
The petitions called for the right of Queenslanders "to buy fresh local caught seafood and oppose any fishing closures".
It also said, "75% of Queenslanders cannot or do not fish and rely on net fisheries to access fresh local fish".
The minister said in response the plan was "to allow commercial trawling, line fishing and crabbing to continue within these zones".
"And therefore the general community will still be able to purchase seafood caught in other commercial fisheries and from commercial netting activities outside of these three zones."
He added that it was an election commitment by the Palaszczuk Government and that $10 million had been set aside in the current budget to buy out commercial fishing licences "to minimise impacts from displaced commercial fishing" operations.

Clino

[robersl]

They had and interesting article on landline this morning re the Rockhampton area netters and rec fishes worth a watch on catch up tv on the net if interested

[darylive]

pity they wouldn't put in hervey bay region with over 70 thousand rec fishoes a year visiting the area would only enhance its reputation

Erm, the mary river gets netted, the burrum, the straits and the western side of Fraser Island

we have netters in the sandy straits right now smashing the grunter and whatever else .just not right, good chance to they don't even come from here

Most areas have an elected politician who is responsible to the people in the electorate. Get onto the Bastards.
E-mail them about your concerns. It is their bloody job for which they are more than adequately paid for.

[Douglas]

Watch this space tomorrow Friday 21 August!!!!!

or better still your local newspaper.