Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 5:39 pm Post subject: Concerns regarding commercial fish harvesting from Corio Bay
The number of weekly, sometimes daily, emails that I receive from both readers of the Geelong Advertiser, and from Fishnet readers, concerning increased commercial fish harvesting effort, particularly on Victoria’s Corio Bay, has prompted the following exchange with Mr Anthony Hurst, Executive Director, Fisheries, Department of Primary Industries, 1 Spring Street Melbourne, Victoria, 3000.
Some of said emails exhibit a somewhat aggressive tone and the unmistakeable inference that I have some influence on the management of our fisheries. I assure all of you who have written to me on this subject that this is not the case. Below is that exchange so far which will certainly be updated should sufficient interest in this subject be shown.
Dear Sir:
I am a fishing writer and the author of a weekly fishing column for the Geelong Advertiser which is now in its thirty second year.
Part of this work is devoted to answering angler’s questions on fishing and associated subjects. Naturally, questions of a political nature need to be referred to the relevant authorities.
The attached emails, all received within the last few days, are typical of what I mean. I referred them to senior fisheries officer David Burgess who was not prepared to give an answer, but instead gave me your contact details.
I look forward to receiving a reply to the questions and concerns raised by these readers that I can publish in my column.
Thankyou in anticipation
Yours Faithfully
Geoff Wilson
Dear Mr Wilson
Thankyou for your letter of 24 April 2012 regarding questions raised by your readers on commercial netting in Corio Bay.
I acknowledge your readers’ feedback about sharing access to Victoria’s fisheries
Fisheries Victoria is committed to providing high quality opportunities for recreational fishers, which includes delivering on the Victorian Government’s Recreational Fishing initiative and ensuring access for commercial fishers so that all Victorians can have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of our local seafood.
A series of voluntary licence buy out schemes starting in 1999/2000 significantly reduced the amount of fishing effort in Port Phillip Bay by decreasing the number of commercial fishing licences from 110 to 42. The remaining operators are subject to a range of equipment restrictions, area/seasonal closures and size limits for many species to ensure the sustainability of commercial fishing.
Fisheries Victoria is currently developing a Future Fisheries Strategy to guide the way that Victoria’s fisheries are managed sustainably for the future.
Please contact Mr Bill Lussier, Manager Marine and Estuarine Fisheries, on (03) 9658 4364 or at bill.lussier@dpi.vic.gov.au if you would like further information on marine fisheries related matters.
Yours Sincerely
Anthony Hurst
Executive Director Fisheries Victoria
24/05/12
Dear Mr Hurst:
Thankyou for your reply of 24/05/12 to my submission of anglers concerns related to commercial fish harvesting from Port Phillip and Corio Bays sent a month prior.
I am aware of the buy-back of inactive commercial fish-harvesting licences with monies accrued from recreational fishing licences and did discuss the matter at some length with Richard McLoughlin who was the director of fisheries at the time.
This was, as stated, a voluntary buy-back of inactive licences. Richard told me that there was never any intention to reduce commercial fishing effort in Corio or Port Phillip Bays, and I stated my objection that funds from recreational fishing licences should be used for that purpose.
The commercial effort on Port Phillip and Corio Bays has not been reduced, rather the opposite, particularly with the closure of Western Port to commercial fish harvesting since December 2007.
The concerns of recreational anglers are legitimate and ongoing and those concerns should be addressed.
Hi Geoff, I for one am very grateful re your efforts regarding netting in Corio Bay.
I am not really surprised in the reply's which you have received but I guess persistence is the answer.
Again thanks for your efforts and I'll be watching with interest.
Many thanks for taking such a lead on this issue. You are spot on with the points put forward and due to your profile I am certain you will get a much better hearing than those like myself.
It is a real frustration for us in these areas that WPB gets a free rein yet we get an increase in commercial activity. I am certain the decline in whiting catches this year on the western seaboard are a direct result of netting activity. The season started well but by Feb there were slim
Pickings available for those anglers that are really in the know. The average family has little hope on the whiting. It's not scientific but how often have we done well on whiting to return over subsequent days and be lucky to land only a few??
I would be pleased to assist you wherever possible with your efforts. _________________ Cheers
Craig
______________________________________
You won't catch fish in your lounge room!
Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 1:21 pm Post subject: Re:
Notfos wrote:
Hi Geoff, I for one am very grateful re your efforts regarding netting in Corio Bay.
I am not really surprised in the reply's which you have received but I guess persistence is the answer.
Again thanks for your efforts and I'll be watching with interest.
"Notfos"
Thankyou for your interest in this issue. There is a great deal of concern about it in the recreational fishing community, even if those concerns are not articulatd in a way that would influence change.
Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 1:41 pm Post subject: Re:
craigmack wrote:
Dear Geoff
Many thanks for taking such a lead on this issue. You are spot on with the points put forward and due to your profile I am certain you will get a much better hearing than those like myself.
It is a real frustration for us in these areas that WPB gets a free rein yet we get an increase in commercial activity. I am certain the decline in whiting catches this year on the western seaboard are a direct result of netting activity. The season started well but by Feb there were slim
Pickings available for those anglers that are really in the know. The average family has little hope on the whiting. It's not scientific but how often have we done well on whiting to return over subsequent days and be lucky to land only a few??
I would be pleased to assist you wherever possible with your efforts.
Hi Craig:
My position has always been to do with creating awareness. both that we have fisheries worth preserving and of the negative forces that would vilify us and wantonly and maliciously exaggerate our catches and impact on fish stocks and the environment. And for example by lobbying government to create more places where we cannot fish, while industrialized commercial fish harvesting goes on unabated.
This particular issue arose from a stream of substantially angry emails to me that assumed I had some influence on fisheries policy. I certainly do not.
However, to have my query handballed from a senior fisheries officer, to the exutive director of fisheries, then to a certain Bill Lussier bill.lussier@dpi.vic.gov.au is a bit much.
Anyway, the folk that have emailed me over this issue now have an official email address, and here it is again, bill.lussier@dpi.vic.gov.au to direct, what I beleive have become increasingly legitimate concerns.
Regards
Geoff
PS
Although my complete text showed up in preview, the last few lines of my retort to Mr Anthony Hurst did not print: Here they are:
I originally passed on the concerns of recreational fishermen to senior fisheries officer David Burgess, who said you were the person to approach. Now you refer me to another person.
Are you, as Executive Director of Fisheries, able to provide a statement that I can publish addressing the legitimate and ongoing concerns of your largest and most economically important group of clients?
Well done Geoff, you're efforts to reduce netting in Corio Bay is greatly appreciated.
We all need to follow right behind you with a concerted effort to reduce netting in the area.
I was fishing off Avalon last night and when launching there were already 4 netters parked at Avalon. Well I assume they were going by the size of the trailers and a 5th one went past me whilst I was fishing.
How long can this be sustainable. They are obviously getting fish for so many to be out there.
Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 8:34 pm Post subject: Re:
Ando56 wrote:
Well done Geoff, you're efforts to reduce netting in Corio Bay is greatly appreciated.
We all need to follow right behind you with a concerted effort to reduce netting in the area.
I was fishing off Avalon last night and when launching there were already 4 netters parked at Avalon. Well I assume they were going by the size of the trailers and a 5th one went past me whilst I was fishing.
How long can this be sustainable. They are obviously getting fish for so many to be out there.
Regards
Ken
hi ken and geoff,
i have been fishing avalon aswell since easter and the pros have been there on every trip[12],with up to 6 of them at a time.
something needs to change thats for sure.
thanks geoff for your efforts. _________________ http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/823/20121223060422.jpg/
cheers mick[stesslboy]
Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 3:21 pm Post subject: Re:
Ando56 wrote:
Well done Geoff, you're efforts to reduce netting in Corio Bay is greatly appreciated.
We all need to follow right behind you with a concerted effort to reduce netting in the area.
I was fishing off Avalon last night and when launching there were already 4 netters parked at Avalon. Well I assume they were going by the size of the trailers and a 5th one went past me whilst I was fishing.
How long can this be sustainable. They are obviously getting fish for so many to be out there.
Regards
Ken
No Worries Ken:
It was only through the number of complaints I received about the increased commercial effort on Corio Bay that I decided to get a statement. First from a senior fisheries officer who told me the person to address my concerns was Anthony Hurst exective director of fisheries.
I feel his reply was dismissive so I began this thread.
Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 3:33 pm Post subject: Re:
micksback wrote:
Ando56 wrote:
Well done Geoff, you're efforts to reduce netting in Corio Bay is greatly appreciated.
We all need to follow right behind you with a concerted effort to reduce netting in the area.
I was fishing off Avalon last night and when launching there were already 4 netters parked at Avalon. Well I assume they were going by the size of the trailers and a 5th one went past me whilst I was fishing.
How long can this be sustainable. They are obviously getting fish for so many to be out there.
Regards
Ken
hi ken and geoff,
i have been fishing avalon aswell since easter and the pros have been there on every trip[12],with up to 6 of them at a time.
something needs to change thats for sure.
thanks geoff for your efforts.
Hi Mick:
I don't know that anything will be done. However, we can make a noise to create an awareness that there is discontent that a minority of people are allowed what amounts to uncontrolled commercial access to a limited supply of fish.
word is that a few pro's have moved on in down the mornington peninsula, been spotted sussing out areas during the day and struggling to get their boats up the ramp the next morning, wiping out whole school of fish at once.
some of the peninsulas best fishermen arent even turning a reel on the whiting, something needs to change
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