My Letter to the Editor
Below is my letter to the editor of the West Australian regarding the proposed bans. My issue at this stage is with process and governance, and how the government should conduct proper research in order to make balanced decisions.
Anyway, I got it off my chest and will also send a similar letter to the Premier and relevant Minister.
Mick
***********
To Trust the Science, It Must Be Right
It is normal practice that scientific research is subject to expert peer review before publication in scientific literature. This is particularly important if decisions based on the research have large social, economic and environmental consequences.
The State Government is proposing extensive restrictions on fishing for demersal scalefish in the West Coast Bioregion. These proposals result from the recommendations of government scientists in a technical report titled “Fisheries Research Report No. 316, 2021 assessment of the status of the West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource, October 2021, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development”. I have read the technical report and have serious concerns regarding the estimate of recreational take, and therefore recovery estimates which the report recommendations rely on (I completed applied statistics in my University science honours degree).
Population biology in the ocean is difficult science. To properly quantify ocean organisms, rigorous hypotheses and sampling regimes must be developed, implemented and reported on. The assumptions and uncertainty in the collected data must be assessed and explained in the context of report recommendations.
Because of the potential social and economic consequences of the proposed fishing restrictions, the report conclusions should be independently reviewed for scientific certainty by appropriate third-party experts in fisheries population biology. A correct process would require thorough review of the scientific conclusions and provision of a range of potentially viable options that would aid population recovery over a designated timeframe, and then conduct further assessments.
I have been a technical development consultant for 30 years, and triple bottom line assessments are mandatory in documenting major proposals for regulatory decisions. Where the decision maker avoids subjecting scientific research to proper expert review, consults on their own conservative conclusions and then ignores technical assessment of social and economic impacts to key stakeholders is just not good governance.
The State Government owes it to the population of Western Australia to undertake a correct process and find the right balance between social, economic and environmental impacts to stakeholders in its decisions.
Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it - LH.
Moondog
Posts: 131
Date Joined: 25/06/18
Well done mate. That's
Well done mate. That's bloody good. Need proper experts like yourself to look over the data!
Mick C
Posts: 605
Date Joined: 26/12/13
Fisheries World Expert
Cheers. I am not a third party review expert in fisheries biology.
What should happen is that WA Fisheries prepare an appropriate terms of reference for expert review of the report, with recreational fishing input, and put out a tender for the service.
Probably cost $150k and take 4-6 months. I'm sure plenty of fisheries experts in consulting and academic circles would be interested in the work. Correct drafting of the ToR is the key.
Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it - LH.
Moondog
Posts: 131
Date Joined: 25/06/18
That $150K is nothing in
That $150K is nothing in relation to the amount of money the fishing industry puts in to the WA economy every year and the 4-6 months for the review is bugger all if they claim they want to make the right decision for everyone involved.
deep south
Posts: 187
Date Joined: 28/12/16
Brilliant
As with all the correspondence put together by people like yourself it now needs to be read by the right people and not just discarded
The next time i see that jig will be in the mouth of something big !!
sea-kem
Posts: 14853
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Nicely articulated Mick,
Nicely articulated Mick, like Deep says needs to be read by the right people and the correct procedures applied. Here's hoping.
Love the West!
Mick C
Posts: 605
Date Joined: 26/12/13
Submitted
Submitted to the West Australian - let's see if it is published.
Will forward to Mark and Don and explain the risks to the State in the current strategy.
Legal options to challenge, or seek compensation, for the decision when it is made are certainly available.
Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it - LH.
Brock O
Posts: 3163
Date Joined: 11/01/08
Great stuff Mick, we need
Great stuff Mick, we need people like ya self to raise and push these arguments.
Thank you.
uncle
Posts: 9349
Date Joined: 10/02/07
Well done Mick
Thanks for getting on board
all aggressive fish love bigjohnsjigs
davewillo
Posts: 2254
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Very well articulated Mick.
Very well articulated Mick. Interstingly I've done a straw poll amongst non-fishers and without exception they think the proposals are ridiculous. Without execption they have also all loved Frosty's "choice between a turd sandwich and a toasted turd sandwich"!
PGFC member and lure tragic
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8048
Date Joined: 07/05/12
Haha, I can die a happy man
Haha, I can die a happy man knowing I've achieved something... finally
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
quadfisher
Posts: 1146
Date Joined: 28/09/10
A real fight?
And yet davewillo the main and only petition thats on here and a hundred different facebook dive groups , cray groups , fishing groups etc etc
has the grand totol of 5800 signatures off tonight.............hardly election changing figures aye ,,,, i have shared it in my facebook and told a few mates and boat ramp
randoms but with all the rightful anger and talk i would say 20 0r 30k would be a game changer ..... I think people have forgotten how to fight ( I have done 6 emails this week to
all pollys concerned including opposition...
quadfisher
Mick C
Posts: 605
Date Joined: 26/12/13
Petition
For a "genuine" petition to gain 6,000 signatures in a few days is a good result. It has already surpassed 90+% more signatures than other petitions to the Legislative Council.
50k signatures should be the target. The petition requests review of the "decision", which is reasonable in the circumstance.
The "decision" is not well founded and can ultimately be challenged. The cynical side of me says this is a "smokescreen" to give us a 6 month ban, without doing the proper research.
Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it - LH.
davewillo
Posts: 2254
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Mate I've signed it and
Mate I've signed it and encouraged many others to do the same. I'm not on Facebook so I can't do it that way. My family have all signed too.
PGFC member and lure tragic
quadfisher
Posts: 1146
Date Joined: 28/09/10
A real fight?
double post
quadfisher
Moondog
Posts: 131
Date Joined: 25/06/18
You'd think every
You'd think every recfishwest member would sign that petition.
Bodgy 79
Posts: 263
Date Joined: 04/08/22
Yep I'm on south coast and
Moondog
Posts: 131
Date Joined: 25/06/18
Nice work bodgy. Definitely
Nice work bodgy. Definitely in the interest of the fishos down your way! You guys are gonna end up with a heap more boats down that way if the ban comes in
Bodgy 79
Posts: 263
Date Joined: 04/08/22
Yeah moondog it already gets
Yeah moondog it already gets a bit more pressure with the oct-dec closures wich isn't an issue but I think theres better ways to manage the wa fishery than to just move the problems up and the coast.
Rob H
Posts: 5744
Date Joined: 18/01/12
Good stuff Mick.At the
Good stuff Mick.
At the moment we need to keep up the momentum and Ash Ramm is doing a stella job of that.
He has gotten on to the TV screens a few times now.
I have spread the petition links as far as I can for now and that side is in the lap of the gods-will apathy reign?
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
marrisy
Posts: 198
Date Joined: 08/09/11
I have signed. Wish I could
I have signed. Wish I could do more.
still trying
Posts: 1020
Date Joined: 27/06/17
Ive signed your message made
Ive signed your message made me think i can get my son and step son to sign using their email addresses i pay their rec licence
rather be fishing
mikeurnot
Posts: 91
Date Joined: 05/05/11
trust the science
Many Years ago when I was part of recfish they asked for someone to write a review about a particular topic ( can not remember topic brain a little fuzzy ) to submit to gov . As I had no exsperiance in writing a review took on the challange .
Took me weeks of reading and weeks of writing and editoring my work . Pros and cons for the artical . It was a non bias review and very happy with my work . Submitted to recfish then they put in recommendation to gov . Guess what it was totally ignored .
Just to let you know dont rely on gov . They are fishing biased .
michael
Mick C
Posts: 605
Date Joined: 26/12/13
Quality Article
This article sets out the facts fairly well. Worth a read.
https://www.mandurahmail.com.au/story/7883482/demersal-decision-to-damage-the-dinghy-dollar-andrew-mckerrell/?cs=289
Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it - LH.
sea-kem
Posts: 14853
Date Joined: 30/11/09
One point he makes is the
One point he makes is the positive effct on mental health, it's huge imo. There's nothing I look forward tomore is the onset of spring and the coming fishing and cray season, it's a good tonic that takes my mind off the epic workload I have. There are days I just enjoy driving the boat and letting the boys catch the fish.
I remember my dad buying a boat in the late 70's on the advice of his Doc to help relieve his work stress. That's where I cut my teeth on boat fishing.
You have to wonder if the powers that be have even taken the health aspect into consideration.
Love the West!
Rob H
Posts: 5744
Date Joined: 18/01/12
The mental health part
The mental health part certainly was discussed and weighted in the RFW meetings we had, at length.
Personally the last few months for me has seen a sudden spate of suicide attempts and successes in my circle, 4 in total.
One literally in the middle of a Teams meeting with RFW for this...
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
davewillo
Posts: 2254
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Shit Rob that is tough! Hope
Shit Rob that is tough! Hope you're doing okay mate.
PGFC member and lure tragic
Swompa
Posts: 3783
Date Joined: 14/10/12
Holey Shit.Dont feel ashamed
Holey Shit.
Dont feel ashamed to use the free services available if you need to speak to someone...
davewillo
Posts: 2254
Date Joined: 08/09/16
If possible, everyone should
If possible, everyone should have (at least) that one person they can say anything to without judgement. I'm lucky enough to have a best mate who is that one phone call you make if you end up in a South American prison by mistake! He can tell my wife
PGFC member and lure tragic
Rob H
Posts: 5744
Date Joined: 18/01/12
Na its not me, I'm too busy
Na its not me, I'm too busy building a boat for that.
But it is certainly an aspect that has come home to roost suddenly.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
davewillo
Posts: 2254
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Yeah I figured that mate but
Yeah I figured that mate but it's still pretty confronting to be exposed to that much misery. Stay well.
PGFC member and lure tragic
Rob H
Posts: 5744
Date Joined: 18/01/12
Na its not me, I'm too busy
Na its not me, I'm too busy building a boat for that.
But it is certainly an aspect that has come home to roost suddenly.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
Mick C
Posts: 605
Date Joined: 26/12/13
DPIRD Survey v Petition – What the Current Numbers Say
As at 5.30pm on 2 September, I had a look at the numbers of participants in the DPIRD Consultation Survey versus the Legislative Council Petition for comparison. I note the survey has been available since 18 August (16 days) and the petition since 26 August (8 days). Therefore the survey has had double the time of the petition.
As it currently stands, the survey has been completed by 625 persons and the petition has been signed by 7,187 persons.
If it is assumed that anyone who filled our the survey is happy with a 8 or 9 month ban (fairly unlikely as some will have filled it out to be able to free form comment at the end) and those that have signed the petition are not happy with the proposal (very likely) then the results make interesting reading. With those assumptions it follows that current support for the proposal is 8% and opposition is 92%.
These figures are fairly compelling, and this sort of information should be made clear to the decision makers.
Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it - LH.
Mick C
Posts: 605
Date Joined: 26/12/13
Petition v Survey Update - 3/9/22
It was a big day for the petition today with 1,216 additional signatures between 5.30pm yesterday and 5.30pm today. In contrast, the survey was completed by 9 extra people over the 24 hour period.
I note one of the major fishing clubs issued a statement to members by email at 10am today requesting that people consider signing the petition and providing a link. Since this time there has been approximately 1,000 people sign.
Using the assumptions above, the current support for the proposal is 7.02% and opposition is 92.98%.
Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it - LH.
slugger
Posts: 156
Date Joined: 17/02/11
Thanks Mick
Great info
perfect info for snother round of emails to premier , local members , media , dpird
thanks for info