22/07/2022
Greetings ALL.
I am going to start todays post by saying THANK YOU - for participating.
Todays post isn’t about bait – it’s about our COLLECTIVE FISHING FUTURE. I’ll be blunt. It’s a CALL TO ACTION.
We as Fisho’s need to send a message to Fishing Queensland & the QLD Government NOW!
You may or may not be aware that the QLD Gov’t is attempting through Fishing Queensland to shut down the Spanish Mackerel fishery off the East Coast of QLD.
It will have major ramifications on ALL FISHING ACTIVITY if we sit idle by and do not speak out immediately whilst we have been given the chance.
It’s not a Pro vs Rec argument or about political parties - it’s a RIGHT TO FISH argument and we all need to speak up whilst we have the chance. We are the STAKEHOLDERS who can make a change.
We have been given a golden opportunity to send a very strong message to FQ & GOV’T not to take fishing people lightly and your actions will set a precedent for future consultations that will include all fishing persons present & future. Please help and take action today.
Whilst you may consider that you don’t fish for Spanish Mackerel, the species you DO FISH for and equipment used, are on the waiting list to be actioned next. Nannygai, Red Emperor, Red Throat, Coral Trout, Whiting & Electric Reels etc are all on FQ’s agenda to restrict – YES RESTRICT.
Speak up now and complete the survey in the link below to send a clear message to FQ & the QLD Gov’t. It takes about 10mins & I have included my model answers to assist your thinking.
If you don’t take action now you can’t complain later next year when fishing for your preferred species or using newly invested in equipment is modified, restricted or banned because FQ thinks there is now one out there being impacted.
ACT NOW for you & your families & family’s families future RIGHT TO FISH.
Please share this in your fishing & boating groups & even ask your local tackle shop to remind customers to take action as they too will feel the pinch as sales decline.
The survey will close at midnight on 5 August 2022. That’s 2 weeks from today that you have to SAVE OUR FISHING FUTURE.
You can submit multiple times for each of your family members too if you have multiple email addresses. WE NEED NUMBERS to be heard.
https://daf.engagementhub.com.au/spanish-mackerel-2022
If link doesn’t work cut n paste pls.
I submitted the following responses & they all fit into the character limit of 500 spaces available to respond.
Please understand Commercial fishers are impacted too. They supply all of the seafood that 70% of the population eat – that 70% don’t fish. WE ARE THE MINORITY here.
Due to the limited options in responses the ‘please specify’ box needs to be used to convey our real needs. If we all send the same responses perhaps we can kick the goals we need to.
Q1 Enter post code - Self Explanatory
Q2 Select multiple eg Whatever you can claim – Commercial, Charter, Rec, Tackle retailer / Wholesaler, Community member etc. Everyone should please include Other and specify – I am concerned about insufficient real data used to model proposed fishing strategies and I want to make a real impact on sustainable fishing strategies for the future as a concerned community member.
Q3 Select option 1 the better of 2 evils for all fisherfolk. Easier to manage 2 closures than 4.
Q4 Select option 1 as this will provide FACTS to FQ not give them an opportunity to say WE (fisher’s) didn’t participate – plus it forces development of reporting systems that we fisher’s can all use as other species are targeted.
Q5 Select other & specify Smartphone app, Online form, automated phone call and physical form all as reporting options. If you are offshore out of comms range use a form to collate data, then pic & upload when in range or call in on your way in via automated system before returning to port. WE need multiple options
Remember they are using OUR MONEY so demand the services we need above to protect our right to fish and contribute to sustainable practices.
Q6 Select Disagree / Strongly disagree – reason being; Data used is not FACTUAL but rather incorrect estimates excluding Rec Fish data. I support Nth Sth seasonal closures annually as 1 block for ease of operability to allow stocks to spawn & rebuild. But Fishery objectives, rules & stock assessments should only be considered after 5 years of data collation commencing Feb 2023 ie Objective & rules from Feb 2028/29
I do not support ALL proposed in-possession / boat limits commencing July 1 2023. I do support Rec catch data commencing earlier 1 Jan 23
Q7 Select Disagree / Strongly disagree – reason being; 40% Rec including Charter is a mere GUESS. Whilst Charter operators have been reporting catch data in the recent past NO REC DATA has ever been recorded & therefore collation of REC DATA needs to commence from 1 Feb 2023. This will enable an EQUITABLE STRATEGY to be proposed in 2029/30 season Spanish Mackerel Sustainable Fishing Management Strategy Proposal
Q8 Select Strongly disagree – reason being; I disagree with your statement on page 15 ‘there are uncertainties around the use of standardised catch rates as an index of abundance’ Just get the REC data flowing in 1st before you jump to assumptions that the data will be of no use. We the fisher’s want to see factual data on total catch across the board. Sea Surface temps, sharks & commercial catch data can all be collated appropriately already.
Q9 Select Strongly disagree – reason being; We the Fisher’s are demanding a revisit to the proposed strategy by way of this survey & feedback. The changes we require herein must be implemented & then I would agree that stock assessments every 2 years would be feasible but only to formulate the new proposed strategy to be implemented in 2029/30 season after real facts from 5 years have been collected, collated & reported publicly.
Q10 YES. Implement the real requested written changes I have submitted in this survey & feedback, commence a 5-year observation & data collation plan & re introduce a Spanish Mackerel Fishing Strategy in 2030 based on real data and input published publicly.
Q11 YES. Implement the real requested written changes I have submitted in this survey & feedback, commence a 5-year observation & data collation plan & re introduce a Spanish Mackerel Fishing Strategy in 2030 based on real data and input published publicly. Thank you.
Once you enter the captcha input you should see a reply
We thank you for your submission to this survey. Your time in providing feedback to an important management process is of great value to building partnerships and stakeholder engagements that will protect and recover a valuable common resource.
Let’s hope that’s the truth.
Cheers Steve
