We asked NSW politicians what they will do for recreational fishers
Late in 2018, the Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW put a call out for the recreational fishers of NSW to share with us their views on how we can guarantee the future of fishing and of the fish in NSW. Using that input, the RFA then launched an 8-point plan called the 8 R’s in the lead up to the NSW election on 23 March 2019. The plan was organised around 8 key platforms: Recognise, Review, Revitalise, Reform, Retain, Rehabilitate, Research and Resilience. The plan puts fish first and foremost, and outlines how recreational anglers intend to save and preserve the environment we fish in, retain and maintain fishing access, limit the threats to recreational and commercial fishing and guarantee the future of fishing in NSW.

Click here to read the responses from the Coalition, Labor, Shooters Fishers & Farmers, Liberal Democrats, Christian Democrats and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.

Odds and ends from the NSW state election

Labor announces a statutory body for rec fishers
In an announcement on 20 February, Michael Daley announced that Labor would form a statutory body for recreational fishing.

"Michael Daley and Labor will give ordinary anglers and recreational fishers across NSW a seat at the table when it comes to determining how their licence fees will be spent. Labor will establish a new independent body, known as RecFishNSW, to oversee recreational fishing in NSW. This will give anglers across NSW a real voice and real oversight over the use of their recreational fishing licence fees. As a statutory authority, RecFish NSW would improve the governance and oversight of the $15 million raised each year from recreational fishing licence fees that are placed into the Recreational Fishing Trust. Its board would include a mix of skillsets and expertise including legal, business, and marine science, as well as elected representatives of anglers from coastal and inland regions."

Read the full media release at this link.

The Parliamentary Budget Office has published an election policy costing document about the proposed body. You can read it at this link.

Fishing World published an interview on 20 Mar with Labor Shadow Minister for Primary Industries Mick Veitch MLC. The article covers mainly how Labour proposes "to establish a new independent body, known as RecFish NSW, to oversee recreational fishing in NSW and to give ordinary anglers across NSW a say in determining how their licence fees will be spent.

Read the article on Fishing World at this link.  

Labor's plans for a Sydney Marine Park
The NSW Parliamentary Budget Office website has an election policy costing document that gives details of Labor's plans to spend $3.4 million over the forward estimates for a policy development process to establish a Sydney Harbour Marine Park.  

You can read the document at this link. It also gives details of proposal to "within the first 100 days of the new government, to introduce legislation to ban single-use plastic bags and develop a plan to phase them out."

Fishing World published an article on 21 Mar based on an interview with Labor Shadow Minister for Primary Industries Mick Veitch MLC. The article states "“Labor supports multi-use marine parks, and under Labor there will be no new restrictions on recreational fishing in any future Sydney Harbour Marine Park unless these restrictions are agreed to by consensus of key stakeholders, including recreational fishers,” said the spokesman.

Read more on Fishing World at this link.

Stop the Lockout in the Coogee electorate
Mathew Sofi from Stop The Lockout and Stan Konstantaras from the RFA made this quick video about fishing lockouts and other issues in the Coogee electorate, where fishing lockouts would affect much of the coastline. The Coogee electorate is held by Liberal member Bruce Notley-Smith but it will take just a 2.9 per cent swing for him to lose it. Also running in the seat is Josh Turnbull from Shooters, Fishers & Farmers.

View the video at this link.

An election promise from Labor about TSRs
MICK VEITCH MLC
SHADOW MINISTER FOR LANDS
Tuesday, 5 March 2019

LABOR WILL IMPROVE CROWN LAND MANAGEMENT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
A Daley Labor Government would improve the way in which Crown Lands in NSW are managed by legislating greater protections, hiring more frontline staff and making the Commissioner for Crown Lands permanent. 

Shadow Minister for Lands, Mick Veitch said that Labor would move quickly to provide greater parliamentary protection for showgrounds, travelling stock reserves, parks and other significant reserves by dedicating them under the Crown Lands legislation. 

“This will mean a future Minister cannot transfer or sell important Crown reserves without going to Parliament first,” Mr Veitch said. 

Labor would create 20 frontline permanent jobs across regional offices in Crown Lands focused on land management, bushfire mitigation and client services. This represents a near 10 per cent increase in the entire Crown Lands workforce. Daley Labor would also make the Commissioner for Crown Lands a permanent standing role to provide better advocacy and protection for our state’s valuable crown lands. 

“This Government doesn’t care about future generations – all it cares about is a mad dash for cash.” 

Mr Veitch said the Government was selling off public land like TSR’s and crown roads without giving thought to their broader community and public value.

“TSR’s and crown roads can be key access points for anglers, canoeists and bushwalkers. Labor’s commitment will ensure greater community engagement with the community, and one of the first tasks we will set is the creation of local and regional plans for Crown lands so the community has input into the management of public land. Labor will invest in the management of public land so it is not mismanaged and lost for future generations.”

Labor said under the Berejiklian Government it had got to the point where most Crown Land offices were no longer open to the public.

“This is an investment in regional jobs which will create opportunities for young people to get kick start their careers without having to move to the major cities,” Shadow Minister for Lands Mick Veitch said. 

The Opposition pointed to a recent study by the Australia Institute which showed the greatest impact of the Berejkilian job cuts was on regional NSW. 

In announcing its Crown Lands’ policy, Labor also committed to
 1. Restoring the Crown Reserve Trust system abolished by the Berejiklian Government
 2. Amending legislation to prevent Crown Lands being transferred to other government agencies with community consultation
 3. Ensure any Crown Land that is transferred to local Councils remains community land
“This is about putting the Trust back into Crown Land,” Mr Veitch said. “We have listened to the community who are concerned over this Government’s handling on Crown lands, and will put in place a framework, rules, and resources to restore that trust. The Berejiklian Government has starved Crown Lands of staff and resources to a point where it struggles to do its job."

KNP feral horse score card 
The Invasive Species Council and the Reclaim Kosci group have reviewed the policies of the major political parties contesting the 2019 NSW election and analysed their responses to a questionnaire about feral horses in Kosciuszko National Park. Here's what they found.  


Read their entire analysis at this link.

Liberal Member for Bega announces review of 4 no-take zones in Batemans Marine Park
In a media release on 28 Feb, Andrew Constance, Liberal member for Bega, announced the Coalition's intention "of giving fishers greater access".
 
“Whilst we have already made amendments in recent years to a number of no take zones I am pleased to confirm that the NSW Government is now fast tracking consultation on a number of zones, with the intent of giving fishers greater access. The NSW Government will fast-track consultation on a range of issues, including opening no take zones such as Montague Island, Brou Lake South, Wagonga Inlet and Nangudga Lake."

Read the media release at this link.

ABC's Antony Green explains how to make voting worthwhile
Want to know how voting works in NSW? In this article the ABC's Antony Green has a crack at explaining it. Still far from easy to understand but best attempt we've seen to show how to make your vote finish up where you want it.

View the article at this link.

Minister Niall Blair's missed opportunity for a statutory body
Brad Withyman, writing in Fishing World this week, laments Fisheries Minister Niall Blair’s dismissal of Labor’s policy to establish an independent statutory body to manage rec fishing in NSW.

He says "With only days of campaigning left in the NSW State election, rec fishers could be forgiven for feeling a little short-changed by this government compared to the recent Victorian election. When the Victorian Labor Government gave recreational fishing proper recognition in 2015 with $46 million in additional funding, it prompted the Liberal opposition to follow in-sync with numerous pledges of further funding and improvements. It's been a real boon for Victorian rec fishers and the industry. It's a very different story in NSW."

Read the entire article at this link.

How Victoria's statutory fishing body gets the job done
The Victorian Fisheries Authority is a statutory authority of the State of Victoria, established in 2016. Formerly part of Agriculture Victoria within the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR), it commenced operations as an independent authority on 1 July 2017.

It's a good example of how much a statutory body could achieve in NSW. 

According to its latest annual report, the VFAs’s objective is to effectively manage Victoria’s fisheries resources. The Authority works with stakeholders to deliver sustainable fishing and aquaculture for future generations, clear resource access and sharing arrangements amongst the community, and increased economic, social and cultural value through management, consultation and compliance.

You can read the VFA's annual report at this link. 

Mark Latham's rec fishing video
Mark Latham is Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party's candidate for the NSW Upper House. In February he made this video about recreational fishing issues in NSW.


A Sydney Harbour Recreational Fishing Haven?

With the Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party actively supporting a Sydney Harbour Recreational Fishing Haven, the folks behind the Facebook page with the same name would be delighted that the SF&F, Liberal Democrats, Christian Democrats and One Nation are all on the same page. Bring it on we say. 

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Vale John Humphries

John Humphries, long time recreational fishing warrior, died peacefully aged 84 on 3 March 2019.

John was one of the founders of the Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW. Current President Stan Konstantaras met John fishing on Lake Eucumbene in 2000, at the time that the World Fly Fishing Championships were being held. They discussed the need for an umbrella organisation to represent both freshwater and saltwater anglers, and as a result, the Recreational Fishing Alliance was formed that year.

John also had a 25-year involvement in the NSW Council of Freshwater Anglers, serving as President of the NSWCFA from 1996 to 2001 and as Promotions Officer from 2002 to 2012. He was made a Life Member of the NSWCFA in 2005. He was also a member of the NSW Rod Fishers’ Society for 25 years (serving as a council member for a number of years) and a member of the Central Coast Fly Rodders’ Club for 13 years.

John was also involved in various Fisheries committees and volunteer groups - he was a member of the Advisory Committee on Recreational Fishing (ACoRF), a Member of Gaden Trout Hatchery Agreement Implementation Committee and a Fishcare Volunteer on the Central Coast for 10 years - for 8 of those years he was the team leader.
 
The RFA's condolences go to John's wife Margaret, his daughter Lyn and son John, and their families.

NSW Maritime's video on navigation markers

NSW Maritime have a new video explaining the basics of navigation markers. It's pretty simple stuff, but our own experience on the water suggests it's either poorly understood or simply ignored by many boaters.

You can view the video at this link.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T