Who is calling the shots and does it matter?  A simple question and the answer is right in front of us if we look beyond the spin of motherhood statements like safeguarding our fisheries ‘for our children and grandchildren’ frequently quoted by the Fisheries Minister.

The fate of your access to fresh local seafood, potential cost increases, a loss of regional and coastal employment and the undermining of food production can be attributed to the Minister, Fisheries Queensland, fake green activists and recreational fishing groups. But who is ultimately calling the shots is a critical question. It’s really not clear to industry or the general public.

Ultimately who is the key shot caller?

Minister – Not likely and if you look how our fisheries are being managed in Queensland its more a product of calls made from a deep seated contempt for hard working small businesses and regional families. The very public support for aquaculture, charter fishing and of course recreational fishers suggests government is more than happy to play partisan politics with food producers. The State Government is bound – heart, mind and soul to the fake green agenda and political impacts of not kowtowing to recreational fishers and this should worry Queenslanders.

Fisheries Queensland – This ‘agency’ is best described as an anti-industry think tank that has a mixed sense of purpose. In part it is a less than helpful regulator, in part it is an industry development agency for aquaculture and in part a willing ally of the anti-commercial fishing and anti-science fake green groups.

Fake Greens – A lobby that is more than happy to tell others how to live and applying their philosophy to public policy that will ultimately put an end to commercial fishing in this great state. These groups have a seat at the commercial fishing advisory table to the detriment of hard working small businesses and the community’s access to seafood.

Recreational Groups – These groups will become unashamedly politically active in the lead up to State elections or in the development of reforms seeking a selfish agenda that is easy to understand and repugnant at the same time, these groups believe their right to fish is more important than our right to commercially fish or your access to fresh local seafood.

We really don’t know who the shot caller is and this should concern the public – food production matters more than special interest groups agendas – let’s work on bringing on a change of government in 2020.

Author / Image: Queensland Seafood Industry Association (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.