Removal of Pec Fins

[Smithy]

Was at the ANSA conference at Yeppoon on the weekend and a Col Bishop of Fisheries was there. He said something along the lines of fisheries legislation having to go through a RIS process. Did we get to have a say on the removal of pec fins in a RIS process at all? Black marketeers are going to flout this rule anyway if they are selling on the black so why penalise the average Joe.

[SNELLY]

Smithy,

I agree totally - It does nothing to stop the black market and creates yet another reason for Joe average to cop a fine.

I spoke with the DPI when this came in and confirmed that it relates only to Coral reef fin fish at the MOMENT. They did go on to say though get used to doing it to all fish as this is where it is going.

Hows this - I heard some Blokes went very close to a fine up here for having a fillet of trevally in thier posession ( ie using it for biat ) less then 40 cm

Snelly

[Leo_N.]

WTF is a coral reef fish???????

Trevally? I don't think so - this rule must only apply to demersal fish, but what about those that inhabit a range of areas???? Mangrove Jack is a classic example, the smaller specimens being very common in creek systems, while they move offshore to breed and are common(ish) on coral reefs. Is this a coral reef fish? Also there are great examples such as Orpheus Island where there are mangrove systems directly adjacent to coral reefs and the fish populations are very similar.

This lack of distinction also applies to the closed seasons for coral reef fishinng - please can someone shed some light on this situation?

[SNELLY]

Leo,


At the same time I also asked about the closures coming up for Oct, Nov & Dec

I was told it is OK to fish but if you catch reef fish they must be released. #Where I was coming from was trying to find out if it is OK to float a bait out for a Mackerel of throw a lure or fly

RE the fillet of Trevally - just something I heard - I think the issue here was that they had a fillet in the ice box of less than 40cm

[Leo_N.]

Just found the legislation to clear up some confusion (my confusion really). All species affected are listed, interestingly they have not included mangrove jack, fingermark or estuary cod, but have included Queensland Grouper (which also inhabit both creeks and reefs) as reef fish:

http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/search97cgi/s97r_cgi?action=View&VdkVgwKey=%2E%2E%2F%2E%2E%2F%2E%2E%2Fproduction%2F legislation%2Fhtdocs%2FLEGISLTN%2FCURRENT%2FF%2FFi sherCRFFMP03%2Epdf&doctype=raw&Collection=Current+Reprints#xml=http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/search97cgi/s97r_cgi?action=View&VdkVgwKey=%2E%2E%2F%2E%2E%2F%2E%2E%2Fproduction%2F legislation%2Fhtdocs%2FLEGISLTN%2FCURRENT%2FF%2FFi sherCRFFMP03%2Epdf&doctype=xml&Collection=Current+Reprints&QueryZip=coral+reef+fish%0D%0A&

[Leo_N.]

Oh yeah, look up the schedule 2 bookmark to get to the right place on the PDF doc.

[Sportfish_5]

Thats a hell of a link ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[trout3030]

Smithy,
I totally agree. It is nothing but a pain in the arse to remove the pec fin and what for? Doesn't make much sense to me. Just means any blackmarket fish will be filleted off before sale!

Snelly,
As far as I make out from the gobbly gook they call the Coral Reef Fin Fish Management Plan reef fish are all the fish listed in appendix 2 as you have found in that link. I also believe that the regulations regarding the 40cm fillet and reef closures also only pertain to these fish. Please let me know if I am wrong because the whole thing is starting to confuse me to buggery.

[The_Walrus]

Hi Trout,

That's the aim of all the gobledigoop. Make fishing so complicated that the average fisho simply gives up and takes up golf!!

Luc

[trout3030]

Walrus,
At least you can play it when the weather is bad though.

[SNELLY]

Walrus,

You're not the first person to say that and when you think about it is seems to be getting more true by the day - think about it - RAP - Confusing Bag limits - seasonal closures - It takes a lot to keep on top of it and if you only fish a couple of times a year it becomes quite daunting

Trout, The way I understand it - I agree with you - but that issue with the trevally is a concern - perhaps they were saying because it was filleted they could not identify it


Snelly

[agnes_jack]

Just had a look at the latest release regulations brochure.
It states:
In relation to fin fish (other than coral reef fin fish) A recreational fisher must not:
Remove the skin from a fish on a boat until the fish is brought ashore
Bring a fish ashore and remove its skin and return the fish to the boat; or
Divide a fish into portions other than in a way that allows an inspector to easily count the number of fish possesed by the fisher.

In relation to coral reef fin fish, a recreational fisher:
>must not possess on board any boat fish taken from a boat other than in one of the following forms - whole, gilled or gutted or filleted;
>may possess on board a boat a fillet of fish other than a Chinese footballer (blue Spot) trout as long as the length of the fillet is at least 40cm and skin and scales are attached to the fillet;
>must not return fish taken ashore from a boat and filleted and returned to a boat unless the length of the fillet is at least 40cm and skin and scales are attatched to the fillet;
>must not put whole or gilled and gutted fish into cool storage without first removing a pectoral fin (see illustration in "Fish measurement") or
>must not bring live fin fish ashore.

Regards, Tony

[trout3030]

Tony,
One of the problems we are facing at 1770 is what to do with the fish frames/guts? If we are up that way with enough people for a second group to go fishing (bag limits being carefully monitored of course) can that group take fish frames/gut back on board the boat for disposal of the said frames/gut 5 or 10 miles offshore? This would seem preferable to placing them in the local tip or public rubbish bins as I have seen a few times. Doing this is also cheaper now that the local council has applied a levy for using the dump. Await your thoughts with interest.

[agnes_jack]

Trout
Thats an interesting one, I'm really not sure if that would be regarded as having filleted fish on board, or that if the fillets themselves, not being on board would make it ok. There are signs asking people not to clean fish around the estuary, for fear of attracting stonefish etc. I guess that means the tip is the only alternative.
I have often had people complain about the amount of frames etc at the tip, and what you suggest would be a far better alternative, at least the frames are going back to feed other species etc other than flies! I'll give fisheries a ring and see what they have to say about the matter. Will let you know.

Regards, Tony :-/

[agnes_jack]

O.K.
The boating and fisheries patrol say that they would not advise taking frames etc out and dumping them at sea, because the rules of the GBRMPA state that it is illegal to dump anything at all in the marine park. Because they are being thrown in, in a different state to which they were taken out, this would be illegal.

Make of that what you will! It seems like another stupid technicality to me!
May be a different story if you intended to take out tons of frames, but when the fish frames are being returned to the same area, seems a bit silly to me!

Regards, Tony ???

[baldyhead]

Why not just dump the frames over the fences of the DPI Departments and the local politician in your area who voted on this rediculous legislation???????
cheers baldy

[trout3030]

Tony,
Thanks heaps for your effort in answering that one. Can not believe the answer though. Can't believe they would prefer the frames to go to the tip rather then be returned to the crabs/fish/prawns to eat. Like you said just plain stupidity. Baldy might have the right idea.

[Gazza]

Guys , forget about rules for RECFISHOS ONLY.......you are not guilty.

The rules ,should be, as well (and this is where the flawed regulation is unjust)....read on

ALL Comercial sold fish should have both pecfins, right down the distribution chain, to your local fishshop, and then to you.
IF the fillet would be less than 40cms. ,the fish MUST then be , still whole !! >:(
and then, and only then ,filleted for you ,and cooked or taken home.

Think about it.........thems the rules :o

[agnes_jack]

That would make a lot of sense Gazza
One of the probs being that a fish and chip shop ain't gunna want to filleta fish there and then at peak hour on say a friday night. That would mean extra staff, thereby driving up the price of a piece of fish. :-/

Regards, Tony

[Morlers]

O.K.
The boating and fisheries patrol say that they would not advise taking frames etc out and dumping them at sea, because the rules of the GBRMPA state that it is illegal to dump anything at all in the marine park. Because they are being thrown in, in a different state to which they were taken out, this would be illegal.

# # # # # #

Tony, does this mean that using them as burley (and/or any other mixture) would be illegal?

??? ???

Morlers

[out4trout]

the petrol fin removable is a joke but the 40 cm fillet is an abslotute bullshit forcing recreational to bring home there whole fish to stink out our wheelie bins in nth qld and then washing our fillets under bloody freash water and causing the opposite enviromental problem on the coastal townships of queensalnd.....maybe we should all become tourists