QUEENSLAND INC.

 MISSION STATEMENT

TO ENSURE A QUALITY RECREATIONAL FISHING EXPERIENCE
 GOALS 

·        To establish Sunfish (Queensland) Inc. as a representative of recreational fishers.

·        To obtain meaningful participation in the management of the State’s fisheries resources to obtain ecological sustainability.

·        To maintain and improve recreational access to fishing grounds.

·        To support and influence research and it’s directions.

·        Support an equitable share of fisheries resources.

·        Achieve responsible recreational fishing practices.

·        Promote fishing as a desirable recreational and sporting activity of economic, social and cultural importance.

·        Achieve financial viability.

 BELIEFS AND VALUES

 ·        Recreational fishing is an activity of economic, social and sporting value.

·        The maintenance of environmental values is intrinsic to the recreational fishing experience.

·        The wise use of this State’s fishing resources is the responsibility of all individuals.

·        Sunfish will represent the interests of all recreational fishers with vigour, equity and accountability.

The Sunfish Mission is - Ensure quality recreational fishing.

In pursuit of that mission Sunfish has three goals.

Ø      Be an effective representative lobby group for recreational fishing.

Ø      A community well informed on fishing and the issues through education and public awareness.

Ø      Fisheries sustainability through community participation in planning, research and management

Political parties must have a recreational fishing policy within a wider fishing industry policy so that the State’s recreational fishers can assess outcomes and their benefits to recreational fishers and use that in their decision on how to exercise their vote.

General Fishing Outcomes

(1)               A separate Department of Fisheries be established which encompasses all facets of fishing and habitat currently within the Queensland Fisheries Service.

(2)               A Ministerial Policy Council be established, consisting of Industry Stakeholders and Government Officers, to advise the Minister on legislative matters.

(3)               A strategic review of potential aquaculture sites in the State and establish planning mechanisms that will zone and encourage the use of such land for aquaculture in conformity with the Sunfish Queensland Inc. aquaculture policy.

(4)               Establish a subsidised commercial fishery “buy back” scheme to reduce real effort, particularly in those fisheries where sustainability is being threatened ($10m per year).

(5)               Weekend closures for all forms of commercial fishing be introduced in Queensland State Waters.

(6)               All commercial fishing operations are assessed under IPA for environmental consequences.

(7)               Introduce regional zoning of commercial inshore fisheries.

(8)               Introduction of an immediate cap on effort in all commercial fisheries.

(9)               Introduce controls to progressively prohibit estuary and inshore netting.

(10)            Increase official inshore surveillance and expansion of Fishcare Officer’s program to all areas of the State including popular freshwater impoundments.

(11)            Install VMS units on all inshore and offshore primary commercial fishing vessels.

(12)           Introduce full cost recovery for all commercial fishing activities in accordance with government policy including aquaculture.

(13)           Urgent stock assessments of species where sustainability is being threatened.

(14)            Increase research on all important recreational and commercial species.

(15)           A legal/marketing size for fish species that currently have no size limits.

Specific Recreational Fishing Outcomes

(16)           Funding for Sunfish administration to be a minimum of 20% of PPV fees or any other such fees collected from recreational fishers.

(17)           The rights of recreational fishers are recognised and incorporated in the Fisheries Act and regulations.

(18)           Introduce a user pays system for the stocking of freshwater impoundments while maintaining an effective public stocking program.

(19)           Declare tailor, winter whiting, mangrove jack and swallowtail dart as recreational only species.

(20)            All “billfish” be declared a non-commercial species in Queensland.

(21)           Declaration of Recreational Only Fishing Areas (ROFAS) adjacent to major population centres and in recognised tourist fishing destinations.

(22)            Introduce a government wide participation process which involves SUNFISH Qld. at all levels, in matters affecting recreational fishing including access to fishing grounds.

(23)           Investigate user pays principles for recreational fishing including actual cost recovery in relation to fees already paid.

(24)            Maintain and enhance the RFISH database and research the economics of recreational fishing.

(25)            Enhance recreational fishing opportunities through fish stocking, artificial reefs or other appropriate measures.

Environmental Outcomes affecting Fisheries

(26)           No nett loss of fisheries habitat or wetlands.

(27)            Increase the legislative protection for aquatic and ephemeral wetlands.

(28)            All existing and new stream barriers to be fitted with effective fishways.

(29)           A commitment by government to long term funding for restoration of degraded areas including where levees are holding back natural tidal flow or impacting on habitat.

(30)            Industry and sewerage discharge into waterways is reduced over the next 3 years by 50% and any existing discharge must meet current environmental guidelines.