The rules look good. If more fish can get to breeding states, then that means more fish can grow up to the sizes (and breed too). I am more concerned with the ability of our department to police the matter. I have been fishing for 26 years and only been checked twice. I know that night time fishing inspections can be dangerous but at the end of the day crimes are performed in the dark too after 5pm. It is a sad fact that people illegally fish at night time and not a whole lot is being done to stop it. I alone could fine thirty people by driving round the habour and issuing tickets by my self if I had the power. There are far too many people unlicenced or catching and mincing anything that has a tail on it. Imagine if it was a full time job how many people could get fined and how many more people would understand the law is the law. It would be far effective if these rules can be enforced, sending the right message to the people doing the wrong thing or reminind ghte people who are doing the right thing, not to consider doing the wrong thing.
In all, my view is the rules are good, but there is absolutly no point in having rules in place that are not policed effectivelly. This is a recipee for disaster where the population will soon catch on that because we are not being watched and fined for not following the rules, then it is not only ok to not follow the rules, but not even buy a fishing licence.
Lets make it more visible that it is an offence to catch unders size, too many and fish without a licence. The rules will be more important then and make it better for all to enjoy.
Just a view, not pointing the finger, I think the rules are a great way to save our fish and make sure we hook up in the future.