By Arthur Gorrie
Fisheries minister Mark Furner has rejected complaints from some Cooloola Coast commercial fishers, who say new government rules are destroying their industry and those involved in it.
Mr Furner said the government’s Sustainable Fisheries Strategy was a response to extensive public consultation and incorporated the responses of industry and consumer interests.
It would “guarantee jobs and ensure a sustainable fishery for our children and grandchildren into the future.
“The strategy is about ensuring the sector continues to keep employing people while also allowing commercial, recreational, charter and traditional fishers to keep on taking fish.
“It supports sustainable supplies of fresh fish to Queensland and the world,“ he said.
He was responding to claims by Gympie MP Tony Perrett that government policies would mean higher fish prices and would “put many operators out of business.“
Mr Perrett said the government “could not answer whether any analysis had been completed on the mental health effects this would have.“
Mr Furner said thousands of fishers and Queenslanders generally had made submissions to government reviews and “the overwhelming message was that stakeholders wanted reform in the way fisheries are managed.“
“From 1 September, 13 new fishery harvest strategies commenced,“ Mr Furner told parliament last week.
“Crab, trawl and east coast inshore fisheries are (now) divided into new management regions. In those fisheries new quota units are created so the catch of priority species can be controlled directly.
“We will protect our fisheries so they are sustainable for our children and grandchildren,“ he said.
