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PRESS RELEASE
More time for submissions on Moreton Bay closures

With hundreds of Moreton Bay commercial fishermen facing loss of
livelihood and equity in purchased licences, the State Opposition has
called on the government to allow more time for the industry to prepare
submissions.

LNP food security, agriculture and fisheries spokesman Ray Hopper said
the Bligh government's November 28 deadline for submissions to access
its licence buy-back package was ridiculous and unfair.

"The industry and individuals simply need more time, and certainly till
the end of February," Mr Hopper said.

"They need time to talk to accountants and work out whether they are
going to stay in the industry. For many it could mean having to look for
another job and leaving the region.

"I addressed a meeting of more than 100 commercial fishermen and their
families at Shorncliffe last week and the overwhelming message I got was
one of anger over the Bligh government's rush to push through its green
zones and the November 28 deadline for submissions and the small amount
of funding for licence buy-outs.

"No one at the meeting was arguing against protecting the Bay and
ensuring that fishing remained sustainable, but the short timetable for
submissions is simply unfair and I call on the Minister and the
government to show a bit of compassion and commonsense.

"Many of these fishermen and their families have invested hundreds of
thousands of dollars in their vessels and buying licences and they are
justifiably angry over the Bligh government's rush to shut down trawling
in the new green zones. Their jobs, their investments, their lives are
on the line.

"They feel betrayed and let down by the a government that seems to be
only interested in quickly appeasing green pressure groups in the run-up
to the election.

"The LNP's position is that fishing in the Bay must be able to be
sustained. But every decision on lock-outs, shut-downs and buy-outs must
be based on sound, measurable science, and not on political whim and
weekend photo-opportunity announcements by the Premier aimed at shoring
up green preferences," Mr Hopper said.

Mr Hopper said any reasonable person would expect at least a couple of
months for submissions and an extension to November 28 should be
negotiated with the industry.

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Unfortunetly there are skippers who cant move on to anything else
as fishing is all they know. There have been a few cases of skippers commiting suicide in the wheelhouse of their boats in Cairns.

Good work to the Bligh govenrment,if there was only more that had the same courage.

The sooner they realise the recreation $$ makes a mockery of the commercial $ the better off anglers will be.

The poor pro's can't fall back on the "it's the only thing we know" excuse forever. Why should a fishery be pillaged just to keep a few family's happy. As for the people that want to eat fish, governments need to put more money into aquaculture in this country. The average fish eating punter isn't that smart,give them a fresh fillet of carp and tell them it's coral trout and they'll say "mmm,beautiful!!" ,it's all in the name.

End rant

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