Qld Recreational Fishing Licence ?

[Noelm]

You are regulated now, bag limits, size limits, fishing methods, green zones, boat rego and on and on, plenty of regulations there I reckon.

[kc]

Yep....drip, drip, drip, drip. Bit by bit they make is harder. less enjoyable, more regulated and comes a time when fishing becomes the socially unacceptable pastime of grumpy old men (like me). The history of RFL's is that occasional fishers stop and less people take it up in the first place. Like I have said, it won't effect me but it will effect the industry and the outdoors lifestyle/ culture of our country. Any tackle company signing up to this is signing their own long slow suicide note. If you make things harder to do, people then just do something else. The consequences and cost of RAP in the GBR was a prime example. People gave up fishing and many businesses fell over as a result. This is not anecdotal, this is demonstrable fact.

[Lovey80]

I am for a RFL if and only if 100% of the monies went towards stocking, habitat regeneration and administration of recreational catch cards so that recreational catch data could somehow become close to credible with regards to fisheries management because at the moment FQ rec catch data is a joke.

That said. When it comes to Arty reefs there is a better way. We currently have 2 full time Army Combat Engineer Regiments in QLD alone. Add to that an Engineer Constuction Regiment in Brisbane, another in Sydney and another Combat Engineer Regiment in Darwin. These Regiments have Army Working Divers (Commecial Divers) integral to them and a significant Watermanship capability (think barges capable of carrying Leopard tanks on them).

At any one time when I was in there was a construction regiment building Aboriginal homes in NQ/WA/NT. There's no reason that one of these Regiments couldn't be constantly deployed when in peace time to building artificial reefs. Identify the reefs and the requirements, give them some land to stage from where they can build the reef items and deploy them. Get local populations in each area to dump appropriate building materials at the sites (concrete pipe, heavy steel, concrete mixer barrels, etc) and let them go.

They have environmental officers already imbedded to them and can take advice/additional training from marine environmental officers on deployment of things like cars/boats in making them safe for deployments. Each reef could be detailed surveyed once finished and handed over to the public. Name each reef after a significant battle or VC winner. Start in Brisbane, once complete move to the Gold Coast, then the Sunshine Coast, then move north working on centres based on population size.

Once up and running with the bureaucracy sorted out you would be astounded at how fast each reef was deployed and put into service. The soldiers would love doing it. They get to keep/gain/maintain skills that are integral to their job functions while in peace time and above all improve the communities they already serve.

[rayken1938]

Thanks Lovey 80 for some constructive advice and a little thinking outside the box people have to realize that things in his world are changing and we have to react in a constructive manner it is so easy to criticize and refuse to change and before we are aware there will be no recreational fishery left to fight about.
With the sips in qld certainly there are holes in both the new and old schemes but overall it has been a success both for recreational fishers and rural communities.
If all rec fishos have the will and commitment to move forward and drive a RFL I am of the belief that a scheme similar to a combined sips and NSW style RFL would be a resounding success story.
The current fisheries minister in QLD at least appears to give a sympathetic ear to the rec fishos so in my opinion now is the time to move forward and not to dig our heads in the sand and refuse to change.
This should not become a political item and all partys including the so called dreaded greens should be involved in the move for a RFL.
So lets hear more of what we would like to see in a RFL and how it should be introduced and administered.
Cheers
Ray

[Sheik]

Refusing to change is not always a negative. Being panicked into change is nearly always a negative. The fishery with current regulations is quite healthy. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Sheik]

You are regulated now, bag limits, size limits, fishing methods, green zones, boat rego and on and on, plenty of regulations there I reckon.

True Noel, true.

[NAGG]

I'm totally in support of recreational fishing licences . The NSW one has worked very well over the past 15 years or so .... It's not perfect but goes a long way to maintaining & improving the fisheries.
The key is always in how the fee's are to be used ..... In NSW it was focused on fishing Pro licence buyouts - the results were undeniably beneficial to the fisheries. Facilities have improved & there is stocking (both fresh & salt) ... It works - just as long as the Government(s) stick with the spirit of the intent.

I certainly don't believe it is a given right to fish for nothing - it's not a infinite resource ..... A well run licence scheme can only be a good thing.

[kc]

What will be, will be, but like the old saying goes, "careful what you wish for". Not ever going to really worry me, but!!

[Lovey80]

Oh and to add to my previous. Significant safeguards would have to be put in place to ensure that we didn't end up with the NSW model.

[chris69]

Dont you all think that the qld goverment makes enough out of boat and trailer rego! other than introduceing a fishing licence to get more money out of us.

[NAGG]

Dont you all think that the qld goverment makes enough out of boat and trailer rego! other than introduceing a fishing licence to get more money out of us.

So where does the boat & trailer rego get spent ? ..... on everything other than fishing related (not all boaters fish) .....

Qld also has a lot of tourists who come from interstate (& overseas) to fish ...... do you not think that Qlders should gain a benefit ?

Chris

[bluefin59]

Dont you all think that the qld goverment makes enough out of boat and trailer rego! other than land fishing a fishing licence to get more money out of us.

Actually i find the boat and trailer fairly priced $101.70 for my bluefin4.5 is fair and my trailer is $195 .20 for a year and o be honest some sort of seperate fishing licence would be acceptable to me if the funds where used to improve Queensland fishing for rec anglers , it seems to work in other states . Let the stoning begin . Matt

[NAGG]

It's funny .... when I lived in brissy , I had to pay a huge annual fee to run my boat on Lake Somerset - along with a SIP ...... Why?

& yet people don't want to pay for a rec fishing licence .....

The SIP works ...... dont people think that the salt water fisheries could also benefit - through stocking & commercial closures

Sorry , I just dont get the attitude of some

Chris

[chris69]

Well Matt with the influx of southener's comeing and have come into qld we should have someone launching our boats at the boat ramp for us with all the extra money being raised but at peak times there's no car parks for miles to park your car and trailer,and i dont think they can or will improve things with raiseing more money from a salt water licence for fishing,but if you want to volunteer your hard earned money go right ahead i wont be giveing them any to fish.

When i was young we would find some fishing line cash in a coke bottle to by some hooks and find some bait of the jetty and catch butter bream some of the best fun as a kid so why ask a kid to get a licence to do so to have some fun.

Nagg i do think that qld will benifit, but the government will and waist most of it look how the split of the freshwater licence's has ended up there takeing more and give back less and the same thing will happen if a saltwater fishing licence is bought in

[bluefin59]

Well Chris I actually get around a fair bit with my boat and have seen quit a bit of improvement of the facilities as in boat ramp widening,pontoon installation and filleting tables as well as toilets . If you want someone to put the boat in and park your car no problem but everything has a cost .
The fact is the price of having a boat is reasonable and if you don't like it don't do it but really it is quit reasonable mate ,I used to wind my line on my coke bottle as it made for easier casting and retrieving but that was just me mate .
As for boat ramps the only time I find the parking rediculious is on a beautiful weekend and public holiday if you get there late ,I guess it's a bit like event days trying to get a park near Southbank or Lang park .