Media release from Mike Horans office:

Call to rescind fishing convictions
The Beattie government needs to lobby Canberra to have the criminal records of more than 300 recreational fishers convicted of fishing in the Barrier Reef ‘Green Zone’ rescinded, the State Coalition said today.
Shadow Primary Industries and Fisheries Minister Mike Horan said he had written to Attorney-General Kerry Shine, calling on him to lobby Canberra, particularly in light of the successful appeal in Cairns Magistrates Court by two anglers against convictions.
Mr Horan said 320 Queensland recreational fishers had criminal records having been found guilty in Queensland Courts, under Federal legislation, of ‘illegally fishing’ in the Green Zone of the Great Barrier Reef.
“Because the offence has been changed to a ticketing system, from December 14, 2006, I have written to Kerry Shine calling on him to lobby the Federal Attorney-General to have the criminal records for the 320 fishers found guilty under the previous code rescinded,” Mr Horan said.
“I have also asked Mr Shine to lobby the Federal Attorney-General to drop legal proceedings against the 40 recreational fishers charged prior to December 14, 2006, and still pending court hearings.”
Mr Horan said the recent ruling in Cairns Magistrates Court by Magistrate Trevor Black that global positioning systems (GPS) were not accurate enough to prove the conviction of two anglers that they were in fact fishing within the ‘Green Zone’, could well mean many of 320 could ultimately successfully appeal convictions.
“I understand a class action may be pending, but do we really need to further clog our already overloaded courts with these actions?” Mr Horan asked.