The spanish mackerel row

Talk about bungled boat ramps, net buybacks, marine no-go zones, mining disasters etc here.
Post Reply
User avatar
Matt Flynn
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 16186
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 9:30 am
Location: Somewhat Southerly
Contact:

The spanish mackerel row

Post by Matt Flynn »

There has been a mobilisation of fishos in Queensland as a claimed depletion of spaniards (narrow-barred mackerel) is disputed ... https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2021- ... /100212788

Seems odd that the species is depleted after all the Great Barrier Reef green and yellow zones were introduced years ago.

Interesting times - snapper ban in South Australia until 2023, garfish ban in Perth waters, along with huge restrictions on taking demersal fish in the Perth bioregion and more recently expansion of the Cockburn Sound no-take snapper area, and this followed restrictions on taking baldchin, there is a new closed season on pearl perch and snapper in Queensland, as well as restrictions that amount to a jewfish ban in Queensland waters, now spanish mackerel are in the spotlight.

There were huge restrictions put on taking Shark Bay snapper years ago after the stock crashed, they have since recovered.

Might be other bans I have forgotten about - possibly worth mentioning blue groper down south, barramundi cod in North Queensland and other marine cod in NSW. Then of course the freshwater murray cod bans, as well as trout cod, mary river cod, clarence cod and macquarie perch, now on a comeback through stocking.

And of course, on top of all the bans, we have large marine sanctuaries in place right around Australia.

Not sure what it all means, but the fishing scene is very different now from 30 years ago.

We have an ever-growing population, better on-water fishing technology and access to fishing information. Throw the effects of climate change into the mix, something that is also hotly disputed, and it makes for interesting times for fisheries managers and resource stakeholders.


ronje
Jedi Seadog
Jedi Seadog
Posts: 2440
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 5:23 pm
Contact:

Re: The spanish mackerel row

Post by ronje »

The message that seems to be coming from each of these states is that people still manage to catch fish in spite of bureaucracy's fish stock management initiatives rather than because of them.

Each state has a plan which is different for its particular dominant species but seems to run into trouble with travelling species which in reality are shared resources and one thing that state govts don't like is sharing resources.

Managing shared but travelling resources is like trying to catch the wind (the bl..dy fish wont stay still long enough to be counted). To measure how well you are managing starts with a need to know before and after numbers.

No historically reliable numbers exit for particular stocks. Species biomass, we're told that its called.
So states simply can't go back far enough in time to tell how effective their management plans are.

I suspect that Fisheries in each state have lots of plan and spend more time on looking for a problem to suit their plan rather than the other way around.

In Qld, Fisheries is throwing around a term called species "unfished biomass". Presumably that means "before time began" or something. Buggered if I know what it means and Fisheries are reluctant to tell anybody.

Perhaps Captain Cooks log from the Bounty has info about spanish mackerel stocks in 1770 or Joseph Banks reports..

But, maybe not as I think people like Cook and Banks had a basic rule that heads had to be above the water rather than below it when sailing (a novel idea, that).
Regards
Ronje
dirvin21
Bronze Member
Bronze Member
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue May 04, 2021 11:04 pm

Re: The spanish mackerel row

Post by dirvin21 »

The problem for Spaniards on the east coast is they migrate south over summer/autumn and they get hammered by the recreational and commercial sectors along the entire coast especially here in northern NSW.
User avatar
Matt Flynn
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 16186
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 9:30 am
Location: Somewhat Southerly
Contact:

Re: The spanish mackerel row

Post by Matt Flynn »

If the stock is in fact way down it might be a combination of things, coincidentally there have been repeated GBR hot water events in recent years ... https://www.coralcoe.org.au/media-relea ... -bleaching

Marine fish are far more sensitive to temperature and water quality issues than freshwater fish.
User avatar
Sullo
Jedi Seadog
Jedi Seadog
Posts: 504
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 4:51 pm

Re: The spanish mackerel row

Post by Sullo »

I just ordered another rifle, might give up fishing and start eating rabbit and deer.
User avatar
Matt Flynn
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 16186
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 9:30 am
Location: Somewhat Southerly
Contact:

Re: The spanish mackerel row

Post by Matt Flynn »

I just ordered another rifle, might give up fishing and start eating rabbit and deer.
You have some deer out that way? I used to shoot hares around Brisbane.

Deer are apparently multiplying locally here after some escapes, I haven't seen them on or near my farm yet but I reckon I'll be eating venison in a year or two.
User avatar
Sullo
Jedi Seadog
Jedi Seadog
Posts: 504
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 4:51 pm

Re: The spanish mackerel row

Post by Sullo »

Matt Flynn wrote: Wed Jul 07, 2021 12:12 pm
I just ordered another rifle, might give up fishing and start eating rabbit and deer.
You have some deer out that way? I used to shoot hares around Brisbane.

Deer are apparently multiplying locally here after some escapes, I haven't seen them on or near my farm yet but I reckon I'll be eating venison in a year or two.
Only see the odd deer around Prossy, but there are hundreds of Chittal an hour away over the range.

Going out to try for mackie in the morning, this is the thickest i have seen them the last few years.
User avatar
Matt Flynn
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 16186
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 9:30 am
Location: Somewhat Southerly
Contact:

Re: The spanish mackerel row

Post by Matt Flynn »

Going out to try for mackie in the morning, this is the thickest i have seen them the last few years.
Good to hear, hopefully the fisheries assessment of stocks is wrong.
nomad
Jedi Seadog
Jedi Seadog
Posts: 5770
Joined: Wed Dec 23, 2009 10:29 pm
Location: PALMERSTON
Contact:

Re: The spanish mackerel row

Post by nomad »

Since I've been in Qld, I’ve checked out the green zones.
I tried fishing just outside the zones but never got anything decent. Its as if the fish know there is a GZ and stay there and not venture out.
I spent an overnighter on the reef recently and caught over 80 fish, mostly undersize or non target species. I kept 2 nice sized coral trout though
User avatar
Sullo
Jedi Seadog
Jedi Seadog
Posts: 504
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 4:51 pm

Re: The spanish mackerel row

Post by Sullo »

nomad wrote: Sun Jul 11, 2021 8:50 am Since I've been in Qld, I’ve checked out the green zones.
I tried fishing just outside the zones but never got anything decent. Its as if the fish know there is a GZ and stay there and not venture out.
I spent an overnighter on the reef recently and caught over 80 fish, mostly undersize or non target species. I kept 2 nice sized coral trout though
Hey nomad,where are you fishing out of ?
User avatar
Matt Flynn
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 16186
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 9:30 am
Location: Somewhat Southerly
Contact:

Re: The spanish mackerel row

Post by Matt Flynn »

Queensland scallop fishery may be closed ... https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-20/ ... /100303876
nomad
Jedi Seadog
Jedi Seadog
Posts: 5770
Joined: Wed Dec 23, 2009 10:29 pm
Location: PALMERSTON
Contact:

Re: The spanish mackerel row

Post by nomad »

Sullo wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 9:19 pm
nomad wrote: Sun Jul 11, 2021 8:50 am Since I've been in Qld, I’ve checked out the green zones.
I tried fishing just outside the zones but never got anything decent. Its as if the fish know there is a GZ and stay there and not venture out.
I spent an overnighter on the reef recently and caught over 80 fish, mostly undersize or non target species. I kept 2 nice sized coral trout though
Hey nomad,where are you fishing out of ?
Sullo
Currently based in Lucinda,(til end nov)
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “Fishing Politics”