Anglers hoping for changes to draft reef rezoning

[jaybee]

Recreational anglers hope to use public opinion at a meeting tonight in Townsville to push for changes in the draft rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

The breakaway group, Recreational Enthusiasts Against Closure Totally (REACT), has invited mayors between Cairns and Bowen to tonight's meeting, as well as state and federal members of parliament.

REACT spokesman Brian Pickup says community consultation by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) prior to the draft plan being released seemed to have little impact on the decision-making process, and that has to change.

"The organisors out there from GBRMPA basically need to know what the people feel up and down the coast, and the impacts that this plan is going to have on recreational fishing," he said.

The Federal Member for Herbert, Peter Lindsay, says he would have liked to attend tonight's REACT meeting, but it has been scheduled while Parliament is sitting in Canberra, and he feels he is best serving the whole community by fulfilling his duties in the nation's capital.

Mr Lindsay says recreational anglers are entitled to have their say on the rezoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, but he is disappointed an approach has not been made directly to him about their concerns.

"GBRMPA have put out a draft plan and that's what it is...GBRMPA has got an open mind and that's why all the feedback needs to go back to GBRMPA in a sensible and rational way," he said.

"I'm happy to help fishermen do that...I've already spoken to a number of fishermen, but the recreational fishermen are as yet to make a time to see me."

ABC News

[Jack_Lives_Here]

Spoke with a mate this morning, that lives in T'ville. He attended the meeting last night. He rang and urged ANYONE that fishes, to put in a submission.
This Govt has gone mad. >:(
"They keep quoting scientific evidence to justify green zones, but to date have not been able to provide this evidence." ??? ??? ???

Thinking back, I now feel like a dead set goose :-[ Last year I helped out a Cook University student doing research on Hinchinbrook channel. I filled captrure sheets each day and submitted them after the trip. The data was to be used, so I was told, to research fish populations since the closure of netting in the channel. I reckon I was scammed BIG TIME. [smiley=furious2.gif]I'll never help another Govt. Dept or Uni student in my life - no matter how warm and fuzzy they come across. [smiley=furious.gif]

[jaybee]

yeh jack i am fairly cynical of the whole idea, qld gov says it makes big bucks on seafood exports, a big new factory was opened by mr beattie at the beginning of the year, so where are the pros going to go fishing ?? just trying to figure out what they don't want us to know. You know the old story don't let the left hand know what the right hand is doing. I reckon eventually it will drift sth to moreton bay. :-[

[Mad_Barry]

Here's the Townsville Bulletin report of last nights meeting.


http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,6650993%255E14787,00.html

I thought the turn up could have been a hell of a lot better though. The major problem we are facing is the GBRMPA & WWF campaign is appealing to the masses by saying. "We're doing this to protect the reef". Even the most of the average once or twice a year fisho's see this on face value as being a good thing.

It was gratifying to see pretty well all speakers along the same lines, i.e, yes, we are not idiots, we'd all like to see the marine park managed effectively, but simply closing vast areas is not the best long term solution.

Condensing the overall commercial and recreational fishing grounds, into a smaller area, must lead to major problems in years to come.

What is the point of having vast patches in great condition, & the rest copping the all the use ?, I'd lay a sizable bet that, in yrs to come GBRMPA will come out & say,,, shit ! these areas are suffering, and need to be closed as well.

#
No effort has been put into the real meaty issues of helping to provide a #long term SUSTAINABLE resource.

More use of yellow zones. (although possibly modified)

More use of the new Trolling or Buffer zones.

Reef closures on a rotational basis in sensitive areas.

Work further with Fisheries in implementing more measures like,

Breeding season closures when required on selected species.

Slot sizing of more species to ensure the larger breeders are not taken from the system.

And yes, if needed, more conservative bag limits for both commercial & recreational anglers, in pressure sensitive areas.


(crikey,,, I wouldn't object if they made the whole bloody lot into something like a yellow zone #;D. just imagine the exciting fishery we'd have in another 5 to 10 yrs #:o , the long term #tourism benefits & $$ inflow to the smaller communities would be Tremendous, the NT adopted this type of approach many yrs ago, & are reaping the rewards, and... they have done it without the use of mass closed zones, just effective & sustainable management !!)

[Gazza]

The Townsville Bulletin had avoided an alternative that was suggested by REACT, phone polls, for that very reason -- that they could be manipulated by people prepared to sit at a phone and continually dial a number that supported their view. The online polling device was set up so that computers could only be used once on the survey.

But in the interests of being seen to be fair and acknowledging that there are people who cannot access the Internet, today's poll requires readers wishing to vote either Yes or No to indicate support for or opposition to the draft plan to tick a box in the coupon
on Page 2 of today's Bulletin
and send the coupon to our office. Photocopies will not be accepted for the same reason that phone polling is avoided.

[Mad_Barry]

As a side issue, I'm going to move that reply over the large thread on the GBRMPA issue & can you put any other "thoughts" there as well.

I "know" #:-X that thread is being "observed" by several groups, & no, not just "our team" #