Northern NSW Fisho`s New Bag Limit Proposals Meeting

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Taken from Fishing World`s email newsletter

Fishos urged to attend meeting on bag limit proposals

01 Jul 2013

RECREATIONAL fishos in northern NSW concerned about proposed new bag and size limits are being urged to attend a public meeting this Wednesday July 3 at 6.00pm at the Coffs Harbour Deep Sea Fishing Club, at the end of Jordon Esplanade Coffs Harbour Jetty.

Guest speakers at the meeting will be Robert Brown (leader of the Shooters & Fishers Party), Andrew Frazer (Member for Coffs Harbour) and speakers from NSW Fisheries.

The speakers will address the meeting in turn and then the audience will be given the opportunity to ask questions. For more information contact Geoff Parker on 0418 401744 or Les Palmer on 0427 674354.

Submissions on the proposals close on July 31.

Discussion papers and submission forms are available at bait and tackle shops and fisheries offices throughout NSW. Copies of the paper can also be found online at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/reviews/fishingrules

[crazywalrus]

I really do not think it goes far enough. 10 flathead is way more than what is required - Queensland's 5 is more than adequate. Also it reads as a bag limit not a possession limit.

[benno573]

a few common sense suggestions in that lot - snapper, cobia, kingfish, flathead to name a few. I am sure it will cause outrage though - but really, who the hell needs 5 cobia for a feed????

Also beggars belief that it is not illegal to release carp???

Interesting that they are taking some notice of the deeper species as well, hapuka, blue eye trevella, bar cod etc. It's also a bummer in Qld you have to go so far to get onto them!

[Gad]

I really do not think it goes far enough. 10 flathead is way more than what is required - Queensland's 5 is more than adequate. Also it reads as a bag limit not a possession limit.

Only for a huge out-cry in NSW, flathead stocks were heading for a hell of a hiding

I don`t think the political brains trust down there rely on to much science/research either

Minister backflips on flathead catch but damage done

Fishing World 23 May 2013

News Comment by Jim Harnwell

ANGRY recreational fishers have used social media to force NSW Fisheries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson to backflip on a decision to allow the commercial sector to net “unrestricted†numbers of flathead and other species.

On May 3 the Minister signed off on a notice removing commercial catch limits on flathead and other species including morwong and perch. Details of this move remained hidden until late yesterday afternoon when the South East Trawl Fishing Industry Association (SETFIA) issued a press release outlining the minister’s plans. Describing it as a “shock moveâ€, SETFIA said allowing NSW licensed vessels to take unlimited amounts of flathead was “unsustainableâ€.

SETFIA CEO Simon Boag said catch limits for flathead are imposed on NSW recreational anglers and that limits remain on Commonwealth commercial fishers in waters outside three miles off the NSW coastline.

“It amazes us that NSW would allow their commercial fishers to take unlimited catches of many species including flathead. To this point Australian fisheries have been the best managed in the world but doing this jeopardises their sustainability in NSW particularly,†Boag said.

Along with various angling interest groups, Fisho immediately published the SETFIA press release on our Facebook page, provoking an instant and angry response from the angling community. Fisho then contacted Minister Hodgkinson’s media department, seeking urgent clarification and comment on the Minister’s decision to seemingly throw fisheries management protocols out the window and allow potential commercial decimation of important recreational species. Throughout the afternoon and evening social media channels ran hot with outraged comments from anglers protesting the minister’s decision. At 7.44pm last night Fisho received a press statement from the minister saying that she had “listened to stakeholder concerns†and will now “not make changes to trip limits for commercial fishersâ€.

“In the interests of working collaboratively with all our stakeholders and ensuring the risks and impacts of changes to fishing limits have been fully identified and assessed, I have asked the Department to reinstate the pre-existing limits and to now work closely with the Commonwealth and stakeholders to develop effective, efficient cross-jurisdictional management arrangements,†Minister Hodgkinson said.

While Fisho welcomes this backflip, and applauds the Minister for recognising that she had made a serious error in judgement, significant questions now need to be asked about how and why this policy bungle eventuated.

According to the SETFIA press release, the Minister made her decision to allow unlimited commercial take for flathead and other species on May 3. Yet it appears no one in the angling community had any idea this policy had been enacted. What discussions and consultation did the Minister have with the recreational sector on this important matter?

For instance, did the minister consult with ACORF on this issue? If so, what was ACORF’s recommendation? If not, why not? Surely the minister recognises that flathead are a key recreational species?

In light of that, it defies political reason for the Minister to even consider allowing the commercial sector to take “unrestricted†catches of flathead (and other species) in light of the discussion paper recently released by NSW Fisheries which proposes draconian recreational bag limit reductions. Does the Minister not see the hypocrisy of allowing netters to take whatever they like while imposing tough limits on mums, dads and kids who enjoy sustainable rec fishing?

Perhaps the most important question that needs to be asked is why the Minister would sign off on such a contentious policy? Surely the words “unrestricted catch†must have run some alarm bells with the Minister and her advisors? If these alarm bells didn’t ring, then you have no option but to question the Minister’s ability to fully understand the complexities of her portfolio. Surely the Minister would have realised this move presented serious sustainability issues for the fishery, not to mention inciting significant backlash from other stakeholders, including the million-strong recreational fishing community in NSW.

Questions also need to be asked about what influence the state’s commercial sector has with the Minister. Considering the fallout of this now scrapped policy, and giving the Minister and her team at least a modicum of political nous, the sway the commercials hold must be immense.Fisho finds it hard to believe that the minister didn’t realise she’d cop flak from instigating this policy. To actually attempt to make it happen while presumably realising it would cause controversy raises significant concerns about the minister’s relationship with the NSW commercial fishing sector.

Bear in mind that this decision was also opposed as “unsustainable†by commercial operators working federal waters.

Fisho – along no doubt with many hundreds of thousands of NSW anglers – is disappointed with Fisheries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson. This ludicrous flathead catch screw-up is the latest in a long line of policy gaffes which include allowing the resumption of commercial netting for salmon and closing the NSW fisheries offices at Cronulla.

The Minister and her Government have enacted some good policies in the past year or so – supporting Robert Brown from the Shooters & Fishers Party in reviewing the flawed state marine parks system is a prime example of the sort of proactive decision making NSW anglers wholeheartedly support. But this unrestricted flathead catch flip flop makes it hard to put much faith in the minister’s ability to look after things properly. To be fair she has an onerous portfolio with numerous responsibilities. Hers would not be an easy job. And it’s not difficult to understand that things like this fall through the cracks. But that’s just not good enough. NSW fishos expect – and demand – better.

Fisho respectfully suggests that the Minister immediately ask Premier Barry O’Farrell to appoint a Parliamentary Secretary to look after the Fisheries portfolio. Having an MP dedicated to the job, and who has the time to understand its complexities and requirements, would mean unfortunate situations like this do not occur.

We need positive change here – and soon

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The NSW DPI Discussion Paper on recreational saltwater and freshwater fishing rules states, "The NSW Government is committed to the sustainable use of our aquatic resources and promoting quality recreational fishing opportunities."

The paper also states, "The reforms are designed to ensure the long-term viability and sustainability of the State’s fisheries resources."

/>http://www.fishingworld.com.au/news/carnage-continues-as-recs-face-tighter-bag-limits

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Taken from Fishing World`s email newsletter.

08 Jul 2013

AROUND 400 people attended a meeting in Coffs Harbour last week to protest against new bag and size limits proposed under a review currently underway by the NSW Department of Primary Industries.

Fisho understands the leader of the NSW Shooters & Fishers Party, Robert Brown, and representatives of the NSW DPI also attended the meeting and addressed the crowd.

According to a report from Chris Wallis of the NSW Ecofishers, the attendance at the meeting was "a solid indication of the depth of feeling against this [discussion] paper."

"The overwhelming mood of the meeting was that this document is a disgrace, should be shredded and thrown in the bin," Wallis said.

The lack of demonstrated scientific evidence for reducing of bag and size limits for many popular species has upset many NSW rec fishers. According to Wallis, fishos "will be happy to accept reductions in bag limits if there is evidence or research showing the necessity for those changes."

"There is not one shred of evidence in this regard in these proposals," he says.

[benno573]

I knew automatic outrage would be the response from the general public... despite this, I personally feel a few of the changes make perfect sense. Everyone always demands scientific evidence for these things, in reality the evidence already exists in a lot of cases re growth rates, maturation rates, breeding habits and alike.

Jew fish in qld are a good case in point. Since the raise in limit to 75cm the stocks have increased markedly, because there were many studies suggesting that maturation occurs around 55-65cm. Allowing fish to be taken at 40cm meant that there was never going to be a sustainable fishery long term. Still, this change in size limit caused much consternation at the time.

The NSW fisheries need to sit down and have a bit of a think about their public image. On one hand they remove completely the catch restrictions for commercial guys on flathead, and on the other they tell recreational guys they are now only allowed to catch 5 in order for there to be a sustainable fishery.