press release by LegaSea
Significant changes to the Fisheries Act have been proposed yet they are branded as mere ‘reforms’. Don’t be fooled. The changes will not improve the management of our fisheries. They represent a fatal weakening of the Fisheries Act to allow for more fish to be caught and exported. Anyone with an interest in the marine environment ought to be concerned. The time for action is now.
If there’s insufficient public opposition, the amendments could become legislation and will:
- Weaken environmental protection.
- Remove statutory defences against overfishing and damaging the marine environment, by passing Ministerial controls of maximum catch limits to quota owners.
- Reduce monitoring by allowing cameras on commercial boats to be turned off at times, while limiting public access to footage through the Official Information Act.
- Jeopardise sustainability by allowing the Minister to set catch limits for up to five years, ignoring public consultation and annual review requirements.
- Increase wastage by permitting more dead fish to be thrown overboard, discouraging selective fishing methods.
The changes are not a reform. They are a scam.
These proposals are the first raft of amendments that signal significant changes to our fishing future and jeopardise the health of our marine environment. Our access to a healthy and abundant fishery is on the line. Don’t let it be cut.
We need thousands of people to speak up. It will take less than 5 minutes to make a submission using LegaSea’s online form. Tell the Minister you reject the privatisation of our fisheries.
Want to do more?
- Subscribe – Hook your mates in to receive LegaSea newsletters to stay updated.
- Share the submission form with your friends, family and neighbours, encouraging them to make their voice heard.
- Donate – We need all the support we can get to maintain this advocacy, please pitch in and make a one-off donation or become a LegaSea Legend starting at just $20 a month.
Thanks God and goodness for LegaSea. Top honours for Scott and Trish and the team.
The QMS is a disaster as predicted when it was launched upon the resource with it favouring fishing company corporates. Since Minister Jones has a track record of close associations with the corporate companies at election time campaigning, I would be ultra-suspicious of his reforms.
Reform of fisheries is always and has always been code for, the companies have stood over a weak minister.
The quota scheme is a good one but from day 1 turned into a rort
No one entity was ever to own more than ten percent of a species in each zone. Yet tallies and the likes own up to 80 percent in some areas of key certain species.
That on its own says ministers are weak and bow down. Nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to fisheries reform