Punch Says “No One has Provided a Solution” other than the Ban(s) – What About This?
Submitted by Mick C on Sat, 2022-10-15 09:45
I listened to Minister Punch on the radio yesterday morning state that “no one had provided him a solution”. I find this statement hard to believe as there are alternate solutions, you just need to have an open mind and evaluate them properly.
From my reading of the situation, a potential solution is:
- Determine and create fish sanctuary zones for the purpose of protecting demersal scalefish breeding areas in the West Coast Bioregion;
- Divide the West Coast Bioregion into geographic zones (North, Central and South?) and examine the breeding biology of demersal scalefish within each zone, with a view to imposing total commercial and recreational fishing bans as required to protect breeding stock (breeding times can vary over a 900km distance);
- Change current regulations to minimise overall mortality to demersal scalefish from recreational fishing (bag and size limits, minimising barotrauma – conduct education campaigns);
- Provide resources to properly quantify recreational catch (reporting methods), and increase Fisheries active enforcement of regulations (officers need to be seen – relevant data could also be collected by officers).
- Review the current research program by Fisheries to ensure that all key indicators of demersal scalefish populations are measured with certainty, before introduction of “blanket” bans; and
- Provide “adaptive” fisheries management strategies to aid demersal scalefish population recovery, noting that populations have been recovering over the last 10 years.
This is just an initial view, but may be worthy of further discussion and action?
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Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it - LH.
selthy
Posts: 286
Date Joined: 27/05/11
Nice suggestions, did you
Nice suggestions, did you send this to minister punch and your local member? Also, what station / radio show was this on, wouldn't mind seeing if there is a podcast or recording to listen to.
BlueKiaser
Posts: 422
Date Joined: 22/04/15
Well done Sir
While I have not been a fan of marine parks/sanctuary zones in the past, they are now an excellent solution for a multitude of reasons.
But no, we have a Fisheries department who about 15 years ago decided they would fix their fishing stock concerns by reducing our catch rates by 50% ... and even though we have caught less than those very restrictive allowable catch rates (all sectors combined demersal and Dhufish numbers) they tell us that has failed, so their solution is to do the same again so all will be sorted by 2030 as part of their 20 year plan.
The more I learn about this topic the greater the frustrations.
Jamie-Chester
Posts: 114
Date Joined: 28/07/10
I met with the ministers
I met with the ministers office 4 months ago with a simple seven point plan that included some extra cross sectoral closures but overall the impact would have been manageable and still left scope for some commercial fishing. if he said that he is full of shit. Full stop. This seven point plan was published in western angler in the winter edition this year. It is borderline straight out lying if he said that.
Jamie-Chester
Posts: 114
Date Joined: 28/07/10
I met with the ministers
I met with the ministers office 4 months ago with a simple seven point plan that included some extra cross sectoral closures but overall the impact would have been manageable and still left scope for some commercial fishing. if he said that he is full of shit. Full stop. This seven point plan was published in western angler in the winter edition this year. It is borderline straight out lying if he said that.
BlueKiaser
Posts: 422
Date Joined: 22/04/15
Dhufish stock estimates
Jamie, given your efforts/research/investigations, could you (or anyone else) kindly share any knowledge on the topic of Dhufish biomass estimates.
From my reading of the online fisheries publications, about the only actual stock assessments/estimates for Dhufish (in tonnes) was from early 2000's.
This is from the Fisheries Research Report 316 (2021);
"Annual estimates of stock biomass fell below the estimated level of BMSY in the early 2000s in the north (BMSY: 1689 t; 915-2338 t) and mid 2000s in the south (BMSY: 1350 t; 740-1998 t)"
Are you aware of any more recent estimates of the Dhufish stocks represented in tonnes?
I have been frustrated by the lack of such data presented in fisheries publications (and I believe those 2000 estimates, were lower than the actual stocks, based on simple maths which I will not go in to now).
Jamie-Chester
Posts: 114
Date Joined: 28/07/10
What radio station was it
What radio station was it on?
Jamie-Chester
Posts: 114
Date Joined: 28/07/10
What radio station was it
What radio station was it on?
Mick C
Posts: 605
Date Joined: 26/12/13
Radio Station
ABC Mornings. I think it was part of a half hourly news story about the petition.
Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it - LH.
quadfisher
Posts: 1146
Date Joined: 28/09/10
Face palm
Any thoughts we all had about a the guy who's making the decisions not being up to the task has been proven right there ... The man's a fool if he honestly thinks there's been no alternatives given .... It hard to imagine it can get any worse ...
quadfisher
Bodgy 79
Posts: 263
Date Joined: 04/08/22
Can get worse alright mate!
Can get worse alright mate! Sounds like keeping warm by means of fire will soon be a thing of the past.
Moondog
Posts: 131
Date Joined: 25/06/18
Very good steps mate. Could
Very good steps mate. Could number 7 be using baited cameras on proper reef structure in remote areas for getting an idea of how the fish are going without fishing pressure?