BAIT_MAN
15-07-2006, 11:54 AM
For those who could not attend the Reef Grief Forum I thought I would give you a run down on what happened.
The forum was opened by the president of the BIAQ Mr. Barry Jenkins who stated as part of its responsibility to the boating and fishing industry, the BIAQ will inform members and other interested parties of what happened in Cairns, where the system went wrong and how we can safeguard against a repeat performance.
Mr. Jenkins also stated "The BIAQ now has an obligation to ensure any future rezonings are not a repeat of the North Queensland fiasco".
Mr. Jenkins then hand the forum over to the TFPQ Vice Chairman Mr. Alex Witten an active recreational fisherman with sound administrative and public speaking background. Alex gave a brief run down on the program for the forum.
First to speak was TFPQ Secretary MR Wayne Bayne. Wayne is a keen fisherman and has been involved in the recreational marine industry for over 30 years. A resident of Cairns for over 24 years, Wayne has been actively involved in issues surrounding the zoning of the Great Barrier Reef on both an industry and personal level.
For the past two years, as the BIAQ’s Cairns Chairman, Wayne, has spearheaded a campaign to get a fair deal for 600 industry members affected by the rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the industry restructuring that followed.
While the Cairns situation has had a devastating impact in Far North Queensland, the new immediate threat is rezoning in other areas, including Moreton Bay. The issues that Wayne touched on were What is rezoning, Why it is done, Who does it, How is it done .In Far North Queensland, the initial restructuring cost estimate of $1.5 million has been revised to $100 million, with a realistic final expectation of $200 million.
Next speaker was TFPQ Treasurer Mr. Malcolm Bairstow
Malcolm Bairstow is also an active recreational fisher with a professional background in the marine industry. Malcolm has previously headed industry support groups in the Far North Queensland area, and is very keen to see accountability from all levels of government. Malcolm spoke on the effect on the industry. The ranges of social impacts include loss of business, marriage breakdown, financial trauma, legal disputes, social and physical dislocation, and reduction in school enrolments, downturn in local business, mental and physical breakdown and local unemployment.
Next to the podium was Dr Walter Starck
Dr Starck is one of the pioneers in the scientific investigation of coral reefs. He grew up in the Florida Keys and received a PhD in marine science from the University of Miami in 1964. He has over 40 years worldwide experience in reef studies and his work has encompassed the discovery of much of the basic nature of reef biology. In this process over 100 species of fishes, which were new to science, were found as well as numerous, corals, shells, crustaceans and other new discoveries.
Dr Starck said today, a lot of the GBRMP that was green zone are rarely visited and fishing pressure is so low as to be effectively non-existent. The claim of over fishing is not simply an overstatement it’s absurd. The total commercial and recreational catch only comes to an average of about 9 Kg/Km² when the international sustainable commercial and recreational catch is 4000 Kg/Km². This is less than 1% of the yield of what reefs elsewhere in the would can and do sustain. Extensive and expensive underwater surveys of coral trout populations funded by GBRMPA show no evidence of depletion. To date these surveys have not been published?
Dr Starck said that not a single one of the thousands of species of reef creatures has been exterminated since European settlement. Not one is endangered.
Dr Starck said, “Expansion of green zones is a political cheap shot.” “ It’s easy, attracts attention, saving the reef is always popular, and with no real problem to begin with everything is in place for it to be declared another shining example of successful reef management.
Next speaker was the TFPQ Chairman Kevin Collins
Kevin is self-employed. An active recreational fisherman and organiser of the Whitsunday RAP responses. Past member of the board of directors of the regional tourism association. Recreational fishers rep on the Whitsunday LMAC. Freelance fishing writer.
Kevin spoke on what can be done to lesson the impact,where the politics comes in. As always Kevin told it as it is purely from a recreational fisherman point of view One of the major success of the TFPQ to date is they successfully brokered a deal after conferring with leaders of the Nationals in the Senate, Ron Boswell, and Liberal MP for Leichhardt, Waren Entsch and the intervention by Prime Minister John Howard resulted in a satisfactory financial outcome for North Queensland marine companies affected by the GBRMPA closures.
We have also seen the review of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority undertaken (an Federal election commitment) with results still to be made public.
No doubt TFPQ has ruffled the feathers of other groups who represent recreational fishers and boaties, but at the same time works to build an understanding that groups taking an “apolitical” stance are nowhere near as effective as the green lobby, through the influence of the green party.
Next to speak was Mr. Chris Forsberg
Mr. Forsberg has been involved in politics for many years and has managed campaigns for many sitting MP's and Senators
Mr. Forsberg spoke on the subject of Single issue Party’s and there place on the political landscape.
TFPQ Chairman Kevin Collins returned to the podium and spoke about where the TFPQ goes from here. One of the great challenges we face, as we move forward, is attracting both membership and corporate support. To date this exercise has been done with a shoestring budget and the hard work of a few individuals yet we have had some significant results, which will benefit all fishers and fishing and boating industries into the future.
There were also a few words from Senator Ron Boswell in regards to the support that he and others have given to the North Queensland marine companies affected by the GBRMPA closures.
TFPQ Vice Chairman Mr. Alex Witten then took questions from the floor.
As for me it has been pleasing to see industry starting to recognize the threats that a well-funded and well-organised green lobby is having on the potential of recreational fishing and boating. TFPQ’s aim is to provide a political arm to enhance the efforts of the apolitical groups and take their common message to government and challenge the power currently held by those at a political level. I feel that the forum was a great success and the people that attended were give a lot to think about. The forum was put together very well and a great deal of credit has to be give to the executive members of TFPQ and BIAQ
Regards
Shane Boese
The forum was opened by the president of the BIAQ Mr. Barry Jenkins who stated as part of its responsibility to the boating and fishing industry, the BIAQ will inform members and other interested parties of what happened in Cairns, where the system went wrong and how we can safeguard against a repeat performance.
Mr. Jenkins also stated "The BIAQ now has an obligation to ensure any future rezonings are not a repeat of the North Queensland fiasco".
Mr. Jenkins then hand the forum over to the TFPQ Vice Chairman Mr. Alex Witten an active recreational fisherman with sound administrative and public speaking background. Alex gave a brief run down on the program for the forum.
First to speak was TFPQ Secretary MR Wayne Bayne. Wayne is a keen fisherman and has been involved in the recreational marine industry for over 30 years. A resident of Cairns for over 24 years, Wayne has been actively involved in issues surrounding the zoning of the Great Barrier Reef on both an industry and personal level.
For the past two years, as the BIAQ’s Cairns Chairman, Wayne, has spearheaded a campaign to get a fair deal for 600 industry members affected by the rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the industry restructuring that followed.
While the Cairns situation has had a devastating impact in Far North Queensland, the new immediate threat is rezoning in other areas, including Moreton Bay. The issues that Wayne touched on were What is rezoning, Why it is done, Who does it, How is it done .In Far North Queensland, the initial restructuring cost estimate of $1.5 million has been revised to $100 million, with a realistic final expectation of $200 million.
Next speaker was TFPQ Treasurer Mr. Malcolm Bairstow
Malcolm Bairstow is also an active recreational fisher with a professional background in the marine industry. Malcolm has previously headed industry support groups in the Far North Queensland area, and is very keen to see accountability from all levels of government. Malcolm spoke on the effect on the industry. The ranges of social impacts include loss of business, marriage breakdown, financial trauma, legal disputes, social and physical dislocation, and reduction in school enrolments, downturn in local business, mental and physical breakdown and local unemployment.
Next to the podium was Dr Walter Starck
Dr Starck is one of the pioneers in the scientific investigation of coral reefs. He grew up in the Florida Keys and received a PhD in marine science from the University of Miami in 1964. He has over 40 years worldwide experience in reef studies and his work has encompassed the discovery of much of the basic nature of reef biology. In this process over 100 species of fishes, which were new to science, were found as well as numerous, corals, shells, crustaceans and other new discoveries.
Dr Starck said today, a lot of the GBRMP that was green zone are rarely visited and fishing pressure is so low as to be effectively non-existent. The claim of over fishing is not simply an overstatement it’s absurd. The total commercial and recreational catch only comes to an average of about 9 Kg/Km² when the international sustainable commercial and recreational catch is 4000 Kg/Km². This is less than 1% of the yield of what reefs elsewhere in the would can and do sustain. Extensive and expensive underwater surveys of coral trout populations funded by GBRMPA show no evidence of depletion. To date these surveys have not been published?
Dr Starck said that not a single one of the thousands of species of reef creatures has been exterminated since European settlement. Not one is endangered.
Dr Starck said, “Expansion of green zones is a political cheap shot.” “ It’s easy, attracts attention, saving the reef is always popular, and with no real problem to begin with everything is in place for it to be declared another shining example of successful reef management.
Next speaker was the TFPQ Chairman Kevin Collins
Kevin is self-employed. An active recreational fisherman and organiser of the Whitsunday RAP responses. Past member of the board of directors of the regional tourism association. Recreational fishers rep on the Whitsunday LMAC. Freelance fishing writer.
Kevin spoke on what can be done to lesson the impact,where the politics comes in. As always Kevin told it as it is purely from a recreational fisherman point of view One of the major success of the TFPQ to date is they successfully brokered a deal after conferring with leaders of the Nationals in the Senate, Ron Boswell, and Liberal MP for Leichhardt, Waren Entsch and the intervention by Prime Minister John Howard resulted in a satisfactory financial outcome for North Queensland marine companies affected by the GBRMPA closures.
We have also seen the review of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority undertaken (an Federal election commitment) with results still to be made public.
No doubt TFPQ has ruffled the feathers of other groups who represent recreational fishers and boaties, but at the same time works to build an understanding that groups taking an “apolitical” stance are nowhere near as effective as the green lobby, through the influence of the green party.
Next to speak was Mr. Chris Forsberg
Mr. Forsberg has been involved in politics for many years and has managed campaigns for many sitting MP's and Senators
Mr. Forsberg spoke on the subject of Single issue Party’s and there place on the political landscape.
TFPQ Chairman Kevin Collins returned to the podium and spoke about where the TFPQ goes from here. One of the great challenges we face, as we move forward, is attracting both membership and corporate support. To date this exercise has been done with a shoestring budget and the hard work of a few individuals yet we have had some significant results, which will benefit all fishers and fishing and boating industries into the future.
There were also a few words from Senator Ron Boswell in regards to the support that he and others have given to the North Queensland marine companies affected by the GBRMPA closures.
TFPQ Vice Chairman Mr. Alex Witten then took questions from the floor.
As for me it has been pleasing to see industry starting to recognize the threats that a well-funded and well-organised green lobby is having on the potential of recreational fishing and boating. TFPQ’s aim is to provide a political arm to enhance the efforts of the apolitical groups and take their common message to government and challenge the power currently held by those at a political level. I feel that the forum was a great success and the people that attended were give a lot to think about. The forum was put together very well and a great deal of credit has to be give to the executive members of TFPQ and BIAQ
Regards
Shane Boese