Labor's fishing plans for QLD

Fishing is part of the Queensland way of life and an important part of its economy. Because of its importance, a Labor Government will develop strategies to improve infrastructure for recreational fishers and also obtain the maximum value from the limited fishing resource, says the opposition in its pre-election statement.

Labor will seek to increase the economic value of the state’s fisheries resource by recognising that the total value of fish caught by recreational fishing tourists includes spending on local tourism-related businesses such as charter boats, caravan parks and bait and tackle suppliers.

In recognition of this, a Labor Government will establish net-free zones and implement a plan for promoting charter fishing.

NET-FREE ZONES
Labor will establish three net-free fishing zones in north and central Queensland:
<< Trinity Bay - Cairns,
<< St Helens Beach – Cape Hillsborough, North of Mackay
<< Yeppoon/Keppel Bay/Fitzroy River, Capricorn Coast.

A Labor Government will set aside $10 million to fund the necessary buyout of commercial fishing activity in these areas. This will be funded from Labor’s Great Barrier Reef policy funding allocation.

It is anticipated that this funding will meet the compensation needed to establish the three proposed net-free fishing zones. The decision on any further net-free zones will be made after an open application process.

Separately, a Queensland Labor Government will sit down with both recreational and commercial fishing organisations to investigate how a commercial net-free fishing area can be best instituted in Moreton Bay to obtain the maximum gain from the fisheries resource in Moreton Bay for the benefit of the region.

Labor will also review the complexity of the onerous regulatory structure applying to commercial fishing to ensure sustainability objectives are achieved at lower economic and social cost, thereby ensuring Queensland obtains the maximum value from its fisheries resource on a sustainable basis.

Labor will also work toward improving marine infrastructure such as boat ramps across Queensland.

FIVE-PRONGED APPROACH
To improve the economic value of Queensland’s fisheries resource, a future Labor Government will take a five-pronged approach:
<< Adopt a fisheries resource allocation policy based on maximising economic value
<< Develop a charter fishing action plan
<< Establish three net-free fishing zones in north and central Queensland
<< Review the regulatory structure of commercial fishing to ensure the sustainability of Queensland’s fisheries
<< Extend the Marine Infrastructure Fund by $15 million a year for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 financial years and priorities key regional boat ramp upgrades that the LNP has ignored.

Labor's has also pledged that it will retain Wave Break Island, the iconic sand island and thronging boating anchorage on the Broadwater, if it's elected.

Read the full "Sustainable Fishing" policy at

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--http://annastacia.com.au/Policies/Sustainable%20Fishing.pdf

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--http://annastacia.com.au/Policies/Sustainable%20Fishing.pdf

http://annastacia.com.au/Policies/Sustainable%20Fishing.pdf.