The biggest ever fisheries reforms in Queensland

Queensland boaters and fishers will face greater fisheries compliance, including 20 more frontline Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol officers, and more monitoring of the marine environment, but also better engagement and more responsive decision making as part of a new $20m Sustainable Fisheries Strategy.

The Sustainable Fisheries Strategy is the biggest fisheries reform in
Queensland’s history and it will impact commercial and recreational
fishers, while ensuring healthy fish stocks that will support thousands
of jobs and the future of our popular pastime.

The Strategy sets a target to build stocks up to a target of 60 per cent of the original unfished population (or maximum economic yield) by 2027 that maximises commercial profitability, the quality of fishing, and stock resilience over time.

While the introduction of a recreational fishing licence is not on the table, net free zones in Moreton Bay may be created as more regionally specific and appropriate management rules are established.

But as it stands today, Queensland’s fisheries management system is cumbersome, costly to administer, inflexible, and ineffective at ensuring sustainability of the State’s fisheries. It is not keeping up with community expectations or modern fisheries management practices.

In June (2017), the Queensland Government released the Sustainable Fisheries Strategy 2017-2027 to address these shortcomings and pave the way for Queensland to have a world-class fisheries management system.

Some of the actions include things like harvest strategies for each fishery, satellite tracking on all commercial fishing boats, regionally specific fishing rules and the use of new technologies in more effective ways.

The Strategy is the outcome of a significant consultation exercise in 2016, during which views we sough from everyone in the community about where we are now, where we want to be, and how we can get there.

There were more than 11,800 submissions, with the overwhelming message that all stakeholders wanted reform in the way fisheries are managed.

Queensland Fisheries acknowledges that it needs a more modern and responsive system that is transparent and based on good monitoring and research. That‘s exactly what the Sustainable Fisheries Strategy is designed to deliver.

The strategy outlines 33 actions across 10 reform areas and sets targets to be achieved by 2020 and 2027. To support the reforms, the government is investing an additional $20 million over three years. 

Importantly, these reforms also deliver on a number of actions under the Reef 2050 Long Term Sustainability Plan, highlighting our ongoing commitment to the Great Barrier Reef.

The Strategy and fact sheets about what it means for different stakeholder groups are available online at Sustainable Fisheries Strategy.