North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

Mick7805 wrote:Ronje,

No - AFANT are talking about the reef fish protection area's. You need to read Regulation 10A of the fisheries regulations
10A Fishing in protection areas prohibited
(1) A person must not take any fish or aquatic life in a protection area.

Maximum penalty: 170 penalty units.
(2) Subregulation (1) does not apply to a person who takes fish or aquatic life under a commercial fishing licence unless the licence is a specified licence.

there are three "specified" fisheries excluded from the area's; Coastal Line (reef fishermen) Coastal Net (jewfish and reef fish) and Offshore net and line (grey mackerel and shark fishermen).

All other fisheries including Barra are entitled to fish in the area's

Mick, you a have expressed it correctly. This whole issue came about through a couple of recreational fishermen observing a commercial Spanish mackerel fishermen catching fish inside a reef fish protection area as this fishery is still allowed to operate inside these areas under the current legislation.

Ron, these reef fish protection areas on both Bathurst and Melville Island extend to the shore, making it very easy for commercial barra fishermen to run their nets through them targeting jewfish and still be comfortably inside the 3nm limit.

Mud, I appreciate the support, thank you.

I agree AFANT were the shaftee not the shafter on this occasion. I just want know if we can find out who these shafters actually were before they inevitably change their minds or put a bandaid on the issue and it dies down.

Mud wrote:Im not involved with AFANT but when its the government that has apparently not been open in the discussions it seems to me to be a bit unproductive to be having a go at AFANT. To my mind Tristan has responded as one would expect and, unlike the Department of Fisheries, is communicating the issues and AFANTs position to us very clearly. I think there is history here that I dont know about but in the context of this issue and what I have seen so far AFANT appear to have acted appropriately and professionally.

Agree 100%

Tristan
I assume the meeting that took place was an official one. If so, there would be minutes which form a legal document in such instances.
Get a hold of them under FOI and get the govt to make an official reply re their actions.
This mob are just taking us for granted and need to go. Hopefully before they do more damage

The new regulation wrt Reef Protection Areas that Mick pointed to (10a) was gazetted on 12 May (Gazette s45).

I'm not convinced yet that anybody was shafted at all.

Here is a fact sheet dated 27 Feb that talks about reef protection areas and coastal line fishery management

http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Fisheries/index. ... Commercial Coastal Line Fishery Management changes

So consideration about 1 commercial fishery was on the table in late February. Basically a wake-up call about the rest of the commercial fisheries.

Nobody woke up until somebody saw a different commercial fishery operating legally where most thought they shouldn't be.

The most logical thing that springs to mind for me is that nobody on any side thought to flesh out who COULD still operate. Everybody was concentrating on who COULDN"T operate.

Not just AFANT either.

A misunderstanding that can be sorted out with minimum damage ( if the Govt is still keen on talking).

I think it was obvious to all involved that the rec fishing community was under the impression that these were to be fishing free zones. If that was not going to be the case there was ample opportunity to make it clear that commercial fizhermen would be able to practice certain types of fishing there. The ommission of that information at the time is at best mischievous, the later distribution of that info tucked away in a policy doc that few are likely to read is at best "Yes Minister"ish. The whole thing stinks of a cheap scam played against rec fishermen and we have every right to be outraged.

AM wrote:I agree AFANT were the shaftee not the shafter on this occasion. I just want know if we can find out who these shafters actually were before they inevitably change their minds or put a bandaid on the issue and it dies down.

Too late, already died down.

I see old Willem Westra Van Holthe reckons AFANT were well aware of the situation.

Is that like when he discussed with everyone before he let them shut the Finniss?

What's your move now Tristan.. Now that the minister has come out and called ya a bullshitter...!?

Have to admit since Willem reckons it's BS almost guaranteed that they fed AFANT a length.

as i said earlier, get the minutes from the meeting where it was discussed and we will see who said what. remember its a legal document.

Ouch I am not sure Adam and Wilem need get up too early for the next AFANT agm , oh that's right Giles didn't it was half over already when he rocked up.

You'll have to wait and see Hemi, though I will have to correct you, he isn't calling me a bullshitter, politics and personal attack don't achieve anything. Rather he is disputing AFANT and all the members of the RFAC who are expressing that we were never briefed on commercial fishing in reef fish protection zones ....Nomad, give me a call tomorrow. I have now received a copy of the minutes and they show that we were never briefed on this issue

If you guys jump on the nine news fb page you will be able to see last night story on this issue including a public statement from Ronald Vokolous owner of Fishing and Outdoor World and RFAC member. Rohan Short another RFAC member has also commented on the FB post