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Restrictions On Recreational Abalone Fishing Unfair: HallNew restrictions on recreational fishers will not solve the State Government’s problems with illegal abalone poaching, according to Gippsland MP Peter Hall. By Peter Hall - 8th November 2004 - Back to News Mr Hall has called on the State Government to think again about proposed changes to recreational fishing that would see a reduction in recreational abalone bag limits from 10 to 5 in the central zone and a drastic decrease in the number of days on which recreational fishers can take abalone, from 365 days a year to just 30 days a year.
The changes are proposed in the regulatory impact statement (RIS) for the Fisheries (Recreational Abalone) Regulations 2004.
But according to Mr Hall, who raised the issue in Parliament last week (Wednesday 3 November), recreational fishers are bearing the brunt of the Government’s inability to deal with abalone poaching.
"Given that recreational fishers account for between 0.3 per cent and 4 per cent of the total annual legal catch of abalone – these figures come from the government's own RIS – it seems to me that the recreational sector is being unfairly and illogically targeted in an attempt to achieve resource security," he told Parliament.
"No doubt the problem is with illegal poaching. The government actually admits in the RIS material that that is the real problem. The government is virtually admitting that it cannot control illegal poaching so it is going to close down the recreational fishing of abalone in the central zone.
"As one person said to me, this is akin to saying we are going to close a road because we cannot control speeding on it."
The matter was brought to Mr Hall’s attention by members of the Latrobe Valley Scuba Club, who made the point that, to the extent that changed regulations do have an impact on poachers, it seems likely that they will shift their operations into other areas.
"They (the Scuba Club members) make the point that the real problem seems to exist in some of the inshore reefs in Port Phillip Bay and Point Nepean, and ask why all central Victorian waters need to be restricted. That certainly is not clear.
"They also made a comment about the 30 days. Given the inclement weather that occurs from time to time and work commitments which occur from time to time, the chance of legitimate recreational fishers being able to fish for abalone is remote," Mr Hall added. He called on the Minister for Agriculture to further consider the views of recreational fishers and to come up with a solution that "has a fairer outcome for all legitimate recreational fishers of abalone."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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