Double Island Lagoon netted and cleaned-out by the pro's!!!How can this be allowed???

[Lovey80]

The interesting bit about this is - if recreational fishing havens are to be implemented anywhere with the intention of rejuvenating fish stocks, then the recreational fishing pressure must be below levels that negate the benefits of implementation. This would particularly be the case in the first 3 or 4 years of a rfh in order for fish populations to rebuild at as close to maximum potential as possible. Therefore bag and size limits should be stricter within rfh than elsewhere because the fish should be easier to catch within the rfh and cumulatively will dampen the benefits of the rfh.

I have to disagree with this one part. If there is evidence that a normal size and in possession limit is too high in an area that is strictly recreational line fishing only, then surely the limits outside of the RFH are even worse for sustainability. Therefore the whole state should have its limit altered to suit. Also if the species is migratory like tailor, then there is no point on having a different limit in different areas. Sure if measures are being taken because of a complete devastation of a species and are close to collapse then fine, but that is not the case here.

In the case of the Sunshine/Fraser coasts, I think we would see the Rec pressure only begin to increase once the benefits of a RFH started to bare fruit. Sort of the supply and demand in reverse where the demand is always there to a point, but the demand will only be seen when the supply can accommodate it.

[Slider]

Fair points Lovey, but I don't see it that way.

Firstly, the reason why I'm pushing so hard for rec fishing havens, is so that the decline in various surf species, which has been universally noticed, and whose populations may or may not be collapsing, can recover. I expect that recreational fishing and subsequently tourism and economic returns from recreational fishing will benefit in the process. The buy back of licences, lacking a recreational fishing licence to fund it, would be at the expense of taxpayers. Taxpayers would then have a reasonable expectation that recreational fishers will not simply make hay and negate the potential conservation benefits that rfh have promised them. We certainly want families that irregularly fish, as well as the top flight anglers, to be able to come to this region and catch a feed. But we do not want truck loads of blokes coming here for a slaughter as would happen if fish populations started recovering.

Secondly, it would seem that fish that have been under constant commercial pressure for decades, would reduce their antipredator vigilance once netting ceases in rfh and thus become more vulnerable to recreational capture. This being the case, then it would seem prudent to ensure that large recreational catches are not premitted in an area designed to improve populations. As mentioned, recreational fishing tourism can be expected to escalate in rfh and therefore there would be increased numbers of anglers that can cumulatively contribute to the failure of rfh to deliver the conservation benefits promised.

Personally, I think bag and size limits are currently far too generous for most surf species anyway. But I doubt whether the majority of Queenslanders would be in favour of stricter limits for surf species throughout the state when rfh, that they have paid for, are supposed to be improving populations with the promise of spill over. Convincing QF to implement stricter limits state - wide would seem to be a futile exercise as they assess that everything is fine.

Tailor are a key species in this exercise and require far greater protection than they are currently receiving. Should Noosa River to Sandy Cape, the main region for tailor spawning, be established as a rfh, then particular care should be made to ensure that the greatest possible benefits be attained. Being a schooling fish, one school can allow a number of rec anglers to take their bag of 20 and that would most likely occur during the spawning migration and even if populations are excessively low. Same can be said for bream which are hardly ever caught here anymore, but a spawning school could allow anglers to take their bag of 30 when in the right place at the right time following a netting ban. This, in effect is a significant reason why hyperstability occurs.

I see a bag of 5 tailor within a Cooloola/Fraser rfh and 10 outside; 10 bream/tarwhine within and 20 outside; 10 dart within and 20 outside - for instance, as being ample to satisfy most people's wants and wishes in this day and age of poor catches generally from the surf.

Critical to all of this, is the fact that there is a push from certain sectors for Cooloola and Fraser to be designated Marine Park status where no fishing from the beach is allowed. None of us want to see this occur, which places greater inference on rfh to deliver the conservation benefits that everyone wants without the social and economic consequences. It would be my hope that successful implementation of rfh in this region will lead to many more rfh around the state.

[smclaren]

If I understand your general point, Slider .... you are advocating for a position just before a National/Marine park ... where conservation rules are enforced (no pro's) but recreation fisho's still have limited bag/size/species access.

If that's the case, I'm all for it ... as I see it critical that reco fishermen/women take control of the fish stock agenda before Green groups do. Those inner city folk don't fish and generally see us a resourses raping Troglodytes.

Where do I sign up ?

[Slider]

Yes, unfortunately recreational fishing is viewed in a dim light by a fair proportion of the population - whether we believe that we should be or not. And to be honest, I see far too many examples of undesirable rec fishing practices that are not helping our cause and which arms proponents of marine parks with disproportionate levels of ammunition to get their way. Not that I'm against Marine Parks in general. I feel that they are necessary if appropriately located, but coastal marine parks are unlikely to be of a suitable size or in suitable locations to do anything for marine biodiversity.

It is up to the rec fishing sector to improve their public image and to actually be seen and perceived as the 'bushwalkers' of the marine environment. Showing old mate on IFish how to handle fish properly would be a good starting point. Or simply providing fishing line bins near popular fishing spots to try and reduce seabird entanglements as the Noosa Integrated Catchment Assn are currently doing for us in this region. That's a bad image in itself - green groups picking up after us. They strive for and receive funding for these initiatives. Why can't Sunfish?

Regrettably though, there is nothing to sign up to smclaren. The current Fisheries Minister (and FQ apparently) believes that the voluntary buy out of commercial licences and increased policing will do the trick. The rec fishing sector seem to be content with this arrangement, which will, in my opinion, set us back years and condemn some currently overfished species to collapsed species status. How this situation can be altered during the term of this government and under the current circumstances though, is beyond my levels of optimism. I have certainly now given up hope that Cooloola and Fraser Island will see a recovery of fish stocks at all and further deterioration seems assurred - if that's even possible.

For the long term however, it would seem obvious that the recreational fishing sector needs to become more organised and present real and scientifically supported solutions, on a state-wide basis, to Gov and FQ. Engage scientists to assist in developing a package that can reasonably be expected to strike the best possible balance between conservation and exploitation, and back up proposed solutions with numbers of people that ensure that such proposals are taken seriously by politicians. I don't mean 'Gun for Hire' scientists like the commercial sector has allegedly engaged, but scientists with professional ethics, as there is nothing about RFHs that needs to be swept under the carpet.

There does seem to be a concensus out there amongst anglers that more net free regions are needed and would assist greatly in sustaining recreational and commercial fisheries which in turn, assures biodiversity. I would even argue that a restructure of the state's net free regions would be more likely to achieve fishery sustainability without necessarily requiring more of them. But the non-fishing community simply perceive that net free regions are self serving for the rec fishing sector and as such, that is how the politicians view it also. But that is how we are presenting our demands for net free regions and therefore these people can hardly be blamed for thinking the way they do.

There is no organised approach from the rec sector towards achieving a network of suitable net free regions. No communication with the commercial sector or scientists as to how to go about ascertaining which regions should be net free. And at the end of the day, as is currently being proven, no chance of there being an effective network of net free regions that does deliver real and tangible benfits for any of our fisheries.

The evidence already exists that suitably located RFHs can strike the best possible balance between conservation and exploitation and I'm really trying hard for that evidence to get a fair hearing. But it's not getting a fair hearing and those representing the rec fishing sector are not assisting in this regard. It was great that Sunfish Fraser Coast allowed me to put my "Proposal for the Creation of Recreational Fishing Havens - Cooloola and Fraser Island" on their website. Only the Fraser Coast branch mind you when the scientific principles involved have a direct bearing on every fishery in the state. But I had to kick up a hell of a stink for them to withdraw their attached comments that they do not endorse the views of the author - 40 pages worth of heavily researched material which they told me they supported. What kind of support is that when the best that Sunfish could do for the whole of Qld in their pre-election submission, totalled about 4 paragraphs. I was seriously in a state of disbelief when I saw that.

I don't know what the answer to our currently ineffective representation is. Have a round table meeting of all of the state's key figures from the rec community and nut it out perhaps. But seriously, somebody needs to take the bull by the horns soon or we, the recreational fishing community, commercial fishers and conservationists alike, are all in very dire trouble.

[smclaren]

Thanks Slider ... PM sent.

[Slider]

Thought I'd bump this as there are many points raised which contribute to the other threads - "And Then There Were None" & "Recreational Fishing Licences". Saves me writing it all again.

[Outdoor Guy]

bumping this up , very interesting reading thanks Slider

[malby]

I was up at DI Point lagoon again 2 weeks back for our first beach camp this year and again.......pro's netting the lagoon. Very disappointing indeed as in years gone by I had not seen them at this time of year. They were chasing mullet but I came over to look and apart from other species they had lots of undersized Queenfish caught in their nets dead or dying. I will say that this pro seemed to be making some sort of effort to free the undersized fish and he and his Wife seemed to be approaching things in a decent way.

Even further, sadly as we were leaving another Pro rocked up and appeared to be setting up to camp the night which indeed he did as we saw him the next morning at the side of the lagoon having breakfast where we had left him. Who knows how many juvenile fish were taken in 'his' gill nets overnight as there was certainly going to be no sudden visits by fisheries to check on his catch and before 8am he was gone so I have no idea how he went but I can say this: don't even think about fishing in DI Lagoon now for a few months as it has been flogged again!!! My mate was up there only 2 weeks prior to my trip with a Connect Program group from the Brisbane southside and had mentioned to me that he had fished the lagoon with the boys hard and had come up empty. He had used fresh yabbies, pippies and Zmann plastics which in years gone by at this time had produced Flathead, Bream and Whiting but this time nothing.

Word in the Tackle shops is that where once there were just a couple of pro's in Noosa there are now over a dozen living in the area and who knows how many come from the Rainbow beach and Tin Can Bay area to fish DI??

Surely the number of Pro's fishing an area should be limited or regulated by Fisheries?

All I know is that fishing up at DI Lagoon's is now out for the months we normally fish net free leading into winter and teaching boys to fish will be that much harder and we will again be forced to fish the beach which has been poor also or the rocks where it is more dangerous (only in quite low swells of course for safety reasons).

Sadly I wrote about this to my local Politician and he wrote back to say there was pretty much nothing he could do.

Again thanks though to people like Lindsay who hopefully continues to do what he can.

Love to hear an update on all of this when you have time Lindsay?

Cheers.

[manta man]

Hi Malby by chance does the Dude with the Mrs, drive a Red 250 Ford truck

[malby]

Can't remember Manta sorry. Seemed like a really decent old salt though as was his missus

[manta man]

Thanks Malby he drives a big RED 350 ford. Yeh good bloke comes from down D.Bay i think.

[Slider]

Gday Mal,
Have moved to Karratha but still very much involved with goings on in Qld. There is currently a concerted effort by Noosa Shire Council to push for the removal of nets from the Noosa North Shore. When I left Teewah at the beginning of the month, Glen Elmes, LNP member for Noosa was aiming to form a committee that would present a case to the Minister for a net free Cooloola. Doesn't appear as if this has advanced any since then but several NSC councillors will be following this up.

And yes, I moved to Karratha because when I go fishing, I like to have some chance of catching something decent. No nets around here.

[malby]

Wow Lindsay! Big move indeed!!

Guessing you are working in the mines up there then?

How is the fishing? Amazing I'm sure!

Caught my first 10kg Spanish up off Exmouth on Ningaloo many many moons ago. Will never forget the area.

So I was just wondering, have you heard anything more about the progress of that Council proposal?

It is soooooo needed as each time we head up there now there just seems to be more and more Pro's working the area and cleaning out the lagoon which is so obviously a spawning ground for juvenile fish. They must be attracted to the lifestyle of living around Noosa or something though I suspect they are just coming from all over for day trips and the like.

What's really annoying is that I have literally never seen Fisheries up there and so it seems like it must be a bit of a free for all.

Thanks again for all your hard work down here and I look forward to hearing of your adventures up in WA,

Mal

[manta man]

Hi Malby do you fish up that way in Winter Time? It's way to early for Bream but when it comes around June and July. I'll pass info on where to go to catch some nice bream. Will be land based and i might even come for a fish myself depending. I will keep in touch ok. I have to look at the Moon Phases around that time of year. I certainly hope i can help you and the boys out. Cheers Manta Man

[malby]

Most of our DI trips will be in the school term ahead from mid May to the end of June. We may have one beach camp still to go in term 3. PM me your phone number and I'll call you some time.

Thanks heaps,

Mal