REEF CLOSURE

Anna Bligh MP
Premier of Queensland
24th June 2008

Dear Premier,

I write to seek your assistance regarding the gazetted closures on catching reef fish in Queensland in December, 2008.

You no doubt recall the disastrous weather that was encountered by various coastal areas during the 2007/08 Christmas holiday period. This had an enormous impact on many in the tourism industry with families abandoning their holidays and returning home. Small tour operators through to luxury resort owners all suffered in some manner but for many businesses it had a major impact on their turnover and the subsequent bottom line over the  6 - 8 week holiday period; a period that most would see as potentially the most profitable of the year. This bad weather period impacted coastal cities and towns from the Sunshine Coast to north of Mackay.

This year the veracious rise in fuel costs already strongly mitigate against families traveling long distances towards holiday destinations particularly if this means utilising the family vehicle. To the boating/fishing fraternity, these costs have a double barreled effect.

However, I do understand that the scenario is much worse for those that cannot even afford a holiday; indeed a very tough time for so many Australians.

Here in Agnes Water/Town of 1770 nearly every retail business, together with the accommodation and tourism sectors, rely heavily on the Christmas holiday traffic which swells the resident population by around 400 per cent.  Many of these visitors come here to enjoy the great fishing that is available - particularly the offshore reef fishing.

This year the gazetted 3rd period for not catching reef fish, falls into the middle of the December holiday period. Specifically, it is gazetted to the dates of 19th December to 29th December 2008. All three individual monthly closures follow the new moon cycle and subsequent spawning period for many reef fishes but I do not believe the timing of the third closure period has previously so seriously impacted into the Christmas family holiday period.

As a past Vice President of the Australian National Sportfishing Association, I well understand and generally support the various moves by the Queensland Government to sustain and improve fish stocks available to amateur and professional fishers. I understand that the closures are to protect some of the fish that all fishermen, commercial and amateur alike, seek to catch.

However I am writing to ask you to consider my request to cancel the closure gazetted for December 2008 period alone. 

The gazetted fishing closure will seriously impact on the enjoyment of so many families. Of equal importance is the viability of so many small businesses throughout the whole of coastal Queensland.

I make this request on the basis that the adverse impact on fish stocks would equate to much less both in monetary terms and fish stock management than the financial losses to so many businesses, should the closure remain in place.

The following extracts from the 2007 Workshop Summary: Management and Science of Fish Spawning Aggregations in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park gives weight to my proposal and might actually be supported by the Scientific and Fisheries Management Authorities:-

"10. The introduction of these spawning closures into the Coral Reef Fin Fish Fishery by the
Queensland Government was a precautionary management approach triggered when
a strong downward trend in population densities of common coral trout (Plectropomus
leopardus) was recorded in the late 1990s in the southern and Townsville regions of
the Great Barrier Reef".

"11. These spawning closures are part of an agreed package of management arrangements
for the fishery at the time of implementing a fishery management plan for the Coral
Reef Fin Fish Fishery. However, the closures were designed specifically to benefit
common coral trout. There are some benefits to other species, for example, 28 species
have been observed spawning at the same time during long-term monitoring at Scott
Reef and Elford Reef offshore from Cairns..............................".

"18. Knowing that fish aggregate to spawn (making them vulnerable to overexploitation if
aggregations are targeted) and there are many information gaps, there is a need to
take the precautionary approach for management. The management arrangements
implemented must achieve most gain for least pain to users to protect aggregating fish.
As a high priority, the socio-economic impact of any closure options must be assessed".

"19. It is noted that the current seasonal spawning closures have a significant effect on the
charter and recreational fishing industry. Issues include loss of business opportunities
and customer confusion over shifting dates from year to year. An additional
consideration is the effect of weather on fishing. Recently there has been bad weather
either side of the new moon closures, resulting in a longer period without fishing for
commercial, charter and recreational fishers."

Reference:
Australian Government Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
Workshop Summary: Management and Science of Fish Spawning Aggregations in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
12-13 July 2007
Martin Russell and Rachel Pears
(editors)
2007

I very much appreciate the magnitude of my request. However, I am totally confident the benefits of taking a humanistic approach towards the families and businesses of coastal Queensland far outweigh the alternative of leaving this 9 day closure in place.

I cannot cost the psychological or monetary value to any business owner including the above listed commercial and charter fishers of having to finally close the business "doors" or the equally important social value of children and teenagers not being able to go fishing with their friends, relatives or parents during the Christmas holiday period.

Finally and most respectfully, may I suggest that "time is of the essence" to allow holidaymakers and businesses to plan ahead.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Tom
Tom Green
Agnes Water
Qld 4677