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Thread: Super trawler politics

  1. #1

    Super trawler politics

    Sorry folks, I got to do this. Since my involvement in fighting for the recreational fisher, I have been beaten from all directions. I have seen great science dismissed by recreational fishermen due to pure ignorance, and I have seen fishing bans implemented due to pure ignorance by pro green lobby groups.

    Now the recent bill introduced to prevent super trawler fishing in Australia waters is based purely on the principle that got the green zones introduced in Queensland. Yup, that is that great old term we all hate, the "precautionary principle"... We don't know that it is a problem, but lets pretend it is, just like the green zones on moreton bay and great barrier reef.

    This pisses me off no end, because the hypocrisy from the recreational sector is no better than what we expect from the greens. How many people actually know what the this trawler is going to take? How many know what impact this will have on the environment? Yet we all oppose it...

    I am not saying for a second that its a good thing, what annoys me most is a foreign vessel is capitalising on our fishery. But perhaps we should attack this based on the correct political reasoning, not the green reason.


  2. #2

    Re: Super trawler politics

    How many recs opposed this? I haven't seen alot of organised rec opposition (try getting us organised on anything). It WAS petty politics that stopped the trawler, in that enough people, from all alreas, all walks of life and varying POV, made enough of a hoo haa that the govt went 'Sh!t, this is potential votes loss on a scale big enough to make us care'. And they did something. Political decisions are forever based on what is seen as popular idealism, regardless if it is detrimental or not. You answered your own question when you mentioned the green zones/marine parks and why they're implemented.
    And really, considering marine parks, green zones, strict rulings on pro's and how they operate, the broadening spread of public talk that rec fishers
    are bad and the general consensus that environmental awareness and protection is a very aware topic with the public, it's not surprising at all.
    I guess, to put it another way and see how your own question is posed here. Would you, personally, be for or against whaling in our waters, by foreign or sovereign fleets? Why yes? Why No?
    Vary rarely does anything get attacked on correct political reasoning....
    Vegetarian - Ancient tribal slang for the village idiot that can't hunt, fish or ride.

  3. #3

  4. #4

    Re: Super trawler politics

    So are you saying Andy that you would rather see it operate here while the science was done? Presumably it hasn't been done beforehand....
    Personally with this issue I think the ends justifies the means; what "pisses me off" is that they were told they could operate here in the first place.....
    Not sure you are comparing apples with apples comparing rec fishers to greens.....somewhat different animals in my view.
    I do believe they (green, preservationist groups) make extremely dangerous bedfellows..........and agree that having to be allied with them is, shall I say, contentious.......
    Cheers.

  5. #5

    Re: Super trawler politics

    From my perspective the supertrawler uses an indiscriminate form of fishing - netting! ...... With a net so large that there is no way it can be used selectively & will kill a shit load of bycatch or marine mammals.
    I'm not a supporter of any form of commercial fishing that requires a net to actually drag the catch out of the water.
    I dont think that you have to use science to determine every policy related to fishing - some just make common sense .......

    Chris
    Give a man a fish & he will eat for a day !
    Teach him how to fish
    & he will sit in a boat - & drink beer all day!
    TEAM MOJIKO

  6. #6

    Re: Super trawler politics

    The way it is the boats owners have got quota their going to catch that quota regardless of which size boat they use the real question is would you prefer a large boat fill the quota in a short period or would you prefer smaller boats fishing the whole year, this dispute is pretty pointless the fish are gonna get caught anyway the only thing that would stop that is to stop the licence not the boat,just my view looking at it without the blinders on and to settle anybodies nerves i do appose netting but without It I think we would probably suffer.

  7. #7

    Re: Super trawler politics

    My thoughts on that Samson is that it would be more beneficial for the smaller Australian operators to take the quota as it would mean more of the $s would be spread among the local community rather than all being siphoned offshore with very few benefits for Australia. They are our fish we should be getting the benefit. Another question to ponder is if this is a sustainable form of fishing why would they need to travel to the other side of the world for the operation to be viable? If it is so sustainable then surely they can stay at home to fish where their stocks would presumably be in good nick.


  8. #8

    Re: Super trawler politics

    There was a lot of organized protest by rec fishers down here in Vic and Tassie. We've also got a few substantial towns that are coming to rely on the $$ that rec fishers bring in.

    We may yet see a reduction in the quota because of the attention that the protest has brought to the issue. I think even to hear the words" recreational fisherman" mentioned in parliament during this debate is a big step forward because it means they are taking notice of us. In that regard the issue doesn't matter so much, its the fact that we can mobilize with enough force to be taken notice of.

    I'm sick of seeing the greens being mentioned all the time and using their clout on the back of 13% or so of votes. They play the lobby game very well though and as we know truth or fact or good science has nothing to do with convincing pollies. It comes down to much baser human relations and emotions.

  9. #9

    Re: Super trawler politics

    Really the question is, was there corruption with the quota process...going from 8000 tonnes to 18000 tonnes seems to be a little extreme, the science for that decision outdated and disputed by other studies, the concerns of some AFMA members re the decision making process etc, etc....

    Science is a funny thing, the same results can be interpreted completely differently by opposing groups. At least this decision has given us a 2 year reprieve.

    Someone once said "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different outcome each time" or something like it, well if we need science to justify this trawler, surely the history of these ships can also be used as evidence?

    One thing I will be interested to see is who voted for the bill and who voted against, opposition to this equals no respect for public opinion and a pandering to commercial interests..(in my opinion )

  10. #10

    Re: Super trawler politics

    Quote Originally Posted by TheRealAndy View Post
    Sorry folks, I got to do this. Since my involvement in fighting for the recreational fisher, I have been beaten from all directions. I have seen great science dismissed by recreational fishermen due to pure ignorance, and I have seen fishing bans implemented due to pure ignorance by pro green lobby groups.

    Now the recent bill introduced to prevent super trawler fishing in Australia waters is based purely on the principle that got the green zones introduced in Queensland. Yup, that is that great old term we all hate, the "precautionary principle"... We don't know that it is a problem, but lets pretend it is, just like the green zones on moreton bay and great barrier reef.

    This pisses me off no end, because the hypocrisy from the recreational sector is no better than what we expect from the greens. How many people actually know what the this trawler is going to take? How many know what impact this will have on the environment? Yet we all oppose it...

    I am not saying for a second that its a good thing, what annoys me most is a foreign vessel is capitalising on our fishery. But perhaps we should attack this based on the correct political reasoning, not the green reason.
    You're kidding aren't you Andy??

    Look at the size of the bloody thing. Regardless of the science, or the politics, or the facts and figures, or the greens or the rec fishos or the commercial fishos; whatever - this is a huge trawler from overseas, that is going to take 1000's of tonnes of fish from Australian waters.

    I guarantee you that all the studies and impact assesments in the world will be meaningless. No one will really know what the impacts are until after the fact - by which time it will be too late.

    Should not happen! Cannot happen!

    Why are they here? - IMO because they have raped and pillage fish stocks every where else to the extent the it is not economically viable to fish anywhere else.

    As for politics - on one hand the government is buying back fishing licenses in an effort to reduce catches and preserve fish stocks and then on the other hand they entertain the idea of a super trawler??

    It really is a no brainer -

    Mark

  11. #11

    Re: Super trawler politics

    Should not happen! Cannot happen!

    Why are they here? - IMO because they have raped and pillage fish stocks every where else to the extent the it is not economically viable to fish anywhere else.


    Mark[/QUOTE]

    You only have to look at how this vessel and others like it have absolutely decimated fish stocks in other parts of the world.
    Whoever brought this thing here should go back with it!!
    And take our politicians who are decimating Australia with it

  12. #12

    Re: Super trawler politics

    Heaps of missinformation on this issue over the last few weeks but at least it's not going to happen, at least for 2 years. But I'm dissappointed the Coalition has opposed stoping the super trawler. What's going to happen in 12 months after the next Fed election when Labor get the boot. Below is from the Tassie Mercury earlier this week




    Libs slam trawler ban
    September 11, 2012 02.13pm


    A FEDERAL Government decision to ban super trawlers will damage investment in the fishing industry, says Tasmanian Liberal Senator Richard Colbeck.
    Senator Colbeck, the Coalition's fisheries spokesman, told a joint party room meeting in Canberra the decision would put business investment at risk. He told colleagues that certainty of fishing rights was vital for businesses seeking finance from banks, and the Federal Government's decision would threaten their viability.
    Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke and Federal Fisheries Minister Joe Ludwig today said the super trawler Abel Tasman would not be able to fish in Australian waters for at least two years while an expert panel assessed its potential impact.
    ~~~><))))*>

  13. #13

    Re: Super trawler politics

    Quote Originally Posted by nigelr View Post
    So are you saying Andy that you would rather see it operate here while the science was done? Presumably it hasn't been done beforehand....
    Personally with this issue I think the ends justifies the means; what "pisses me off" is that they were told they could operate here in the first place......
    Yep, that's the crook bit I reckon.
    When you develop a block of land you apply to Councils for approval to develop that land.
    Council then tells you okky dokky BUT only if you abide by these conditions and do this and that and a few other things.
    Council has placed limitations upon you to do the right thing in regards to public convention.
    With this trawler there should have been an application process where the science should have been done by the applicants and all the bugs should have been sorted out before approval was even granted. If the science was dodgy then the people who rights the approvals simply say....Nope. Try again and do it better this time.

    This process is the thing that should be investigated and is what we should be up in arms about not the trawler.
    Why?? The trawler would never had come if the application was refused.

    I wonder what the process would be if I wanted to build a nuclear power plant in Springwood?? (sorry Phill)
    I'd fill out a form and submit it to Brisbane City Council wouldn't I?
    Then what would happen?

    I can understand people do not want the trawler. I don't want the trawler but put yourself in their boots.
    You want to build a fish processing plant in your backyard in Victoria Point to process 5 tons of Mackeral a day and Redlands Council grants you approval based on old dodgy statistics (which the council recognises and believes and does not question) and you build a plant and start processing mackeral at the rate of 5 ton/day. Then people kick up a stink about it.
    Who's to blame really?? You or the people who gave you permission to do it?
    I intend on living for-ever....so far so good


  14. #14

    Re: Super trawler politics

    Lets build a nuclear reactor in Springwood we can waffle on about economic benefits,
    clean power etc then let's form a commitee comprised of independant experts and do a 2 year study. Surprise surprise it doesn't get approved due to community concerns.
    It shocks me how out of touch the pollies are!! Did they not think there would not be a huge public outcry about the super trawler? Did they think Australians are that stupid and they wouldn't see the hypocrycy of establishing Marine Parks and at the same time letting this killing machine into whatever is left. Also the only mention of bycatch has been seals and dolphins. What about all of the other untargeted fish species it will masacre. Just look at the Shark net fishery in the QLD gulf. They target Grey and Spanish mackeral and are allowed to keep and sell as bycatch. How many Southern Bluefin, sharks etc was this monster going to harvest as bycatch or maybe they just discard. It's not rocket science this should never have got off the ground.
    Our pollies are an embarrasment!!!

  15. #15

    Re: Super trawler politics

    Yes what idiot approved this venture in the first place and what will be the cost to us taxpayers for the impending damages that will no doubt be pursued by the company involved, just another grand stuff up on top of countless others we have witnessed. Dragging out thousands of tonnes of targeted wild fish from our oceans, not to mention the even bigger tonnage of murdered bycatch is not an "INDUSTRY" it's bad! bad! bad! and it's not something that should be supported by us or the greens or any Australian at all.

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