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25.01.2022 S Fs R Ns G As Cs also see http://ow.ly/wxzp50AR2cp contradicts claims by "Enjoying Marine Sanctuaries" @ https://is.gd/w4BY9Y

25.01.2022 N L MRFAC - B W O Ps? : () () , 2019 ( , , )... () () () Rather peculiar the RFSA who lobbied so hard to have the MRFAC disbanded and unilaterally replaced with themselves, would now accept a position on the MRFAC?

25.01.2022 Our fisheries scientists have begun their annual King George whiting surveys at 8 shallow seagrass sites around Port Phillip. The surveys have been conducted si...nce 1998 and are a reliable indicator of future whiting stocks. For the last 3-4 months, these tiny whiting have made an incredible journey. Likely to have been born off south-east South Australia, they have been carried by currents for hundreds of kilometres eastwards, past the krill, bait schools, whales and southern bluefin tuna off our coast, before settling in our bays and inlets. These little whiting grow rapidly and will reach the minimum length of 27cm in the summer of 2022/23. They’ll stay in Port Phillip until they’re about 4 years of age before migrating out to sea where they mature and spawn, thereby completing the King George whiting life cycle. We’ve had good numbers of juvenile whiting in our surveys for 4 years running, meaning the outlook for our whiting fisheries is fantastic. Fingers crossed for a 5th! #science #portphillip #whiting

24.01.2022 Fs T As Exs Cs States only 2h exercise per day. You cannot drive to a location then "exercise", but only walk, jog there?? We know in the past "fishing" was considered exercise.

24.01.2022 Keep a lookout people

24.01.2022 Missing SA Boatie Tony Higgins: More Debris Found

24.01.2022 H WC KGW TACC - Fss Ms's A U In a recent interview (Rowey's Fishing Show), Minister Basham tried to rationalise the unimaginable KGW TACC he approved for the WC (listen http://chirb.it/7BkDI6). When the original comm zone TACCs appeared, SAFA was shocked at the difference to the recent average KGW comm catches (https://is.gd/Th9CXd). Subsequently these TACCs, and KGW in particular, were reassessed by the Snapper Minister's Advisory Council (S...MAC) which instead recommended TACCs based on the actual 5yr average historic catch, entirely consistent with a precautionary approach (https://is.gd/aFLCyn). At once MSF licence holders were informed of the new TACCs for all Tier 1 species, including a 102t TACC for WC KGW (https://is.gd/VMRz35). However when the final decision was released, the SMAC recommendations (5yr average TACC) were accepted, except for WC KGW, where it reverted to 473t! (https://is.gd/mJZHPi). The initial KGW TACCs were based on empirical modelling studies, where different key parameter values are applied to yield biomass approximations. The outstanding issue, however, is the inability to validate the reliability of forecasts. We know that Snapper Gulf biomass estimations, based on empirical modelling, contributed significantly to a view that the overall snapper fishery status was not as dire as it was. SARDI clearly acknowledged this fact in a recent publication " , - 280 (2013) 2,780 (2014). - 7,000 14,500 . ( . 2016): ." Minister Basham's comments are uninterpretable with respect to the graphs shown below. The claim of the "best science" (whatever that means and what is referred to) cannot be selectively applied to the WC and not SG and GSV. The WC fishers, in 26yrs have never even come close to a KGW harvest of 473t. To say that have had catches of 200t (over 2 decades ago) implies nothing about the status of WC KGW stocks today. Why would you even bother to set a such a TACC? The only possible explanation is an unknown major change in the management of the WC fishery to allow a considerably increased comm KGW harvest. It is now MRFAC's responsibility to pursue these serious anomalies, and we stand ready to offer any assistance required. #whiting #kgwhiting #fishingsa #eyrepeninsula

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23.01.2022 N Fss Ms Ss N G Is RFL Fisheries Minister David Basham stated the government had no policy to unilaterally impose a RFL on SA anglers. Any move for a RFL would have to come from, and be justified as supported by the SA rec fishing community. Given all unbiased public polls have clearly rejected a RFL, that condition is quite unlikely to be ever met, as RFSA have previously found out. the full interview is here on "Roweys Fishing Show" https://is.gd/3nBLtu

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23.01.2022 Ks N Rs R A A S , | | | The State Government has been urged to ban the netting of kingfish and impose a daily limit of three large fish for professional fishermen to preserve schools of breeding adults. Recreational fishing group Recfish SA and an Adelaide Hills processor believe the measures, which would bring SA into line with other states, would stop professional fishermen catching schools of kingfish aggregating t...Continue reading

23.01.2022 F P N TARFs C::Ws R & N RFL : And on the issue of recreational fishing licences for saltwater, its one that continually comes up, particularly by comparison with other States where these things exist. Do you have a view on that? : Well Id be guarded about that, I mean we dont want to make it more expensive for people to fish. Recreational fishing has been a part of Tasmanians way of life as long as... I can remember and it will be for decades to come, and its about us lobbying, as an organisation, to make sure that government and parliaments response is measured, and not in a way that prices people out of recreational fishing, but in a way that provides fair access to fishing areas where recreational fishers can fish safely with their families, and where they are likely to catch fish and I dont think that and licences go hand in hand at all. Obviously there are some aspects of recreational fishing which requires a licence now, but as an organisation I dont think that we will be going down a path which expands that, but rather be looking at government to ensure that its policy positions, both of the government and of the oppositions parties and of the legislation required reflects the importance of recreational fishing to the Tasmanian way of life full interview here https://is.gd/7IIvqg

21.01.2022 R M P A - MRFAC N Ps B On 13 Aug 2020, the draft SA Management Plan for Rec Fishing was officially approved by the new Fisheries Minister, David Basham, and gazetted. Simultaneously the MRFAC is now recognized as the "prescribed body" for administration of SA recreational fishing. On "Roweys Fishing Show" the Minister also affirmed his continuing support for the MRFAC and would be instituting changes to add more rec members [ https://chirb.i...t/Ax6JIt ]. SAFA hopes the Minister implements change to provide the MRFAC significantly greater independence, increased support to perform its required duties, and a markedly diminished reliance/dependence on PIRSA, so it may properly project itself throughout the SA rec fishing community. The latter issues are considered "critical" by SAFA.

21.01.2022 S N I , | | | A Port Pirie professional fisherman is at the centre of a Fisheries Department investigation for illegally netting and then releasing snapper. Video of the activity, which occurred on professional fisherman David Wilks’s boat, has emerged on social media and reported to department officers. In the video, a deckhand is using a dab net to scoop up feeding snapper that have been attracted to the boat by fis...h offal tipped into the water. It shows one large snapper being tipped from the net and striking the side of the boat, dislodging scales, before it falls back into the water. Several other fish are also caught and then released. A male voice is heard yelling: F..k, you got one in the dab net. Tip it out, throw it over the side. I don’t believe it, you can’t dab snapper, you just can’t do it my God, you got another one, tip it out. While the deckhand in the video is not keeping the fish for sale, the dab-netting activity is still prohibited during the closed season for taking snapper. Under regulations, both professional and recreational anglers are banned from specifically targeting snapper for catch-and-release activities. The penalty for intentionally catching a snapper during the ban is a $315 fine. A third offence attracts a penalty of up to $20,000. Fishing for snapper is banned in all SA waters, except for a defined period in South-East waters each year, until the end of January 2023. The ban was introduced last year because overfishing had depleted the biomass. So far, only one recreational angler has been fined for intentionally capturing snapper outside of the controlled fishing period in the South-East. A Primary Industries spokesperson said Fisheries officers were aware of the footage and have a copy of it. The matter is being investigated to determine if there are any breaches of the Fisheries Management Act 2007, the spokesperson said. Mr Wilks said he had spoken with Fisheries officers over the video. It was something that happened in a split second, he said. It was unintentional, we have told PIRSA that and they know we were not catching snapper. There was never an intention to take fish, no fish were taken. Mr Wilks said he had been upfront with Fisheries officers over the footage which he had taken and he didn’t feel we did anything wrong. There is no cover-up, no lies; I filmed it to show people how many snapper are there, he said. Maybe it is time the science is questioned.

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19.01.2022 SE S Ts D::N D 2 B L As Repeatedly stated by SAFA, and continually emphasised by fmr MRFAC chair Graham Keegan, tags have never worked as a fair method in Fisheries management. Tags are only used to "throttle" and "restrict" the recreational catch by stealth. Even PIRSA has now embraced this "reality" by announcing for the 2020 SE season, the recl sector only took 1.2% of the total catch (750kg), while commercials bagged out on the remaining 98...Continue reading

19.01.2022 WC Marine Scale Fishers Feel Threatened by MSF Reform

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17.01.2022 Fs R P QLD C Fs The ban would prevent the from exporting products including hammerhead shark fins and black jewfish bladders used in traditional Chinese medicine.

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17.01.2022 LISTEN NOW: Former Chairman of MRFAC, Graham Keegan, joins us to discuss his resignation and the future of recreational fishing.

17.01.2022 [PIRSA] A F B O P , | | | Primary Industries and Regions SA has apologised for a privacy breach in which the names and email addresses of survey respondents were published online. It acknowledged the bungle after it realised respondents details were published on the Primary Industries Ministers Recreational Fishing Advisory Council website. PIRSA is aware that details of a number of survey respondents to the Min...isters Recreational Fishing Advisory Council Razorfish management survey were published online, along with raw data, including names and email addresses, its statement read. Upon becoming aware of this, the information was promptly removed ... We apologise to those affected and have taken steps to ensure this doesnt happen again. A PIRSA spokeswoman would not confirm the number of survey respondents affected but it is understood to be more than 300. The spokeswoman would also not reveal how long the respondents details remained online but said the privacy breach was discovered this week and rectified. The survey was released in May and was about razorfish populations. See more

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16.01.2022 Victorian Illegally Fishing In SE for Snapper Fined

15.01.2022 We're upgrading metropolitan and regional boat ramps and jetties so that you can enjoy more time out on the water, doing the things you love. The $40 million #...SABudget2020 investment also includes upgrades to bridges and will create local jobs. West Beach Boat Ramp O'Sullivan Beach Boat Ramp Anxious Bay Boat Ramp Cape Jervis Jetty Streaky Bay Shelter Coffin Bay Jetty

15.01.2022 :: Not only has the KGW WC Total Available Commercial Catch (TACC) gone from 102 to 473t, but individual quotas have been abandoned. Unlike the other Gulfs, where the TACC is set as the 5yr comm KGW average, the WC TACC is almost 5 times the annual catch. As a result the State KGW TACC is now an amazing 630t, up from the previously proposed 259t ( https://is.gd/dmZMsH ). The last time an annual comm KGW catch of this magnitude occu...rred was in 1994! What happened between the final recommendations and this dramatic change? Obviously major intervention occurred, but by who, and for what reason? Sounds like a repeat of the recent Blue Crab facade (https://is.gd/3IBsKm ). And what about those important "allocation" shares, which always seem to favour the commercials? If the comms are given 630t for KGW then the respective rec annual catch must come in at 617t. That's way higher than the 367t estimated in 2014, and resulted in a bag size decrease. Are rec bag size increases being planned to maintain shares? So is all this bizarre type of quota assignment about "sustainability" or "destroying" the fishery? The rec fishing community is constantly touted as an "important" stakeholder, however hard to see how that is possible when rulings are always disadvantaging the sector at every possible turn. For extra info go to https://is.gd/xNyFM5

14.01.2022 W A A T K G W? , | | Some of South Australias most experienced recreational fishers say numbers of King George whiting have been the lowest theyve seen in metropolitan waters for decades. Sunday Mail fishing writer Jon Huie is among many bitterly disappointed at the lack of our iconic fish. The fishing off Adelaide has been the worst we have ever experienced. Theres hardly any whiting around, he said. Mr Huie... said low storm activity through winter could be a factor, as they brought whiting closer to the coast and strong winds stirred up the ocean floor to provide them with more feed. Mr Huie said his personal network of 25 trusted and honest contacts, boat fishers with 30-40 years of experience, and even local tackle shops had confirmed the lack of whiting along the metropolitan coast. But he did say things are starting to improve with the shift into spring. The stock status of King George whiting in the Gulf St Vincent and Kangaroo Island was downgraded from sustainable to transitional depleting in 2014 and has not recovered. SA Research and Development Institute scientists do all the stock assessment work but the latest one for King George whiting is dated 2016. Primary Industries and Regions SA would not allow the Sunday Mail to interview SARDI scientists and did not provide an official response. The Bureau of Meteorology said it did not tally numbers of storm fronts or their intensity, but a spokeswoman confirmed a range of factors suggested there were fewer-than-average cold fronts over SA during winter 2020. RecFish SA chairman Mick Wilson said there could be fewer whiting , or just more fishers going after them since a snapper ban was introduced, with greater competition leading to lower catches per boat. It could be a drop in population. It could also be a shift in focus for target species from snapper to whiting , which is obviously the next prestige fish we have here, he said. The State Government is pressing ahead with plans to allow fishing in sanctuary zones, including critical nursery areas for whiting in the Clinton Wetlands Sanctuary Zone of the Upper Gulf St Vincent Marine Park. Meanwhile, the $24.5m Marine Scalefish Fishery reform package is taking applications from commercial fishers who wish to surrender their licence. So far, 44 have decided to leave the industry. As part of this process, the government will set a total allowable commercial catch for key species. RecFish SA board member and director Levi Nash, 40, of Glengowrie, said environmental factors, or overfishing, or both, had led to a smaller number around.

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13.01.2022 C A Ks C T S Ds In 2018 the commercial catch of yellowtail kingfish was 1.9t, while the highest recorded in almost 30yr is 2.8t in 2014. If 2t was sold at SAFCOL last Monday, then this would represent an unbelievable catch based on the historic MSF annual kingfish data most recently released by SARDI ( https://is.gd/uu59X3 ). Logically, surely this represents far more than just "increased activity" by MSF fishers. ... , | | | The State Government has been urged to immediately ban the netting of schools of large adult kingfish in upper Spencer Gulf amid fears breeding stocks are being hit hard. Professional fishermen are using drones to locate schools of breeding kingfish before running a net around them and wiping out the school. Over the past fortnight prices have plunged at the local SAFCOL fish market from about $14/kg to just over $6/kg because of the volume of fish being caught, with excess supply being sold in the Melbourne and Sydney fish markets. The activity, in waters north of Port Pirie, has prompted fishing groups to call on the government to ban the netting of kingfish to protect the breeding biomass. RecFish SA chairman Mick Wilson said the government needed to act immediately to protect the breeding stocks. I don’t know the exact volume over the past few weeks, but I know two tonnes went into the markets Monday morning,’’ he said. Mr Wilson, who is also a member of the Minister’s Recreational Fishing Advisory Council, planned to raise the issue at the next meeting as a matter of urgency. If it continues at this rate, we will see the stocks decimated even before that meeting arrives, he said. Mr Wilson said the situation mirrored what had happened in the snapper fishery, as technology allowed large schools to be located and easily caught and ultimately resulted in the collapse of the biomass and the current fishing bans. Port Pirie professional fisherman David Wilks rejected suggestions the fishing activity was in any way impacting the biomass of kingfish.’’ He said there had been a significant increase in the numbers of adult kingfish in recent years and that netting in key breeding areas had been banned for the past 30 years. The only time we catch kingfish in any numbers, like the past few weeks, is when some of the schools stray into areas we fish for other species, he said. The numbers of fish we catch are negligible; we let more fish go than we keep. The recreationals catch many, many more than we do in the areas that we cannot fish. Mr Wilks said there was no evidence the activity was not sustainable, considering the large numbers of kingfish in the area. Primary Industries Minister David Basham said fisheries officers were aware of the increased activity and it was being monitored.

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10.01.2022 Breaking news: A 12 month fishing ban will be implemented in waters directly adjacent to the Port Pirie township from midnight tonight. The closure is in respo...nse to new information from a recent University of South Australia report produced in partnership with Flinders Ports Holdings, Nyrstar and the Environment Protection Authority (EPA). SA Health has recommended that until further investigations are completed into the human health risks from the contaminated sediment, any seafood caught within the Port Pirie closure area should not be consumed. The following zone regulations have been implemented: Primary Industries and Regions SA Zone 1 - no seafood, including all molluscs, crustaceans and fish, can be taken from this area. Zone 2 no oysters, mussels, scallops and razorfish can be taken from this area.

09.01.2022 C M::Es Es R O Fs The latest BDO economic report (https://is.gd/SdSe1u) highlights that the annual value of mulloway, taken by Coorong netters is a mere $800,000 of the $14 million Lakes Coorong Fishery's overall catch value. The cockle harvest alone, accounts for $8 million) of that $14mill. The price per kilo for mulloway, is less than for mullet, which earns well over $2 million. More importantly, the report highlights mulloway prices ...($/kg) have been falling for the last 5 years. All the data confirms this commercial "resource", which is dependent on a mulloway nursery, is being squandered and depleted for a pittance of its true potential value to the recreational fishing sector. A recreational only Coorong mulloway fishery will ensure not only sustainability, but also significant economic benefits to both the whole region and State. This endless saga of netting juvenile mulloway, at a legal minimum limit, more than 50% less than that required to attain sexual maturity, is simply indefensible and has to stop before the mulloway are gone forever.

09.01.2022 C and Rs Fs A in P P Ws Catch and release fishing will be allowed in Port Pirie waters during the 12-month precautionary fishing ban, with testing for heavy metals due to start this month. Minister David Basham said testing of heavy metals in fish from waters off Port Pirie will be carried out in the coming weeks with results expected by the end of the year. "The fishing closure at Port Pirie has been put in place as a precautionary measure to pro...tect the community's health while further investigations are carried out, It is important that we take these steps in order to have accurate information about whether there are potential health risks or not. In the meantime, catch and release fishing will be allowed in both closure zones.'' " . " - ." See more

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09.01.2022 COVID-19 UPDATE SA 19 N 2020

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08.01.2022 A large shark more than likely a white pointer visited our now famous Whyalla jetty this morning Reports have been made to PIRSA JETTY JUMPERS TAKE NOTE and any parent who encourages it Photo credit Eddie Healey

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08.01.2022 CSIRO C Vs Sss W As Rs , | | CSIRO scientists, whose pioneering research underpins the rollout of the carp herpes virus in Australia, have warned against its release until a second genetic or biocontrol measure is developed. Until then, it would be unwise, even wasteful, to release CyHV-3 (carp virus) into the Australian environment, Drs Kevin McColl and Agus Sunarto wrote in their latest review into Bio-cont...rol of the Common Carp. Dr McColl, who has been working on the virus since 2007, told The Weekly Times he was keener than most Australians to see it released, but lets not waste it. You could knock carp down with the virus, (then) they could rebound in 2-3 breeding seasons and you wouldnt notice. Carp are one of the most prolific breeders of all time, with a single female producing 500,000 eggs each season. Modelling, done as part of the federal governments investigation into releasing the virus, estimates it would cut carp populations by 60 per cent in the Murray Darling Basins waterways and curb fish densities to well below the damaging threshold of 100kg/ha, for at least 10 years. But Dr McColl said the modelling was based on assumptions that might not prove correct, and he feared the herpes virus was less likely to affect older fish, leading to an inevitable wind-down in the number of outbreaks and their impacts. Dr McColl previously worked on the rabbit calicivirus, which taught him the value of using complementary control measures. Myxo (myxomatosis) and calicivirus have done a great job in knocking rabbits down, Dr McColl said. Calicivirus was in some way a complementary measure, but it was 40 years late. After researching biocontrol of invasive vertebrates, Dr McColl and Dr Sunarto concluded that in each case complementary measures were required for sustained control or eradication of the pest species. At this stage no effective complementary measures have been developed for the carp herpes virus, with the daughterless carp project estimated to take 80 years to be effective and gene-drive technology regarded as unsafe. The Federal Government was originally due to make a decision on the release of the virus by the end of 2018, but the process has been dogged by repeated reviews into research findings and most recently COVID-19 restrictions. Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment officers last week told The Weekly Times more research needed be conducted on the seasonality and secretion of the virus and other issues. At this stage the department advised no decision was likely before the end of the year.

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07.01.2022 MFA P Ds A R Fs S , | | Professional fishermen want limits put on recreational anglers and others who catch four key species in line with proposed quotas on their catches to ensure future sustainability of fish stocks. The Marine Fishers Association (MFA) also wants the recreational sector to contribute to the cost of fisheries compliance, instead of the professional se...ctor funding it entirely through increased licence fees. MFA executive officer Gary Morgan this week met with Fisheries Minister David Basham over reform proposals that will lead to huge hikes in licence fees and quota allocations for professionals targeting snapper, King George whiting, garfish and calamari to protect stocks. Having a restriction on the catch of the commercial sector for key species is fine, but it wont do anything for the sustainability of the fish resources unless all users are included in that cap, Mr Morgan said. That is particularly the recreational sector, but also other commercial users of the resources such as the rock lobster fishery that has access to snapper and whiting. If we are serious about sustainability, what is needed is an overall catch limit on those priority species which includes all of the users. Due to up to 150 fishermen potentially leaving the industry under the reform package, a line fishing licence will rise from $2886 this financial year discounted from $5894 because of the snapper ban to $12,593 in 2024-25. A net fishing licence will rise from $5196 to $22,283. The package also includes new annual quota allocation methods for fishermen who remain that will determine their share of snapper, King George whiting, garfish and calamari largely determined by their catch rates over the past six years. Mr Morgan said, at present, commercial fishers paid about 12 per cent of fishery revenues around $25m annually in licence fees, which was the highest licence fee of any commercial fishery in Australia. The commercial sector recognises the recreational fishery is important but information about activity and adequate compliance needs to be there to make sure fish stocks are sustainable, he said. Mr Basham said he was focused on ensuring the sustainability of fish stocks and improving the profitability of seafood businesses. We are still consulting on how the final reform process looks and I encourage any commercial fishers with an opinion to get involved, he said.

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07.01.2022 Hs Hs C F MRFAC Ds While the MRFAC certainly needs re-evaluation and greater independent support mechanisms than available at present, Hughes Labor brethrens solution was to simply "subcontract" the SA anglers rights to RFSA for decades. We do not want return of that "model", and said so at the last election.

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06.01.2022 JUST IN | Police and Sea Rescue are once again searching for the Margrel and its skipper Tony Higgins. Mr Higgins made a distress call to police early this morn...ing saying he was taking on water. Higgins and his mate Derek Robinson sparked the largest marine search in South Australia's history earlier this month, when they went missing during a trip from Port Lincoln to Goolwa.

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06.01.2022 MRFAC M: S Ts - Ks - D S the full synopsis is available here https://is.gd/ZNRphV

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04.01.2022 As S T I R , | | | If he found fish ... he would wait for the fish to come on the tide and catch them - Justice Tim Stanley. The first professional fisherman convicted of illegally fishing in one of South Australias marine parks has won a retrial. The Full Court of the Supreme Court has unanimously quashed Port Wakefield fisherman Jakyb Trent Sharmans conviction and ordered he be retried before a different judge.... Justice Tim Stanley found that despite an error of factual finding by the trial judge, it had not been established the charges have been so clearly proved as such that this court can be satisfied that the verdicts of guilty were inevitable. Sharman, 26, was convicted in the Environment, Resources and Development Court in February of eight counts of illegally fishing in a sanctuary zone that covers the upper reaches of Gulf St Vincent. It was alleged he caught 1.8 tonnes of snapper that he sold for $23,206 after eight separate trips into the sanctuary zone in September and October in 2017. In convicting Sharman, ERD Court Judge Michael Durrant described his conduct as serious, repetitive and deliberate and his actions undermined the Marine Parks Act. He sentenced Sharman to five months jail for the eight offences, but suspended it in favour of a 12-month, $500 good behaviour bond. He was also ordered to pay $10,000 compensation and costs towards the Fisheries department investigation. In Sharmans appeal against his conviction he listed 10 grounds including factual errors by the trial judge. In the Full Court judgment, Justice Stanley states the respondents case at trial was that GPS data showed Sharman was fishing within the sanctuary zone. While Sharman admitted fishing at those times, he denied it was within the sanctuary zone. The appellants case at trial and on appeal was that the GPS evidence was equally consistent with two competing hypotheses, Justice Stanley states. At trial the appellant gave evidence that his practice was to reconnoitre for fish within the sanctuary zone at particular waypoints he had already entered into his GPS. If he found fish he would then travel south to a point just outside the sanctuary zone where he would wait for the fish to come on the tide and catch them. Justice Stanley said at trial Sharman contended that Fisheries officers had failed to exclude this as a reasonable hypothesis consistent with innocence. Judge Durrant also rejected that contention.

03.01.2022 more info available here https://is.gd/jV5tJc

02.01.2022 SAFA Qs MRFAC SAFA is officially announcing its resignation as an Organisational Member of the Ministers Recreational Fishing Advisory Council (MRFAC) and has already withdrawn its appointed representative. SAFA is of the opinion that the role and function of the MRFAC is now diametrically opposed to that initially announced (pre-election) by the Liberal government, particularly with respect to the independence of the MRFAC and its ability to implement changes which are ...in the best interests of the SA recreational fishing sector. SAFA has persevered to assist, but recent events highlight a now pointless endeavour. Most importantly we have to respect our supporters and the other Organisations which led the original charge for change and recognition for the recreational fishing sector as a key stakeholder in SA publics aquatic resources. Furthermore, promised initial support for the MRFAC was inordinately slow and meagre, thereby restricting any early opportunity to establish an effective communication network with SA anglers and all the SA business entities, both directly and indirectly associated with recreational fishing. This lack of backing for the MRFAC is significant in other key areas, especially a failure to provide a mechanism for necessary independent resourcing, to allow the MRFAC to assess issues in the intricate fisheries management proposals routinely tabled by PIRSA. Now, as always, there remains the same critical absence of independent arbitration to address serious policy/regulatory differences, which continually arise between the recreational fishing sector, the commercial fishing industry and PIRSA. Accordingly, PIRSA is acting as a "gate-keeper" towards any MRFAC attempt to negotiate the best outcomes possible for SA recreational fishing, commensurate with its significant, but continually ignored, stakeholder status. We were originally told that PIRSA and SARDI would merely provide "support" (when requested) and the MRFAC would set its own "agenda" directly with the Minister. All, this has certainly not occurred.

01.01.2022 Ms Cs SA M Ps A the link @ https://is.gd/ip5Rxe was posted 8 July 2020, on "yourSAy" comments just before the MPs survey closed. The media article below included no views nor counterpoints from the recreational fishing sector resulting in a loss of balanced reporting. We have included some relevant comments from the yourSAy page @ https://is.gd/nMgNQJ. It is also incorrectly stated that the yourSAy polling was commissioned by the Wilderness Soc...Continue reading

01.01.2022 P R D Ss Os "D Ds" seriously! "' , , , , . ' , . ... 6 . . . . . ' . . ' . ' . ." See more

01.01.2022 C Fss F L Css - W P Iss ’ , | | | Professional fishermen want the State Government to limit investors buying up quota allocations for key commercial species introduced under a major reform program. They fear the individual quotas allocated to fishermen under the reforms for species including King George whiting, snapper and calamari will become trading commodi...ties sought after by overseas and interstate investors. Such a move would result in locally caught fish being sent to fish markets in Sydney or Melbourne, where higher prices could be obtained, resulting in shortages for local consumers and increased cost. Marine Fishers Association (MFA) executive director Gary Morgan said the government must address the unintended consequences to protect both the industry and local seafood consumers. The MFA has launched an online petition urging consumers to voice concerns over the situation, as an interstate investor had already bought two fishing licences. Mr Morgan expected there would be a high level of investor interest. A lot of fish caught in SA are already sold in interstate markets, but that will increase if this happens, he said. Around the world, in virtually every fishery that has gone to quotas, that has happened, and governments have then had to move to put restrictions on the transfer of the quota to protect the local industry. We do not think there is enough protection around the current owner/operator provisions. It is not clear whether the existing provisions will protect the industry. He said offshore and interstate investors already controlled 65 per cent of the state’s rock lobster quota, with benefits flowing out of the state. Besides moving fishermen to individual catch quotas based on their catch history, the government is aiming to buy back 150 licences to reduce the number of professional fishers. So far, 88 fishermen have taken advantage of the buyback to leave the industry. Primary Industries Minister David Basham urged fishers to consider their position before the Friday buyback deadline. We believe these reform measures will unlock the fishery’s potential, enable the development of flourishing and profitable seafood businesses and ensure we have sustainable fish stocks into the future, underpinning the future of our commercial fishing sector for decades to come, he said. Mr Morgan was not surprised only 88 fishermen had surrendered their licences under the buyback. He said the market value of a net licence was about $400,000, but the buyback offer was only $180,000, which was why not many had taken up the offer. However, we expect a surge in applications as the deadline for licence surrender approaches, he said.