Accidently (lol!!) leaked to the CM.

ING bans will be overturned in pristine marine areas, including Moreton Bay, under a controversial LNP plan to lure the vote of anglers enraged by restrictions. The plan, which has not yet gone to Shadow Cabinet for approval, was outlined in a confidential document inadvertently emailed to The Courier-Mail yesterday by an LNP electorate officer.
The minutes from a policy committee meeting held last Friday show the LNP plans to allow amateur fishers, using one line per person, back into protected inshore marine national parks or "green zones".
The committee deferred its final decision to a later meeting.
Green zones have been enforced in the Great Sandy Marine Park near Hervey Bay since 2006, and were expanded in Moreton Bay in 2009.
Anglers face $500 fines if caught fishing, crabbing or netting in banned waters.

Start of... [Read More]

It is on. Time to put up the top ten or so issues.

Any politician with the courage to come on and support these issues, or at least debate their value, will be welcome.

Any politician who comes on spewing political rhetoric will be pasted.

To get the ball rolling:

1. Remove netting from near populated areas, and at least half the rivers and around river mouths. Fairly compensate affected commercial fishers but also ensure they cannot access the fishery again causing... [Read More]

The Bligh Government failed to act on a 2009 election promise to stop commercial fishers harvesting table fish from bait nets in yellow zones. And now, on Friday 9th December, with another election due soon they reannounced the same promise again. Is this good enough?

Labor MP for Pumicestone, Carryn Sullivan said in her media release dated March 2009:

"State Member for Pumicestone, Carryn Sullivan said a re-elected Bligh Labor Government will ban commercial bait net fishers from taking fish caught as by-catch in yellow zones in Moreton Bay."

"Currently licensed bait fishers are selling by-catch such as bream, whiting and flathead to the fresh fish market instead of returning them to the bay. This is not on. If re-elected, we'll be regulating to ensure that it doesn't continue."

Almost 3 years later, after forgetting their promise, they expect rec fishers to believe them when they promise it yet again.
... [Read More]

The Chief Executive of the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) has commissioned the QGCPO to establish a Standing Offer Arrangement for the allocation of quarry material in tidal water at the Spitfire Channel resource area in Moreton Bay, under the Coastal Protection and Management Act 1995.
This Invitation to Offer (ITO) invites Offerors to submit Offers for a chosen quantity of quarry material (sand) per year for a period of six years from the Spitfire Channel Resource Area of Moreton Bay. Upon assessment of these Offers a Standing Offer Arrangement will be established with Successful Offeror/s for an agreed quantity of sand and an Allocation Notice will be issued. The Arrangement with the Successful Offeror/s (and Allocation Notice issued)... [Read More]

Some recent discussions on fisheries management have prompted me to run a few polls to try and gauge how to best reach the majority of recreational anglers when needed.

Thanks for your input - Scotto