The Queensland Seafood Industry Association (QSIA) Chair, Allan Bobbermen recorded his views on continued calls from recreational fishing groups for the State Government to establish quota and commercial fishing zones.

Response to Queensland recreational fishing groups

The podcast made a clear distinction between the mum and dad rec fisher and the rec fishing groups which are actively trying to undermine commercial fishing across the state.  These groups and conservationists have been working with the government to push a green political agenda which is unproven statistically and does not align with sound science feeding in our fisheries policy.

What evidence do we have regarding the views of recreational fishing groups:

• Sunfish Queensland want an almost commercial fishing starting with calls for a net free zone (NFZ) free Moreton Bay (Fishing Monthly, Moreton Bay Net Free Area discussions continue).
• Fraser Coast Fishing Alliance – want a net free Great Sandy Marine Park (7 News Wide Bay, Recreational fishers call for a crackdown on commercial fishing).
• Mackay Recreational Fishing Alliance – succeeded in implementing the NFZs in Cairns, Rockhampton and Mackay (Mackay Recreational Fishing Alliance website, Support a Net Free Zone – From Seaforth to St Helens).
• Carefish – advocate for the current so-called fisheries reform process – Letter to the Premier, 16 March 2020
• The evidence for an anti-commercial fishing stance from recreational fishing groups can be found in a push for quota (which will lead to less commercially harvested seafood), a push for zoning (limitations on where we can fish) and a push of a 60% biomass (no support in any research literature, anywhere) which in turn will result in more layers of regulation in an already over-regulated industry.
• These groups are on almost all State Government working groups that seek to regulate commercial fishing.
• The use of the ‘I fish I vote’ slogan to scare politicians into leaving the sector alone.
• In the live coral trout fishery, working group these groups and environmental organisations have recreational fisher and environmental groups that routinely advocate for lower quota for commercial fishers.
• These lobby groups have convinced government the way forward was by way of a poor boy approach to set up an industry funded by back without any economic research and modelling which has angered the commercial sector by the fact that we have to by our farm back.

These issues have plagued the management of our fishers for decades.  What has changed is our ability to speak to industry, politicians and the community – which helps us provide another side to the commercial fisher / recreational fisher group divide.

The Association will continue to advocate for commercial fishers – critically important food producers.

Author: Queensland Seafood Industry Association (QSIA).

Image: QSIA.

This message is endorsed by and proudly brought to you by the QSIA under the Qld 2020 campaign in the interests of achieving better fisheries management for industry and the community.  Qld 2020 is about: a fair go – for food producers, their families and regional / coastal small business job creators.