Landline abc rec and commercial fishing VIC

[Guest Guest123456789]

This Sunday at noon there is a program about banning nets in port Phillip bay. The VIC government has committed to buying existing licences with the goal of 1 million recreational anglers in 2020. Interesting scheme given the current problems with the overfishing of the Hawkesbury and  planned NSW rec fishing lockout laws. 

Looks like a good programme so suggest you record it as chances are we will all be out fishing tomorrow given the forecasted good weather.

[HenryR]

There's a written into to the topic, also ABC, here:

Recreational fishing sector pushes for ban on commercial net fishing near major centres

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-18/recreational-fishing-sector-pushes-net-fishing-ban-major-centres/8033432

 

[Guest Guest123456789]

Thanks for sharing Henry that was a very interesting article.

[stevefish]

You should be able to predict the angle landline will have on the issue 

[HenryR]

it's up on ABC iView now

http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2016/s4578037.htm

thanks heaps for posting flatheadluke. Is, I reckon, a really interesting and, also vexed topic. Hardly a week goes by where the thought of how amazing a no-commercial-fishing-Hawkesbury might be but, I can see good arguments on all sides of the equation ....  A case of too many people, not enough world? and given plans for big increases in Australia's population :/

 

[Saboo]

44 minutes ago, HenryR said:

Hardly a week goes by where the thought of how amazing a no-commercial-fishing-Hawkesbury might be but, I can see good arguments on all sides of the equation ....  

 

 

Sydney Harbour is your answer Henry. It bewilders me that so much of our commercial catch is sent offshore, I'd be more supportive of commercial catch if more stayed here.

[PaddyT]

2 hours ago, HenryR said:

it's up on ABC iView now

http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2016/s4578037.htm

thanks heaps for posting flatheadluke. Is, I reckon, a really interesting and, also vexed topic. Hardly a week goes by where the thought of how amazing a no-commercial-fishing-Hawkesbury might be but, I can see good arguments on all sides of the equation ....  A case of too many people, not enough world? and given plans for big increases in Australia's population :/

 

Its a vexed issue- i know 3 HAwkesbury commercial fishos pretty well- 1 prawn trawler, 1 eel fisherman and prawn trawler and 1 general netter- all really good blokes that are committed to the health of the river and the fisheries. BUT as i pointed out to them they are their own worst enemies- they sell lots of their catch for cash and so when the govt values their business its not seen to be worth much. The bigger issues facing the Hawkes are runoff from turf farms, upstream development that destroys the feeder creeks- have a look around Schofields and Riverstone- people dont realise that bass and mullet run all the way up to Quakers Hill and up Chain of Ponds to Box Hill and general pollution. All that sediment runs into the river (not to mention the crazy development happening in VERY flood prone areas) and degrades the whole river. I am old enough to remember when every August - September big schools of BIG Mack Tuna pushed up the river on the high tide as far as Juno Point (older blokes than me reckon the got as far as the rail bridge ) my best in my ANSA days was 8.1kgs on 3kg line. Pollies of all persuasions are fixated on the "Big Australia" , "Big Sydney" idea- locking Rec Fishing out of various spots is their concession to the Greens- the hypocritical thing is that the Greens want more people too- they just want us to live in caves and eat mung beans.

[Guest Guest123456789]

Thanks for posting the iview link Henry.

It was disappointing to see the fear campaign run on local supply of fresh fish.   And what's so wrong with imported fish anyway? Battered NZ hoki is delicious.

[Guest Guest123456789]

3 minutes ago, flatheadluke said:

Thanks for posting the iview link Henry.

It was disappointing to see the fear campaign run on local supply of fresh fish.   And what's so wrong with imported fish anyway? Battered NZ hoki is delicious.

I think this 8 second clips sums up The Greens supporters perspective

 

[HenryR]

Saboo, yup,  lots more fish in Sydney Harbour and everywhere else commercial fishing has been banned or limited. The thought pains me. I'm sure it pains many fishos.

On bad fishing days, I often think back to an article I read, in I think, Fishing World, a long time ago (probably too long for it to be up online), that detailed accounts of Sydney Harbour way, way back in the day: whales in the harbour, people catching lobsters from Balmoral beach, a story about a marlin that got stuck between the shore and a wharf somewhere up the Parramatta River, etc. It was an eye-opener. No doubt what's normal for us, now, is a million miles removed from any historical normal.

Still, surely, as much as we have a right to go catch our own fish from those places, people who don't fish for fun have a right to buy fish. It doesn't all have to be local but sharing what's on our doorsteps seems kind of fair.

I'd count myself as Green, very Green ......   maybe in an imaginary fairy land, (really, who can tell?) but certainly not alone in the world of rec fishing and I certainly don't want us all eating mung beans, living in caves. (however, if mack tuna ever make a return to the railway bridge, I won't complain!)

Think Bass Sydney and groups like that all across Australia - more needs to be made of the very natural (ha-ha, pun) crossover between fishos and environmentalists.

The impression I got - or, what I thought was the good take-away from it - is the Landline piece's tone was one-sided (though, not totally) because it's trying to counter a push they consider/suspect is coming as much from the rec fishing gear retail industry as from a research base or from an actual public opinion. It didn't seem to me that the Greens in the story were against rec fishing (to be honestl, I know nothing about Green policies on fishing) it was more a call for some actual research.

I would bet any good studies, would show rec fishing has little impact on fish stocks and the marine environment in most areas. Anecdotally Sydney Harbour and Lake Maquarie point very strongly this way, don't they? Are there not already studies being done for Sydney Harbour, Lake Maquarie and other rec only areas, anyone know? Surely rec fishers, should be supporting the push for good research.

 

 

[PaddyT]

Henry I would strongly argue that the fishing around Sydney has improved enormously in the last 2 decades-Sydney HArbour has had the double whammy of a vast improvement in water quality and the removal of nets in more recent times. The return of the kingfish is due to factor 1 and the removal of those all too effective floating fish traps 20 years ago. The Greens treat Rec Fishing with contempt-they are not our friends. Governments of all persuasions look for quick and cheap fixes- and dont actually care if they work- just that they look good- hence the desire to ban rec fishing- or as in the recent Marine Park submissions- list Rec Fishing as a KEy threatening factor -above nets and pollution- the opposite of reality. Fishereries should be managed by Fishery Scientists -not by Dept of the Environment. More sensible options would be seasonal closures (to protect spawning fish) and slot limits- like the one Qld has on flathead-you can only keep fish between 40 -75 cm to protect the breeding females. I remain to be convinced that dialogue with the powers that be will fix much at all- I write letters that basically tell them that they will loose my vote - hopefully they care - and the recent SFFP win in Orange might just have scared the crap out of them

[Guest Guest123456789]

15 minutes ago, PaddyT said:

Henry I would strongly argue that the fishing around Sydney has improved enormously in the last 2 decades-Sydney HArbour has had the double whammy of a vast improvement in water quality and the removal of nets in more recent times. The return of the kingfish is due to factor 1 and the removal of those all too effective floating fish traps 20 years ago. The Greens treat Rec Fishing with contempt-they are not our friends. Governments of all persuasions look for quick and cheap fixes- and dont actually care if they work- just that they look good- hence the desire to ban rec fishing- or as in the recent Marine Park submissions- list Rec Fishing as a KEy threatening factor -above nets and pollution- the opposite of reality. Fishereries should be managed by Fishery Scientists -not by Dept of the Environment. More sensible options would be seasonal closures (to protect spawning fish) and slot limits- like the one Qld has on flathead-you can only keep fish between 40 -75 cm to protect the breeding females. I remain to be convinced that dialogue with the powers that be will fix much at all- I write letters that basically tell them that they will loose my vote - hopefully they care - and the recent SFFP win in Orange might just have scared the crap out of them

It definitely has scared the crap out of them they're are panicking on all levels. 

Barnaby on the TV demanding farmers in Lower QLD and upper NSW get more water rights is driven purely out of fear of one nation. Whilst the policy may or may not be right (I don't pretend to be across the issue) it does look like a knee jerk reaction to orange and a pathetic, desperate attempt to hold onto power. 

 

I agree Paddy the major parties are in no mood for any reforms that strip away large blocks of voters peoples rights like where and when they can fish recreationally.

Edited November 22, 2016 by Guest123456789
Typo

[Guest Guest123456789]

2 hours ago, HenryR said:

Saboo, yup,  lots more fish in Sydney Harbour and everywhere else commercial fishing has been banned or limited. The thought pains me. I'm sure it pains many fishos.

On bad fishing days, I often think back to an article I read, in I think, Fishing World, a long time ago (probably too long for it to be up online), that detailed accounts of Sydney Harbour way, way back in the day: whales in the harbour, people catching lobsters from Balmoral beach, a story about a marlin that got stuck between the shore and a wharf somewhere up the Parramatta River, etc. It was an eye-opener. No doubt what's normal for us, now, is a million miles removed from any historical normal.

Still, surely, as much as we have a right to go catch our own fish from those places, people who don't fish for fun have a right to buy fish. It doesn't all have to be local but sharing what's on our doorsteps seems kind of fair.

I'd count myself as Green, very Green ......   maybe in an imaginary fairy land, (really, who can tell?) but certainly not alone in the world of rec fishing and I certainly don't want us all eating mung beans, living in caves. (however, if mack tuna ever make a return to the railway bridge, I won't complain!)

Think Bass Sydney and groups like that all across Australia - more needs to be made of the very natural (ha-ha, pun) crossover between fishos and environmentalists.

The impression I got - or, what I thought was the good take-away from it - is the Landline piece's tone was one-sided (though, not totally) because it's trying to counter a push they consider/suspect is coming as much from the rec fishing gear retail industry as from a research base or from an actual public opinion. It didn't seem to me that the Greens in the story were against rec fishing (to be honestl, I know nothing about Green policies on fishing) it was more a call for some actual research.

I would bet any good studies, would show rec fishing has little impact on fish stocks and the marine environment in most areas. Anecdotally Sydney Harbour and Lake Maquarie point very strongly this way, don't they? Are there not already studies being done for Sydney Harbour, Lake Maquarie and other rec only areas, anyone know? Surely rec fishers, should be supporting the push for good research.

 

 

I think that's a very balanced, unbiased and logical view Henry. And wow whales,crayfish and marlin in Sydney harbour, that would have been a sight.

[PaddyT]

Luke - there are still crays in the harbour and at the right time of the year marlin will run by the heads- one of the better know charters hooked a nice black inside north head last year- personally Ive hooked 3 in a two hour period less than 2ks from South Head 2 years ago- the Harbour is going well. As for funds on research- how about making sure that the Govt doesnt syphon off our license fees into general revenue? 

[Guest Guest123456789]

26 minutes ago, PaddyT said:

Luke - there are still crays in the harbour and at the right time of the year marlin will run by the heads- one of the better know charters hooked a nice black inside north head last year- personally Ive hooked 3 in a two hour period less than 2ks from South Head 2 years ago- the Harbour is going well. As for funds on research- how about making sure that the Govt doesnt syphon off our license fees into general revenue? 

Quite amazing for a harbour in a large global city