Sunshine Coast State of the Sea Forum

[Smithy]

I was originally alerted to this via PM on another forum by this article in the local paper.


http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au...g-sustainable/


Tags: environment, fishing, forum, state of our sea, sustainability, usc
Marine scientist Geoff Dews said iconic areas like Old Woman Island might need to become fishery reserves.





EVERYONE will lose something ultimately to achieve an overall improvement in fishing sustainability, a Sunshine Coast forum will be told later this month.
The State of Our Sea forum, which is open to the public, will be held at the University of the Sunshine Coast's Innovation Centre auditorium on May 17.
Marine scientist Geoff Dews said questions like whether beach netting for mullet should be continued had to be considered in the broader scheme of things.
"If there are no major impacts, it could be allowed to continue," he said.
"But the answer to that requires greater scientific investigation. Many years ago you could catch a lot of fish.
"But there are a lot more of us now. We have to share."
Mr Dews said large populations increased the demand for recreational fishing.
"Fisheries management had not kept pace with this growth.
"Whether a practice was truly sustainable needed to be fully tested.
"The requirement of protected areas for certain species would require that we all had to forgo something to ensure genuine sustainability."
Mr Dews said iconic areas like Old Woman Island and our rocky offshore reefs might need to become fishery reserves for the sake of the greater good.
The State of Our Sea forum has gathered speakers representing the fishing industry, science and environmental conservation.
It is backed by SEQ Catchments, Oceanwatch Australia, University of the Sunshine Coast, Noosa Biosphere and Coolum and District Coastcare.
Geoff Tilton, president of the Queensland Seafood Industry Association, and SeaNet extension officer David Kreutz are among the speakers.

[Smithy]

Delving further a contact sent me this.




State of our Sea 2012

Bottom of Form

17-May-2012

This is a free public seminar and forum, hosting a range of expert speakers from industry, government and research who will present data that is currently available on the marine resources of Sunshine Coast waters. Download the program or flyer

The aim is to develop a shared understanding of the current status of the marine environment, to identify gaps in knowledge and possibly discover other useful sources of data, and to foster the appreciation of the various strategies, practices and constraints of the key stakeholders of this complex system.

This seminar and forum will have wide appeal to commercial and recreational fishers, and organisations divers and diving organisations, tourism companies; aquarium fish traders; government agencies; coastal managers, researchers, students and interested community members.

When: Thursday May 17th 2012. 8.30am for 9.00am start. Seminar/forum closes 4.30pm. Drinks till 5.30pm

Where: Innovation Centre Auditorium, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs.

Additional information: Refreshments including local seafood will be provided.
Please inform of special dietary requirements.

RSVP: RSVP essential by Friday May 11th 2012. For further details, contact: Susie Chapman 54594788 SChapman@seqcatchments.com.au

[Smithy]

STATE OF OUR SEA 2012

What we know about the marine resources of the Sunshine Coast

May 17

th 2012

Innovation Centre Auditorium,
University of the Sunshine Coast

PROGRAM - DRAFT

8.30-9.00am registration – tea/coffee on arrival

Session 1 – SETTING THE SCENE

9.00am –

Susie Chapman MC

Kerry Jones

– Kabi Kabi Welcome to Country

Lewis Parter

– Saltwater Dreaming

John McVeigh MLA

, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry tbc
9.20am – Geoff Dews - USC lecturer environmental management & marine research

Why do we need data?

9.40am –

Anthony Roelofs - DEEDI

Sunshine Coast region – Fisheries overview

10.00am –

David Kreutz – SeaNet extension Officer, Team Leader Ocean Watch

Historical perspective and key species mapping

10.20-10.45am – Morning Tea

Session 2 – FILLING IN THE PICTURE

10.45am –

David Glover

Shallow reef biodiversity and habitat

11.05am –

Jennifer Loder – General Manager Reef Check Australia

Reef Check surveys

11.25am –

Geoff Tilton – President Qld Seafood Industry Assoc. (QSIA)

Commercial fishing trends on the Sunshine Coast

11.45am –

Mark Planck – Swan Boat Hire

Recreational fishing trends on the Sunshine Coast

12.05pm –

Greg Riddell & Tony Isaacson– Sunreef Diving Services

Perspectives from the diving industry

12.25pm

– Mike Holmes – Chief Scientist, Aquatic Ecosystem Health DERM

Water quality of Sunshine Coast estuaries

Lunch – 12.45 – 1.30pm

Session 3 – WHERE TO FROM HERE?

1.30pm –

Deborah Bowden – PhD candidate, University of Qld.

Grey Nurse Shark population and habits

1.50pm –

Abigail Elizur USC

Aquaculture and the future

2.10pm –

John Page – Moreton Bay Seafood Assoc

Observations of the Moreton Bay Marine Park

2.25pm –

Bill Carter - Heritage Resource Management, Sustainability Research Centre

Barriers to sustainable marine management
Afternoon tea – 2.45 – 3.10pm

Session 4 – GROUP WORK

3.10pm - In groups around tables, 5 topics will be discussed with one per table.
Attendees are free to change tables during the session if they wish.
Each table will have a facilitator, scribe and appoint a spokesperson to report back.
Topics:
1. Recreational fishing sustainability
2. Commercial fishing sustainability
3. Sunshine Coast marine management
4. Catchment water quality and urban development
5. Knowledge and information from data
4.10pm – Brief presentation of group discussion to all and wrap-up
Completion of feedback forms

4.30 – 5.30pm – Ales and fish tales.

[Smithy]

If it is a windy day I plan on attending. I think anyone with an interest in fishing off the Sunshine Coast should try and attend as well.

[Smithy]

Just sent a letter off to my local member.

Hello Jarrod,

I met with you a couple of times during The Wharf fuel closure debacle for boaties.

I'd like to draw your attention to this "greeny" talk fest to be held on the 17th of May at the Innovation Centre at the Sunny Coast Uni. I will forward the rest of the literature that Keith has chased up. Even though he lives at Redcliffe he often fishes at Caloundra Wide and is the chairman of our newly founded charter body (PCOQ - Proffessional Charter Operators or Queensland). Had you recieved a request to attend by the organisers?

It would be a shame to see areas like Mudjimba Island and the inshore reefs like The Gneering Shoals, Coolum Reef, Currimundi Reef etc. locked up due to the green agenda. Imagine all the average family people with average 12-14' dinghys who needs these close in reefs open to fishing due to safety concerns and the ride of their small vessels, let alone charter operators and commercial fishers.

It seems this push was started under the last Sunshine Coast Regional Council term where money was given by the council for some groups to initiate surveys of the inshore reefs from Noosa to Caloundra or something. They were claiming because they didn't see many fish it was fished out but if I remember rightly they didn't do the survey in winter when you would expect to see your typical snapper and grass emperors etc. It certainly wasn't very scientific.

This could also be driven by the dive sector similar to how green zones have been pushed by NSW dive operators to lock things up for themselves down there. The only thing was the big green backlash all the NSW coastal seats suffered at their last state election seeing them all go to the conservatives. The divers have the HMAS Brisbane all to themselves now. It would be good to get an equal wreck for the recreational fishers now and especially as compensation if green zones do go ahead. If the divers are leading the push they will have a fight on their hands as they have that big asset for exclusive use allready, ie. the HMAS Brisbane.

Thanks for taking the time to read all this. I look forward to reading your thoughts or meeting with you for a chat. I am just up the street as my boat is moored at the Kawana Waters Hotel where I work out of.

Regards,

Robert Smith
Smithys Fishing Charters
www.smithysfishing.com.au
info@smithysfishing.com.au
0407 574 868

[17jack]

make it a reserve

[Beatsworkin2]

Maybe the divers need to go further out like we have to in Saying this we all go out on the water for the same reason we love it like me my son has got the disease 9 years old fishes snorkels and slept with lures since a very little man and now wants to be a marine biologist I can see it happening come Christmas he gets his first pro trip with grandad start loggin the hours boy

[Beatsworkin2]

Also management of our resource by some one with a idea is well overdue I want my grand kids to be able to catch fish without having to fish impoundments pros recs and all alike looks ok at moment but shutting everything down not the answer find we're there breeding and shut it down

[smclaren]

Call me cynical ... but as soon as I saw the first two entries of the agenda ... my Bull Sh*t radar went haywire ...

" Kerry Jones

– Kabi Kabi Welcome to Country

Lewis Parter
– Saltwater Dreaming"

Now I don't know who these two people are and I am sure that their intentions are good and I am NOT having a crack at them personally ... BUT ... who ever is organising this talk-fest is starting off with politically correct functionality ... which suggests to me that the tone and most probably the outcome of the event is preordained.

I could go into other aspects of the agenda such as "why is a diving operator the key note speaker on Recreational fishing trends" ... which goes back to Smithy's point around vested interest.

And another thing (last rant I promise) ... the opening comment "EVERYONE will lose something ultimately to achieve an overall improvement in fishing sustainability" ... what exactly is the University and Department losing in all this ? I can't figure out what THEY will lose ? And the dive operators ? What will they lose ? The anwser is NOTHING !!!!

Seems to me "Everyone" actually means the poor old fisho's (both Reco's and Commercial guy). But its a nice SPIN JOB to allude that those groups will lose something ... when we bloody well know that they stand to GAIN from our misfortune of a locked up resourse.

Also (sorry, def last rant) is it by design that the event it's not on a weekend .... as most fishing guys will be hard at work paying taxes for Universities and Gov Depts to exist ?????