Snapper Minister`s Statements

[Gad]

As ellicat mentioned in an other thread, the government has dropped the proposed $90 levy for Snapper.

Main Roads, Fisheries and Marine Infrastructure

The Honourable Craig Wallace

Tuesday, March 08, 2011

Fisheries Minister Craig Wallace today announced that the State Government would not go ahead with a discussion-paper proposal to charge recreational fishers a fee for catching snapper.

Mr Wallace said recreational fishers had expressed strong concerns about the proposal and it would not proceed.

He said the excessive focus on this one issue was preventing wider discussion about managing Queensland’s snapper fishery effectively.

“The government has heard what the recreational fishing community is saying,†he said.

“We will still continue our consultation about the best way to protect the snapper fishery in Queensland but without a proposal to charge a fee for a recreational fishing permit.

â€This option is off the drawing board and there is no other preferred option – we want to hear the views of the fishing community.

“Like many in our community the government wants a plan for the sustainable management of snapper but it must be acceptable to the fishing community.â€

The snapper fee proposal is contained in the Regulatory Impact Statement for the Rocky Reef Fin Fish Fishery, which is currently the subject of public consultation.

“The end result of our consultation may be a combination of the remaining proposals in the Regulatory Impact Statement or it may be none of those proposals and something entirely different,†Mr Wallace said.

Minister Wallace said he had already met with Sunfish on snapper issues.

“I will personally oversee all further public consultation with Sunfish and all other interested stakeholders on the Regulatory Impact Statement,†he said.

“As new Fisheries Minister, I will take a hands-on role in further consultation on we work out these vital issues.â€

[Gad]

Main Roads, Fisheries and Marine Infrastructure

The Honourable Craig Wallace

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Minister Wallace begins hands-on snapper consultation

Fisheries Minister Craig Wallace will travel to Hervey Bay later this month to talk to Sunfish representatives about the best way to sustainably manage Queensland’s snapper fishery.

Mr Wallace will attend the meeting with Sunfish Chairman Dr Barry Pollock to personally hear the views of recreational fishers.

Five public meetings organised by Queensland Fisheries for next week will not go ahead now after Mr Wallace said in the Queensland Parliament he would personally oversee discussions with the industry.

Mr Wallace announced earlier this week that he had scrapped a proposal to charge recreational fishers a fee for catching snapper. The fee proposal was strongly opposed by the fishing community.

“I have taken the plan to have a fee for catching snapper off the agenda,†Mr Wallace said.

“I also have said I will take a hands-on role in resolving the issue of the future of the snapper fishery with the recreational, charter and commercial fishers,†he said.

“I have no other preferred plan for the snapper industry and nothing has been set in stone.

“The only thing I am insisting upon is that any final plan must be acceptable to the fishing community.â€

Queensland Fisheries public meetings scheduled for Mackay, Yeppoon, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay and Tin Can Bay this week will not go ahead now.

Instead Minister Wallace will hold a series of personal meetings with recreational, charter and commercial fishers to ensure the views of the fishing community are heard at the highest level of government.

Proposals for changes to Queensland’s snapper industry are contained in a Regulatory Impact Statement which is currently the subject of public consultation.

Mr Wallace said a final agreement on the snapper fishery could be a combination of remaining proposals in the Regulatory Impact Statement or it could be something entirely different.

[wesfish]

there is a few easy ways to get the snapper stocks up. number one to me is that there is not enough arti reefs in moreton bay and other areas along the coast. if you build it they will come!! imagine if the bay had 50 % reef to 50% sand and mud bottom.. good to see the fee proposal dropped as that was the biggest concern to me.

[uglyfish]

You can bet your arse there all sitting around the table right now concocting some other ways they can screw us recreational fishers, and commercial guys.

This closure is such a bloody joke, there has been no scientific evidence that supports the closure.

I was talking to a few charter boat operators who said this closure was the straw that broke the camels back, after all the crappy weather we've had since January some boats ha e only been out twice, if the government were serious about helping queenslanders and the tourism they wouldn't of imposed this ridiculous ban now, and waited until it was at least there spawning season.

Maybe some sort of snapper log book for us recos, similar to that of what the charters fill out.

Ie how many snapper, size and location of capture, then they could make a more educated estimation of the total catch of snapper by the recreational sector, instead of guestimations..

End of rant...

[Sparksie]

Yeah good call Wesfish..

If only we had some Whyalla style action where we used left over cars etc. or other materials perhaps to make some more reefs..