AS reported recently by Fisho, a review of the management of fisheries in Queensland is currently underway. See more details here.
At the time of the announcement of this review, Fisho had expressed concern that the recreational fishing sector wasn’t being considered in the process. We put the following questions to the Queensland Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, John McVeigh, who sent us the following response:
FW: Could I get exact details on the level of experience and/or knowledge of the review team in relation to recreational fisheries issues. If there is minimal recreational fisheries experience within this team, could I get comments from the Minister as to why someone with specific experience and knowledge of recreational fisheries management was not appointed to this review team?
Minister McVeigh: MRAG Asia Pacific has been chosen as the independent specialists to lead the fisheries review due to its extensive national and international fisheries experience.
MRAG Asia Pacific’s review team offers a balance of experience across commercial, recreational and traditional fishing sectors.
Background Information on review team members in relation to their experience and knowledge of recreational fishing:
Professor Glenn Hurry is a member of the International Game Fishing Association and the Pohnpei Fishing Club. In 2011, he was ‘Fisherman of the Year’ in Pohnpei there in 2012. He is a keen recreational angler fishing freshwater, estuaries and in near shore fisheries and spent five years working and fishing in Darwin mainly on estuarine species. As Executive Manager of the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry he oversaw the development of the Australian Government’s recreational fishing policy, including the roll-out of the Recreational Fishing Community Grants program. As CEO of Australian Fisheries Management Authority, he dealt with catch sharing issues across multiple Commonwealth fisheries.
Mr Duncan Souter is also a member of the Pohnpei Fishing Club and has been a keen recreational fisher for over 30 years, having fished throughout Queensland from Karumba to the Gold Coast.
Dr Michael Sissenwine has a long history of working on recreational fisheries issues. He is a member of the New England Fishery Management Council, which is a Congressionally mandated body responsible for managing recreational fishing by millions of anglers. Earlier, he was responsible for scientific aspects of implementation of the Emergency Striped Bass Act in the 1980s. The Act was aimed at recovery of striped bass, which is virtually entirely a recreational species. The stock is now recovered. He was also involved in the decision to include consideration of recreational fisheries in the Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic cod, one of the first in the USA (1977).
As the Director of Scientific Programs for the US National Marine Fisheries Service, he was responsible for a scientifically designed survey of recreational fishing activity. This is one of the longest running (about 30 years) and most comprehensive surveys of recreational activity anywhere. In this capacity, he has testified to the US Congress on data collection on recreational fisheries. He has also been involved in numerous stock assessments that take account of recreational catches. He is also a Visiting Scholar of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Adjunct Professor at the School for Marine Science and Technology of the University of Massachusetts, and an independent marine science consultant with projects worldwide.
Mr Tom McClurg has extensive experience in New Zealand which is acknowledged as a world leader in the management of fish stocks shared between recreational, commercial and customary fishers. He is a customary fisher through his affiliation with the Ngati Mutunga on the Chatham Islands.
FW: Can I also ask you to obtain comments or information relating to the Minister’s opinion about the need to manage fisheries resources in relation to different sector requirements? In other words, does the Minister advocate a “one size fits all” management approach or does he favour the development of a system where the needs of Queensland’s 700,000 recreational fishers are considered along with those of the commercial sector and environmental issues? If the Minister has no specific comments on this, could you advise if the development of this sort of management protocol is something the review team will consider?
Minister McVeigh: Fishing industry groups have indicated to me that a total overhaul of fisheries management in Queensland is long overdue.
We need to reduce the masses of red tape that have weighed-down our fisheries management for decades due to ad hoc decision-making by previous Labor Governments.
We want to create balance between environmental and economic use, as well as ensure ongoing access for recreational and indigenous fishing.
MRAG will use their experience and knowledge to help examine what fisheries management approaches could apply to the unique circumstances surrounding Queensland fisheries.
While I do not want to pre-empt the outcome of the review, our aim is to deliver a better system for the state’s commercial, recreational, traditional and environmental fishing interests.
FW: Can you advise about the consultation process and how recreational fishers and their representative groups will able to take part?
Minister McVeigh: Professor Hurry and his team will be meeting with commercial, recreational, conservation and indigenous groups to listen, consult and gather their views.
Opportunities will be available for all interested parties to provide written submissions and or attend public meetings in major Queensland ports.
MRAG Asia Pacific will hold one-on-one meetings with key industry representative groups in the upcoming weeks and I will be directly involved in on-going consultations throughout the review.
I also expect to announce the members of the Ministerial Advisory Committee for the Fisheries Management Review very soon which will have representatives from a broad range of fishing sectors.
