Fishing World Email Newsletter

[Gad]

Mackerel wars escalate

05 Oct 2010

In the wake of ongoing conflict between rec and commercial fishers targeting mackerel in the same areas in North Queensland, Sunfish has requested that the Queensland and Commonwealth Governments phase out net fishing for all mackerel species in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

In what has been described as an intolerable situation, conflicts between mackerel line fishers, both recreational and commercial, and net fishers are escalating. Sunfish says, many accessible inshore fishing areas for mackerel are being ravaged by net fishing activities, resulting in line fishers having to travel further and further offshore to find fish.

Sunfish has said the Queensland Government fishery management agency has attempted to resolve these problems and associated conflicts, but unfortunately this has been unsuccessful. Mackerel net fishers continue to operate in close proximity to popular line fishing areas, resulting in major, ongoing and escalating conflicts in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Rec fishing groups in Queensland say the current situation that sees mackerel species such as Spanish and spotted mackerel protected by a sustainable line-only fishing status should extend to grey (broad bar) and school mackerel - currently the targets of large scale netting during pre-spawning. A report of 101 tonnes of mackerel taken by netters off Bowen recently highlights local concerns. Based on an average size of 7kg per fish, 101 tonnes of mackerel, reportedly equates to approximately 15,000 fish in total..

Sunfish says mackerel net fishers in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and World Heritage Area continue to take and interfere with protected species such as turtles, dolphins and dugongs. This results in adverse public reactions throughout Australia, and criticisms on all forms of fishing, and puts all forms of fishing within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and World Heritage Area in a bad light.

A recent meeting of all the members of Sunfish Queensland unanimously agreed that:

Recreational and commercial fishing for mackerel in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and World Heritage Area should only be allowed by using lines.

Net fishing for all mackerel species in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and World Heritage Area should be phased out over the next 5 years.

Sunfish and its member bodies will cooperate with the Queensland and Australian Governments and all other stakeholders to achieve these outcomes.

[Young_fella]

GOOD!!!

Can they extend this net ban to further south please..... 15,000 fish is nuts.

Just think of all the happy anglers when the ban is up....