Restoring The Fraser Coast as a Recreational Fishing

Destination Presented by

Scott Mitchell Chairman

Fraser Coast Fishing Alliance

Our natural advantage is being wasted .... • The Great Sandy Marine Park is the ONLY marine park in Australia

(probably the world) that allows unrestricted commercial gill-netting to take place in Conservation Zones.1

• Not only is this happening in a World Heritage listed area2, it is also

happening in a declared RAMSAR Site, a dugong protection area, a major turtle ecosystem, as well as the recent declaration in the Great Sandy Biosphere.3

• In the Fraser Coast region, catch rates for anglers have dropped from

7.8 fish landed per person per trip in 19864 to 0.81 fish per person per trip in 20035. This is the most current research but concerns are that this decline continues even further today.

• The majority of commercial fishers comply with regulations. However,

there are many practices that are exploitative, questionable and almost impossible for the Fisheries officers to police.

1 No reference needed – prove otherwise.

2 UNESCO 2014. The property includes all of Fraser Island and a number of small adjacent islands off the west

coast including Stewart and Dream Islands covering an area of 181,851 hectares. The boundary of the property

extends 500 metres seaward from high water mark around Fraser Island and the smaller islands. 3 No reference needed – All well known facts.

4 Moore N. 1986 Recreational fishing in Hervey Bay and Great Sandy Strait. QDPI Information series

5 Murphy I. 2003. 2003 Creel Survey. A ‘Snapshot’ of Recreational Fishers and Their Catches in the Hervey Bay

Region, Queensland, between January and May, 2003.

• Our unique natural asset should be a tourist mecca but is being

‘managed’ to the detriment of recreational fishers and tourism, so that a small number of commercial fishers and associated businesses might benefit.

• There are NO fish species commercially caught in the Great Sandy

Strait that cannot be sourced elsewhere.6 • Fishermen and tourists are well informed. Increasingly they are

traveling to regions with Net Free Areas because there is an abundance of fish there.7

• The Fraser Coast desperately needs a sustainable economic boost.

Other regions such as Northern Territory are reaping the benefit of the economic multiplier effect that recreational fishing readily offers with low input costs.

Correct the Great Sandy Marine Mark Anomaly Remove commercial gill-netting from the conservation zones

It is essential and appropriate that there be no commercial gill-netting for fish in the areas currently

marked as Conservation Park Zones in the Great Sandy Marine Park.

6 No reference needed – prove otherwise.

7 Northern Territory, NSW -Georges Bay Byron Bay, Port Stephens, Tuggerah Lakes, Victoria – Port Phillip Bay

Mallacoota Inlet Lake Tyers, even Qld Pumistone Passage and Hinchinbrook Passage.

Please note: The only SIGNIFICANT difference between a Conservation

Park Zone and a General Use Zone is the use of commercial netting [other than bait netting]. Can anyone excuse the government of the day, or the current government, for the pretense of calling the Great Sandy Designated Area a Conservation Park Zone when commercial netting is allowed to continue unrestricted?

Consider …… • The estimated value of recreational fishing on the Fraser Coast [as

at December 2011] is: $203,812,337 [made up of $66,962,378 per year going fishing and visiting recreational fishers spending $136,849,959 on accommodation] PLUS an additional $177,965,336 of capital equipment.8

• Every time an angler goes out on the Urangan Pier there is $31 in

economic value contributed to our local region.9 • Every time a boating angler goes out of the Urangan Harbour or

8 [Extrapolated using population and tourism growth from ABS from] Murphy I. 2001. Hervey Bay and the Great

Sandy Strait: Spending Habits of Recreational Fishermen and Their Contribution to the Economy. Survey in Hervey

Bay and Great Sandy Strait region June 2000 – January 2000 9 Murphy I. 2001. Hervey Bay and the Great Sandy Strait: Spending Habits of Recreational Fishermen and Their

Contribution to the Economy. Survey in Hervey Bay and Great Sandy Strait region June 2000 – January 2000

from one of our boat ramps, there is $71 in economic value contributed to our local region.10

• There is a small number of Commercial Licence Packages

including endorsements in Hervey Bay and the Great Sandy Strait with a GVP (gross value of production) of approximately $4million. Commercial gill netting is a small percentage of this. 11

• There are about 300,000 visitations to the area per year by

recreational fishers.12 For every additional bed-night we can obtain a minimum of $275 in economic value to our region.13

• Even a modest 5% improvement in bed-nights associated with

recreational fishing and sports-fishing would overwhelm the total commercial fishing GVP.14

• Hervey Bay is the second most important recreational fishing area

in Qld after Morton Bay15 and is within a 4-hour drive of the whole of the South East Queensland region (2 to 3 hours by road and 45 mins by air from Brisbane and its international airport). Regional airports at local cities make the area readily available to international fishers.

The Fraser Coast is unique …… • It has the largest unconsolidated coastal sand mass and sand

island in the world - World Heritage listed Fraser Island. • It has more fish diversity than the whole of the Great Barrier Reef,

being a crossover zone between tropical and temperate waters.16

10

Murphy I. 2001. Hervey Bay and the Great Sandy Strait: Spending Habits of Recreational Fishermen and Their

Contribution to the Economy. Survey in Hervey Bay and Great Sandy Strait region June 2000 – January 2000 11

Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry 2010. State Wide Recreational Fishing Survey 12

Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry 2010. State Wide Recreational Fishing Survey. 13

Murphy I. 2001. Hervey Bay and the Great Sandy Strait: Spending Habits of Recreational Fishermen and Their

Contribution to the Economy. Survey in Hervey Bay and Great Sandy Strait region June 2000 – January 2000 14

No reference needed 15

Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry 2010. State Wide Recreational Fishing Survey. 16

Burnett Mary Regional Group for Natural Resource Management 2014. The Great Sandy Biosphere

• It has world recognized dugong population and sea grass beds.17 • It is a major breeding feeding and mating area for marine turtle

species.18 • It is the renowned winter whiting recreational fishery, attracting

many interstate tourists staying for weeks to months.19 • It is the recognized southern limit of wild barramundi on the east

coast of Australia.20 • It has three major rivers with modern operational fish-ways which

are necessary for barramundi to breed. • It is the home to other globally iconic fish such as threadfin

salmon, permit (snub-nosed dart), bonefish, golden trevally, snapper and triple-tail which will attract visitors if their numbers can be allowed to rebuild.

A World Treasure … Great Sandy Biosphere …

In 2009 the Great Sandy Region was awarded Biosphere Reserve status by UNESCO, the global organisation that also awards World Heritage Listings. The decision gives worldwide recognition to the Fraser Coast region, neighbouring Gympie area and the Bundaberg coastline, and puts us in the same class as the Galapagos Islands, the Central Amazon, the Everglades and Uluru. The concept of the UNESCO’s Biospheres program is to protect natural resources while using them at the same time – balancing conservation and sustainable development. • Fringing coral reefs and more marine diversity than the entire Great

17

UNESCO, Man and the Biosphere 2013. Biosphere Reserve Information: The Great Sandy Biosphere 18

UNESCO, Man and the Biosphere 2013. Biosphere Reserve Information: The Great Sandy Biosphere 19

No reference needed. 20

Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry 2013 – Personal communication

Barrier Reef • World’s tallest and most complex rainforests growing in sand • Almost half of Australia’s bird species • Critical habitat for rare and endangered species – 7558 recorded

species of flora and fauna • RAMSAR wetlands – internationally declared feeding and resting area

for migratory birds • Whale sanctuary and major transitory point for humpback whales on

their annual migration (BUT, gill-netting still allowed) • Major feeding, mating and breeding site for endangered marine turtles

(BUT, gill-netting still allowed) • Declared dugong sanctuary (BUT, gill-netting still allowed)

There’s quite a lot of fiction being peddled .… • “Netting bans will put many people out of work”

– Reality: DPI&F data shows many local netting operations are not economically viable.21

– Reality: Only a small number of operators would be impacted22 (and would be compensated)

– Reality: The economic multiplier of improved recreational fishing participation will create many more jobs in the community23

• “People want to buy fresh local fish”

– Reality: The majority of consumers look at price first and foremost24 – Reality: Most locally caught seafood is exported or sent to southern markets25 – Reality: Most locally sold retail seafood is imported and frozen26

21

Switala J. and Taylor Moore N. August 1999. Queensland’s Commercial Fishing Fleet. Licence Packages. Fleet

Structure and Fishing Port Activities 1996-97. 22

Switala J. and Taylor Moore N. August 1999. Queensland’s Commercial Fishing Fleet. Licence Packages. Fleet

Structure and Fishing Port Activities 1996-97 23

Murphy I. 2001. Hervey Bay and the Great Sandy Strait: Spending Habits of Recreational Fishermen and Their

Contribution to the Economy. Survey in Hervey Bay and Great Sandy Strait region June 2000 – January 2000 24

Sunfish Qld 2012. Survey of Seafood Outlets and Consumer Purchasing Habits. 25

Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics [ABARE] 2013. Australian Fisheries Statistics 26

Sunfish Qld 2012. Survey of seafood outlets and Consumer purchasing habits.

– Reality: Most true local fish that is eaten fresh is caught and eaten by local anglers and their family and friends27

28 – Reality: Fresh local fish can still be commercially caught in the 90% of waters

still open to netting29

• “Netters have just as much right to harvest inshore fish as recreational anglers”

– Reality: High levels of netting depletes local fish stocks – Reality: Turtles and dugong are still dying in nets30 – Reality: Fish stocks are natural assets of the people of Queensland and

Australia but are being taken for the exclusive profit of a few – Reality: Commercial netters are given priority rights31 – Reality: Anglers cannot compete with 600 metres of net. Areas must be set

aside for line fishing.

• “It is just an attempt to destroy commercial fishing on the Fraser Coast” – Reality: Utter rubbish. Even if all commercial gill net fishing was banned 5 km

offshore, most commercial fishing would be unaffected, including trawling, crabbing, commercial line fishing and offshore netting.

• “Banning nets will have serious economic impact on coastal communities”

– Reality: Not true. All nets will not be banned, and the opposite has occurred around established Net Free Areas. Commercial fishing has been proven to improve in areas surrounding protected areas.32

– Reality: The total East QLD inshore commercial gill net catch value33 is less than 5% QLD’s recreational fishery value34

35, and about 10% of the total commercial catch. 36

• “Current commercial netting in QLD has proven to be sustainable”

27 Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry 2010 Qld. State Wide Recreational Fishing Survey. 28

Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics [ABARE] 2013. Australian Fisheries Statistics

29 No reference needed. Prove otherwise. 30 Department of Environment and Heritage Protection. Qld. Marine Wildlife strandings and mortality

database annual reports 2011 31 Qld Fisheries Act 1994 – Fisheries Regulations 2008 32 Environmental Protection Agency Qld 2008. Public Benefit Test Report for the Marine Parks (Moreton

Bay) Zoning Plan 2008 33 Qld Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation 2011. Review of commercial

Fishing in the East Coast Inshore Finfish Fishery. 34 Department of Environment and Primary Industries. Economic Study of Recreational Fishing in

Victoria 2008-2009. 35 Murphy I. 2001. Hervey Bay and the Great Sandy Strait: Spending Habits of Recreational Fishermen

and Their Contribution to the Economy. Survey in Hervey Bay and Great Sandy Strait region June 2000 –

January 2000 36 Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics [ABARE] 2013. Australian Fisheries

Statistics

– Reality: Localized fish stocks and catches continue struggle especially when faced with the increased use of technology.37

38

39 – Reality: Compare to the NT – netting removed = massive turnaround of

sport-fishing and tourism.40

Some examples of what can really go on …………… • Snapper are being netted (in contradiction of the intent of the legislation) using very long

deep-set nets during their spawning runs. Much of this snapper netting is conducted in areas that whales and their calves frequent on their annual stopover in Hervey Bay waters.

• An additional insult on the slaughter of these prime breeding snapper is that in many

instances they have been recorded as being ‘line caught’ making formal fish capture data misleading.

41

42

• The manner of netting snapper is repeated on other prime tourist drawcard fish such as

barramundi, trevally and threadfin salmon.43

This occurs in the rivers and estuaries from Tin Can Bay to Bundaberg, depleting local breeding stock with very little economic value being gained.

44

• Low tide netting of the inshore flats of Fraser Island

– The fish drain off into the channels and the nets block off the channels – You don’t need to be a scientist to know the outcome. – This netting also results in prime sport-fish such as golden trevally, bonefish and snub-nosed

dart being caught as by-catch. The majority of this so-called ‘by-catch’ obtains the value of cat-food at fish markets.

– Even a third world country like Belize recognises their value and ability to attract international sports-fishers.

45

• Circumvention of the law, including sharing of commercial quotas when there are catches

above prescribed limits for ‘incidental catch’ when targeting others species – It is difficult for this to be policed by Fisheries. There are impracticalities and absurdities with

some of the laws

• Netting of the Great Sandy Strait, the breeding, feeding and mating grounds for turtles and

37

De Lacey, Ralph. 2005. North Queensland Fishing Eldorado. 38

Nicholls/Young, “Australian Fisheries Management and ESD – The One That Got Away”, Environmental and

Planning Law Journal (2000) 17 EPLJ pg 272 - 280

39 The Hon. Desley Boyle Qld Minister for Environment. Foreword 2005 Great Sandy Marine Park

Discussion Paper and RIS. 40 Northern Territory Government. Recreational Fishing Development Plan 2012-2022. 41 Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Qld. 2014. Qfish database. 42 Jim Groves Managing Director Fisheries Qld 2010 verbal confirmation at public meeting Hervey Bay. 43 Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Qld. 2014. Qfish database. 44 Department of Environment and Resource Management 2012. Media Statement to Fraser Coast

Chronicle February 2012 Data supplied by Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Qld. 45 Fedler Anthony J. And Hayes Craig 2008 Economic Impact of Recreational Fishing for Bonefish, Permit

and Tarpon in Belize for 2007

dugongs – This must seriously impacts on breeding numbers of these creatures

46

• Regular speeding by net fishers in go-slow zones

– It is a standing joke with recreational fishers how there is one law for them and one for the netters regarding this.

47

• It is has been reported that recreational fishers AND their families are threatened with

physical violence and property damage by commercial fishers when attempts are made to document and record events relating to questionable practices.

48

Increased Commercial Effort for Hervey Bay’s Iconic Sportfish!

Note: Increasing commercial catch effort for many species especially

Golden Trevally from 2008 with up to 16 licenses operating.49 There is no question that the commercial netting is now targeting one of Hervey Bays Iconic sportfish – What effect will this have on the recreational sector and

tourism?……

Trevally - golden 2008 1.48 Trevally - golden 2009 2.51 Trevally - golden 2010 4.65 Trevally - golden 2011 4.3250

Other important sportfish also targeted for little commercial return. 51

Barramundi Herring Queenfish Dart Threadfin Trevally-All Total tonnes

2008/09 2.4 0.53 4.3 4.5 6.6 13.1 31.43

2009/10 6.3 3.1 9.6 16.6 24.3 35.6 95.5

2010/11 17.8 2.9 11.7 5.9 22 38 98.3

46 Qld Fisheries Facebook April 15 2014 47 Scott Mitchell and Andrew Chorley – personal observations. 48 See Paul Dolen vs Brett Fuchs Official complaint to Hervey Bay police. 2010. 49 Department of Environment and Resource Management 2012. Media Statement to Fraser Coast

Chronicle February 2012 Data supplied by Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Qld. 50 Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Qld. 2014. Qfish database. 51 Department of Environment and Resource Management 2012. Media Statement to Fraser Coast

Chronicle February 2012 Data supplied by Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Qld.

Ave return per kg52

$9.20 $1.90 $3.00 $3.00 $4.30 $2.50

Removing inshore commercial netting ….

… critical to the value-chain of our local economy

The Fish and the Fishing • Restoring fish numbers in the inshore waters of the Fraser Coast for: • Beach fishing – more of the family’s ‘bread & butter fish’ of whiting, bream and flathead • Pier fishing – keeping kids off the streets with whiting, flathead, mackerel and bream • Estuary fishing – restoring iconic sports-fish such as barramundi and threadfin salmon, as

well as grunter and jew • Rebuilding our local Reef, Rock and Offshore fish stocks for a diverse fishing experience • Protecting – dugongs, turtles, dolphins and whales

Tourism

• Fraser Coast tourism inflow, drawing visitors that would have gone to other Australian and overseas fishing destinations that have Net Free Areas

• Complementing whale watching which is only 3 months per year and has come under pressure from competition

• Re-opening the eco-tourism opportunities without having to weave around commercial nets and belligerent pros

• Seizing the opportunity to build a world class destination for sports-fishing

Businesses that benefit from Tourism • Energised and growing tourism related businesses such as: • Accommodation – motels & apartments • Food services – restaurants, hotels, cafes and take-away • Transport , vehicle and boat hiring services • Air and water transport fuel, bait & chandleries • Travel agency and tour operator services • Arts, recreation and entertainment services • Retail trade

Employment and the Local Economy

• Job creation and the underpinning of existing employment • A positive ‘knock-on’ effect into other areas of our local economy • Exploiting the multiplier effect to gain regional economic value • Positive participation in the growth of regional Queensland • Putting confidence back into the Fraser Coast • High return for negligible initial cost

Economies have NOT faltered where nets

52 Department of Environment and Resource Management 2012. Media Statement to Fraser Coast

Chronicle February 2012 Data supplied by Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Qld.

have been removed 53 54…..

The removal of commercial netting in some areas (10% only of the most sensitive areas of the whole Marine Park) is critical to:

• maintaining sustainable fish numbers across the species in a discrete

region • ensuring that there is a balance between recreational and commercial

fishing • protecting unique flora and fauna • providing for regional growth and economic wellbeing in tourism in

addition to commercial fishing Commercial netting has been removed, and the recreational fishing, fishing

related tourism and the economies have rebounded: • Port Phillip Bay Victoria • Mallacoota Inlet, Lake Tyers and others in Victoria • Hinchinbrook Passage Queensland

53

Letson D and Millon J.W. United States Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration. 2002. Florida Coastal Environmental Resources: A guide to Economic Valuation and Impact Analysis 54

Aldo S. Steffe et al. NSW Department of Primary Industries December 2005. An assessment of changes in the

daytime, boat-based, recreational fishery of the Tuross Lake estuary following the establishment of a ‘Recreational

Fishing Haven’

“Washington, D.C. – June 26, 2014 – After significant objection from the recreational fishing and boating

community, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has taken steps to correct a key fisheries economics

report that misleadingly indicated that the domestic commercial fishing industry in the United States was

significantly larger than the recreational fishing industry. When imported seafood, which is not regulated or

managed by NMFS, is removed from the equation, the corrected data show that the recreational fishing industry is

actually $7.9 billion dollars larger than the commercial fishing industry. Furthermore, the corrected data show that

the domestic commercial fishing industry actually decreased by $2.3 billion in 2012.”

http://fishermanspost.com/2014/releases/releases-july-31-2014

Full report: Miller, Alexander, Ebenezer Ogunyinka, and Jack Isaacs. 2014. An Economic Baseline and Characterization of U.S.

Gulf of Mexico Dockside Seafood Dealers. Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission Publication, Publication Number 226. Ocean

Springs, Mississippi.

• Pumistone Passage Queensland • NSW net free havens, including Botany Bay and Georges, Bellingen and

Kalang Rivers and others • The Northern Territory waterways • and many others around Australia and overseas It is NOT difficult for this to become reality … • Stop commercial gill-netting for fish in the areas

currently marked as Conservation Park Zones in the Great Sandy Marine Park.

– This must be done immediately as the slaughter should

not continue until the planned review date in 2016 – The economy of the region needs to be kick-started now

with the assistance of sustainable recreational and sports fishing

– Compensate affected commercial fishermen and give them first option to participate in the alternate fishing and management based opportunities

• There are millions and millions of hectares of

offshore waters outside of these areas that can be commercially fished in a sustainable manner.

• The relatively small fragile inshore area, which is

commercially netted by a small number of operators, needs to be protected, to revive and to

provide ongoing benefit to the thousands of recreational fishers, tourists and regional businesses.

How you can help make this change happen ….. • Adopt this as a matter of principle and embed it in the ongoing

agenda of your businesses, associations and industry groups – make it part of your regular dialogue.

• Make these issues and opportunities part of any submissions you

and your associations or industry groups may be making to state and federal governments – they must begin to take notice and want to take positive action.

• The previous state Labor government of Queensland introduced

the netting in the Conservation Zones in the Great Sandy Marine Park against all accepted protocols and refused to fix the problem they created. Now, disappointingly, the new Liberal National Government appears oblivious to the issues and opportunities and unable to give leadership on matters that require cross-government / cross-department inter-working.

– Try and engage your local state member regarding the issues in this presentation – BUT be aware that most MPs in coastal electorates receive some financial contributions to assist in election funding from interests in the fishing industry such as processors, wholesalers, fishermen and other organisations interested in maintaining the status quo.

– Engage the Premier and state LNP ministers for tourism, fisheries, environment and national parks, and make sure their advisors are provided with material that demonstrates the value of the opportunity and the desire for change that is building.

– In the political world, the more people that contact their MPs, the more they are likely to listen and act.

• The previous federal Labor government was all about severe

reductions in fishing, particularly as a result of doing deals with the Greens who just want to see most areas eventually totally

closed to ALL fishing. – Engage with your local federal member regarding the issues in this

presentation. – Engage the federal ministers for tourism, fisheries, environment and national

parks. – This is NOT just a state issue, the federal government has a role to play so

don’t let them wash their hands of this and turn the other way.

Thank you and we look forward to you support …..

• Scott Mitchell – Chairman – 0428 484 499 – chairman@frasercoastfishingalliance.com.au

• Clint Osborne – Secretary – 0418 883 396 – secretary@frasercoastfishingalliance.com.au

• Dennis Fellingham – Treasurer – 07 4128 3800

treasurer@frasercoastfishingalliance.com.au

• And we would appreciate you becoming a member: – www.frasercoastfishingalliance.com.au – https://www.facebook.com/FraserCoastFishingAll

iance