Recfishwest to release draft comments on West Coast recreational fishing proposals

[Bear]

Recfishwest’s draft submission on the proposals for changes to recreational fishing in West Coast region will
be released for members’ and public comments and information and use in personal submissions if they wish.
An updated final version will be released by 24 April, giving 18 days or 5 days respectively before the closing
date of 30 April. The link below includes links to current and previous discussion papers and submissions.

http://www.recfishwest.org.au/DraftS...hingFMP228.htm

(draft comments will be added 11 April)

[TerryF]

The majority of comments received by phone, email, etc have agreed with the draft and have not asked for any changes to the RFW draft submission. Yes, some have hinted at major changes, but the majority did not.

Not many comments on some fishing forums.

Comments received are mainly looking for clarifications or change some words, without affecting the meaning.

So, based on the comments received up to now, the final submission will not have many changes and will not take much time.

The deadline for comments to be considered for the final submission is now received by start of business AM Tuesday 22 April.

The final RFW submission will be completed and sent pm Thursday 24 April well before the Fisheries Dept deadline of 5pm Wed 30 April.

That final RFW version will be posted on the RFW website.

The direct link will be published here, and also linked from the draft version http://www.recfishwest.org.au/DraftS...hingFMP228.htm

Theres's enough time for anyone to use any part of the final submission or the draft submission, if they wish, in any personal submission.

A doc showing the differences between the final and the draft versions will also be published so you can easily see them.

Still time to make comments on the draft to RFW. If you don't say what you think, how can we know?

TerryF
=====
Beavering away in the background.......

[Craig]

Thanks Terry excellent work.

Guys please take the time to read the Recfishwest submission and then put in a response of your own - this is an extremely important issue.

I have serious reservations about these proposed closures and perhaps RFW could answer the following questions as to why we should have any closures at all.

1. How was research carried out?

2. Where was the research carried out, how many locations, precisely where and how many square kms?.

3. Have any independent studies been carried out or should we just accept the figures without questioning them?

Sorry find it hard to believe that most have agreed with the RFW submission, the feeling on a few forums and also in the Tackle Industry is that many want no closures at all. I get the feeling that the final decision is made by RFW board members, I'm sorry I just dont buy that some have "hinted" at major changes and would imagine that they voiced their opinions strongly! . RFW is an organization with financial members who should be given the right to vote on these decisions?

Mark

[TerryF]

Mark

Of course no one WANTS closures. Some people don't have the full story which is very long and very complicated.

But many who have read the papers accept that SOME closures have to happen because they can't suggest any alternative(s) which will work.

I have copies of draft submissions from 3 major metro fishing clubs which all agree that closures are necessary and they support some closures. Have a look at http://www.westernangler.com.au/forum/fb.asp?m=182649 for some personal submissions.

That research is covered in Fisheries Research Report 163 "Spatial scales of exploitation among populations of demersal scalefish: implications for management. Part 1: Stock status of the key indicator species for the demersal scalefish fishery in the West Coast Bioregion." September 2007 available from http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/docs/frr/f...index.php?0401 Various bits from that are quoted in FMP225 and FMP228.

On the proposed closures and the research, the RFW draft submission says:-

Recfishwest has some concerns about the background material which is supplied with FMP 228 and previously with FMP 225.

We find it extremely difficult to reconcile the data presented in FMP 225 on page 41 for the recreational catch of dhufish in the metropolitan zone with the vastly different information presented in FMP 228 on page 13. It seems extraordinary that October could change from being by far the most important month in FMP 225 to the fourth least important month in FMP 228. At no stage has this information, or the data upon which it was derived, been discussed with Recfishwest or the recreational fishing community. It is extremely difficult to interpret data upon which the recommendations are based.

5. Closed season from 15 October - 25 December and then from 1 February to 31 March.

Not Supported. Recfishwest supports a two month closure from 15 October to 15 December with additional demersal scalefish species included.

This is by far the most significant recommendation and the most controversial one. Recfishwest supports the principle behind this recommendation, although it has not been yet used elsewhere in the world for a multi-species fishery such as in the West Coast bioregion.

However, Recfishwest believes that the basis for this recommendation cannot be examined due to inconsistencies in information presented in FMP 225 and 228. It seems quite extraordinary that the Department of Fisheries has made no attempt to discuss the data or the foundation for this recommendation even though FMP 225 was released in October 2007 and there has been ample time to do so.

Recfishwest fully supports the need for sustainable management, but we cannot support a four month closure at this time. We feel that the proposal is inconsistent with the information presented in FMP 225 which recommended a reduction in recreational take of dhufish in the metropolitan zone in the order 11%.

Recfishwest has been previously briefed by the Minister, that closed season should not be necessary at all in the Kalbarri zone as the boat limit would provide sufficient additional protection. We now see that this region is proposed to be excluded from the snapper size limit (never discussed) but included for the proposed full four month period.

TerryF
=====
Beavering away in the background.......

Thanks Terry 130pges of reading but after reading the methology of research in the first few pages it already raises that it's not really based on good science? anyway will read through the rest.

I guess as you know people in the Tackle Industry are very concerned about loss of income due to a closure, I know you've mentioned this in your draft, there is mention compensation for loss of earnings? I've just taken on new products that are specifically designed for catching Dhu Fish, Snapper and Baldies so I'll definately lose out big time because of this, as will many others that wont be able to carry these losses.

Also I'll tell you now that not all will abide to any closure anyway, and policing it will be near on impossible "it's pretty entrenched already believe me" with plenty of fillets coming in stuffed down jocks! and due to the severity of the proposed closures this type of thinking will become even more entrenched.

Mark

[Craig]

Mark

Article on page 16 of Saturdays West raised the issue od economic loss - tackle industry, charter industry and tourist industry.

Hope you are putting in a submission.

[TerryF]

The final version of the Recfishwest submission has been posted on the RFW website at http://www.recfishwest.org.au/SubDem...hingFMP228.htm

As forecast in a previous post, this final version has very few changes from the draft.

The changes between the final and draft submission (ignoring punctuation and formatting) are listed in that page.

Submissions to the Minister and Dept of Fisheries close 5pm Wednesday 30 April.

Please have your say.

TerryF
=====
Beavering away in the background.......

[TerryF]

Deadline for submissions to the Minister and Dept of Fisheries is 5pm Wednesday 30 April 2008.

If you are in an inner Perth suburb and lucky, Australia Post will deliver a letter posted before 6pm Tuesday....

But that is NOT GUARANTEED (the APO target is the high 90%'s will be delivered by next working day) .

If you have left it till today (Tuesday) or tomorrow (Wednesday), your OTHER options would seem to be:-

1. Deliver it by hand to 3rd Floor, The Atrium, 168 St George's Terrace, PERTH

2. Fax to Dept of Fisheries 08 9482 7389

3. Use the electonic submission form http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/docs/pub/W...ersal/form.php

You could try emailing it to the Dept of Fisheries general email address:- headoffice@fish.wa.gov.au

TerryF
=====
Beavering away in the background.......

[TerryF]

Deadline extended.

The closing date for submissions to the Minister and Dept of Fisheries is now 5pm Wednesday 7 May 2008.

http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au...?ItemID=130073

Fisheries Minister Jon Ford has today announced a one-week extension for public submissions .

More than 200 public submissions have been received since the release of Mr Ford’s recommended changes, as well as the Fisheries Management Paper No.228:

The Minister said the submissions had provided valuable feedback from fishers and other community members.

“Given the interest in these proposed changes, I’m keen to ensure everyone who is interested has the chance to make sure their views are considered in the process of determining the final changes to recreational fishing,” he said.

“I welcome a healthy and constructive debate about the recommended changes and reiterate that everyone has to play their part to save our fish so that the recreational fishing experience endures for existing generations and for many generations to come.”

TerryF
=====
Beavering away in the background.......