Commercial Licence Buyback

[rando]

The ABC ran a report on commercial fishing licence buybacks.
I thought they said 200 licences had been purchased, and that a further round of purchases was scheduled next week.
Did anyone else hear the report???
A good result if the licences were active, maybe some of our fisheries will begin to recover somewhat.
They also mentioned some of the licences offered had been refused as they wanted too much for them. Rape the environment,, then screw the taxpayer too. >:(
rando

[seatime]

G'day rando

Didn't see that report, but have heard of the 200 mill spent on compensation from the GBRMPA scheme. They wrongly assumed it would only cost a couple of mill.

I'm not surprised a lot of comm fishos put their hands up for a buyback of licences. I've heard a few pros in Moreton Bay are anxiously awaiting a similar buyback so they can retire. Mind you, a lot of the older blokes never paid for their licences, they were issued them, and so it's money for jam for some.
There are 'experts' that determine these things and what's best for us all. ::)

rgds

[Louis]

It would be great if buy backs were offered.



Louis

[Slider]

Rando, is $90 mil this time and $60 mil later in the year. I notice that Fisheries are concerned that the buy back won't make any difference as those that have applied are on the brink and have grabbed the opportunity, while the larger operators will merely take up their catch once they've gone. It would appear that this move is more to create better viability for the remaining operators, than to preserve fish stocks.

ABC news on line has a couple of stories on it for a those wanting to look.

It was the northern prawn trawlers who placed a greater value on their licenses than the government was prepared to spend.

Irrespective, I guess, it is pleasing to see an effort being made federally albeit misguided, and if the state were to be equally as willing, then some real progress could be made as long as they research what areas are actually requiring attention. Buying back licenses in locations where regeneration of fish stocks is essential should be the aim. If down the track these areas regenerate to a point whereby they can be commercially harvested again without risk of overfishing on a sort of rotational basis then fine. But getting stock levels to a point whereby they are resilient to fishing pressure and not at risk of collapse must be the goal. Buying back licenses willy nilly based on economic return to the government is not a terribly practical way to go about it for the long term.

Lindsay