What is wrong with Fisheries (Mis) Management in Qld

[Macks forever]

Thanks Macks, my copy is a bit more raggedy so it has now been preserved very neatly for me. I have certainly passed on the details to my other friends to ensure they are kept up to date and aware of "statistics". I used to work with a bloke who could take any data you provided to him and turn it into statistical data that could either be very favourable or unfavourable.

Yep "Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics".

Although I prefer the intellectual version:
"There are those that cannot interpret statistics, those that choose to falsify them, and raw data that is subject to misrepresentation."

Where do you think Fisheries Qld fit in? ;-/

[Dignity]

Macks, once again, the guys in the field try their best but they are hamstrung, can't blame them.

[Lucky_Phill]

Macks, you probably need to qualify what your interpretation of Fisheries is ?

Are referring to

The scientists
data gatherers
data imputers
managers
policy makers
director general
minister
office cleaners
policing
volunteer data collectors
volunteer frame donators

It is a big department and what happens, proved and understood at grass roots level, does not necessarily transfer into decisions made at the top.

It must be said, that even I find some decisions hard to fathom.

LP

[Macks forever]

Macks, you probably need to qualify what your interpretation of Fisheries is ?

Are referring to

The scientists
data gatherers
data imputers
managers
policy makers
director general
minister
office cleaners
policing
volunteer data collectors
volunteer frame donators

It is a big department and what happens, proved and understood at grass roots level, does not necessarily transfer into decisions made at the top.

It must be said, that even I find some decisions hard to fathom.

LP

Hi Phil

Not sure what exactly you would like me to qualify (I certainly was not referring to office cleaners or volunteers) but how's this.

Fisheries Management in Qld: The ultimate decisions made in the management of the fishery in Qld, in particular the inshore fishery, are not always based on sound science, all the evidence (see attached articles), true stock assessments, real sustainability, sensible resource allocation, social value, true economic value, best use, inequity of apparatus limitations eg 600meters of net vs line with hook, conflict issues, and tourism value to name a few.

The ultimate decision makers are ultimately to blame i.e. the politicians fed by the senior bureaucrats including the DG, DDG and senior policy and resource managers, but worst of all is usually the minister's own policy advisers. They fail to do a lot of what they KNOW needs to be done.

However, every person who contributes along the way, by those slight little distortions of the facts and data so that they don't rock the boat, are also guilty.

Having said that, I do know personally a number of the fisheries scientists and managers at the grass roots level who do a good job and are over-ruled by those above. Many are just trying to do their job the best they can and not get sacked for embarrassing those getting paid a lot more.

The ones in higher power resist change the most.

[Macks forever]

Macks, once again, the guys in the field try their best but they are hamstrung, can't blame them.

Yep totally agree Dignity. It is the higher decision makers who are responsible and distorting the truth. See my reply to Phil.

[Dignity]

No worries Macks, I started to make a list like LP but half way through figured it was too much work and changed my post, I'm glad Phil managed to cover everybody as I was sure I would miss a few. You are both right, isn't is funny how in virtually any situation it is the grass roots that have the right answers, I can hark back to when I worked and it was always that management would bring in consultants to verify what the plebs have been saying all along, on a number of occasions they have gone against the trend only to revert back to previous practices a couple of years down the track. In a lot of cases these same consultants actually worked in the business previously, had retired, started working for the opposition or govt and had an agenda. This is quite common in GOC's but I wouldn't tarnish all of them with the same brush as I have met some great consultants but in nearly every case they were hamstrung by bloody beurocrats. Sometimes the upper management should just listen to the lowly plebs.

[TheRealAndy]

It is a big department and what happens, proved and understood at grass roots level, does not necessarily transfer into decisions made at the top.

It must be said, that even I find some decisions hard to fathom.

LP

I can confirm what Phill says. Both of us have spent many hours with both the policy makers and the fisheries scientists here in Queensland. Policy is not always driven by the outcomes of the science.

To be honest though, you are game going up against the various stakeholders in fisheries, because you get a right caning about it. People only care about what affects them directly, not about overall situation, despite what is said on AF.