Attached are maps from NT Fisheries showing (in yellow) the proposed closures to recreational fishing and the Government is seeking submission/comments on those proposals. You can see more by clicking onto the link immediately below, with advice on how to comment (shown below) attached to that site.
Click onto each individual map for a larger view
How to Comment
Submissions are invited on the issues raised in this discussion paper. All submissions will be collated and presented to the Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries for consideration. An online questionnaire is available for your comments, alternatively you can complete a
hardcopy and post it to the Department.
All comments must be received by COB Friday 15th November 2013.
Online questionnaire
Click here to complete and submit the online questionnaire.
7.1 Appendix 1- Maps of proposed closures
The Goverment should be commended on taking steps to aleviate the obvious problem with Jewfish and Golden Snapper decline and I highlight the local area.I am on the Recreational Fishing Advisory Committee that were presented data to show the decline and the above maps as a way of arresting that reduction.
ReplyDeleteThe real issue is not the closures,I have fought on the Blue Mud Bay Commitee against closures such as the Tiwi and Finniss River,by creating the zones of Melville and bathurst it has removed any ability for negotiation to these traditional areas of Recreational fishing for all residents.
The Roche and lorna shoal area is frequented by hundreds of Rec Fishers,we already have a 5.5 nm closure out from Quail island (up to and beyond 2015) that buts to this proposal
I represent FTO operators 90% of who can not access these areas under survey which is one NM of the coast so from that perspective it affects 10% of us or around 10 boats,(there are over 10,000 boats regisered on trailers in the NT with 300 not trailerable) .
Closures are great for protecting Snapper and Jewfish even if the science is debatable,total closures that stop you fishing for Tuna, Mackeral,queenfish,trevally Sailfish and Marlin raise serious concerns.especially with the erosion of access across the board becoming unacceptable.
Remember the NT just fought an" I fish I vote campaign against Marine Parks", there is no difference in these Marine enclosures.
Read between the lines the closures are total, thats the devil in the detail.
Cheers Graeme