Governments Stops Boats Going Offshore

[BIGFISH]

You asked what's next here it is?

Amateur anglers' deep sea access threatened

Article from:

Geraldine Mitchell

July 24, 2009 12:00am

AMATEUR fishing groups plan mass protests against a proposal to restrict their access to the ocean.

The suggested laws would limit boats shorter than about 5m to enclosed waters while only boats longer than 8m would be allowed to go more than 20 nautical miles off the coast.

Fishing groups fear such changes to the laws would cripple the $80 million recreational fishing industry.

They say the proposal is ridiculous and have vowed to host the "biggest show of strength" to fight the plan.

Warrnambool Offshore and Light Game Fishing Club president Peter Kavanagh said 90 per cent of anglers would be affected.

"If these laws come into play people who can't afford a bigger boat will be ruled out," he said.

"And that ruins it for families and anyone who wants to fish recreationally."

Mr Kavanagh said anglers had to travel up to 35 nautical miles out to sea to reach the shelf where the fish were.

The Opposition says it will fight the proposal in parliament and is helping to organise a petition.

Opposition ports spokesman Denis Napthine said such changes would have an enormous effect on amateur fishing as well as tourism.

The State Government says the Review of Marine Safety Laws is to designed to modernise and strengthen the state's marine legislation as well as improve safety on waterways.

It says safety risks are rising, with the number of collisions in the past financial year replacing drowning as the major cause of death associated with marine accidents.

A spokesman for Ports Minister Tim Pallas said the Government had released discussion papers with ideas for reform.

"The purpose of this paper is purely to invite feedback from all Victorians who want to have a say on any of the issues presented," spokesman Bill Kyriakopoulos said.

"These are for consideration only and we encourage people to make a submission.

"We are seeking comment from the boating industry, recreational boaters and the general public on water safety issues and the most appropriate legislative response."

Mr Kyriakopoulos said a series of public information sessions would be held across the state starting next month.

[cut_loose]

Oh no they cant be serious !

Come on there are more issues then this !

Why are they worring about this .. Its probley cos of the media with all the news giving the boaties are bad rep..

Plus my 4.2 quinie not being able to head out even 1km is not fair.. its more then capable of going out there, Plus my next boats gonna be 4.8meter and i could say thats more than capable of going out side..

[tan the fisherman]

thats only in Sth Australia isnt it - as ridiculous as it sounds.

[Evets]

No. Its not in SA.

Its going to be put to the public in a number of roadshows through out Victoria in the coming months. Many many many mexicans are up in arms about it too - especially since heaps of sub 8m boats are catching big bluefin out on the shelf at the moment.

Evets

[BIGFISH]

This was my greatest fear, the greens new if they kept bombarding us with ongoing battles we would weary and not bother to reply.

The WA licence hike and the boat size restriction is but a few of the ways the greens have changed tact, the government is being forced to find new ways to pander to the green vote. The veil for which this is flying under is so lame that the government thinks we are absolutely stupid.

If these laws get through in the other states then we are sitting ducks here. And what is most disturbing is the recreation for the masses will be only for the rich and elite.

It is important that we not lose resolve and keep sending emails, voting in polls and getting in the face of these idiotic beauracrats that are hand in hand with the greens.

Cheers

BIG

[adjustedpete]

............The State Government says the Review of Marine Safety Laws is to designed to modernise and strengthen the state's marine legislation as well as improve safety on waterways.

It says safety risks are rising, with the number of collisions in the past financial year replacing drowning as the major cause of death associated with marine accidents..........................

This statement is just stupid. If collisions are the biggest problem why dont they do something about closed waters, which is where almost all collisions happen. What has that to do with any boat going outside.

I am a fisherman and I vote. Take care

I hope all raiders will band together and protest this unfair situation

[Catchin Jack]

So says a politician that sits in an office and has lost touch with reality and has no idea what they're talking about.....but wait there's more, they get indipendant studies from others that have no idea or are from minority groups, maybe even Clover Moore has tried to interfere again.

When will we get a government that has a brain??

[BFB]

We need to keep an eye on this and start to voice our opininions now.

If a law like this is introduced into one state you can bet that other states will look at it.

Put a law like this in with the marine parks and shortly we will be able to meet all the raiders easily because we will only have about 1 square kilometre of water that we will be able to fish in.

[Yarraone]

Shorley we as a group with over 8000 or 9000 members.. maybe more now? would be able to do something? maybe a petition? even if it is just to be herd?

If this keeps up we will be left to just the fish markets and they mostley have undersize fish????lol

[johnv]

by the way this goverment is going none of us will have boats / fishing gear. Just a fishing net & a fish tank in our lounge rooms to fish from.

john

[pelican]

by the way this goverment is going none of us will have boats / fishing gear. Just a fishing net & a fish tank in our lounge rooms to fish from.

john

They are already stealing our salt water -- at the desal plant!!!!!!! Once they get addicted they can't stop.

[Blood Knot]

Goodonya pelican

John

[pelican]

Yeah if ya catch ya bait in Botany it saves you time as it comes pre salted.

Governments really are out there to help fishermen and we make it hard for them as it is both a sport and a recreation let alone the industry and they don't know what box to put us in. Shame there isn't a fishing org that has the backing of more fishermen .

Saw that the marine parks people were doing a publicity stunt at the Labor conference at Dartling harbour. Smart folk as they had every polly see them and hear their view and had media statments and photo sessions so it made the news. Just goes to show it isn't about the facts more about keeping your members happy and giving the cause some publicity and the members will keep donating. Something to learn from that and it is regardless of facts or the cause it is all about how effectively you lobby and lobbying the right people - in this case politicians and of all places right next to teh boat show at Darling harbour dressed as a romanesque marine warrior and mermaid. Argghhhhhhhh

Edited August 2, 2009 by pelican

[fisherman1994]

I can see where the government is coming from in their point of view, although completely banning recreational fishermen, regardless of experience, from taking their boats offshore is ridiculous.

The government should be spending more money on educating inexperienced fishermen about the dangers of venturing offshore in smaller boats, although completely banning offshore access is completely and utterly stupid..

[daleyboy]

When will we get a government that has a brain??

When the general public arent allowed to vote!!!

In the words of the great Kent Brockman "Democracy doesnt work!"