Recreational fishers back move to encourage investment in Queensland commercial seafood
David Caracciolo from Mackay Fish Market says investment warnings hurt businesses like his. (ABC Rural: Liam McNally)
In short:
The Queensland government has lifted investment warnings that had stifled new money flowing into the state's commercial fishing industry.
Recreational fishers have previously supported restrictions that limited areas available to the commercial operators to improve fish populations.
What's next?
Both industries hope the removal of the warnings will help fund future sustainability and innovation.
Recreational fishers have backed a move to lift warnings that were stifling investment in commercial seafood operations, saying both sectors have been neglected.
For more than a decade, every fishery in the state was subject to an investment warning that indicated regulation changes were on the cards that could affect the financial viability of businesses.
But the Queensland government has removed them, effective immediately, saying 93 per cent of Queensland's fishing stocks had been identified as sustainable.
David Trask, the president of the Queensland Game Fishing Association (QGFA), which represents 21 clubs and about 2,000 anglers, said all forms of fishing had been undervalued.
"The QGFA is happy to support any initiative that the Queensland government wishes to implement that shines a welcome spotlight onto all things fishing," he said.
"The QGFA acknowledges flow-through benefits that occur for recreational angling as a result of a healthy and supported commercial sector for fishing in Queensland."
The two industries have at times clashed over fish populations and the regulations imposed to improve them.
But Mr Trask said both sectors had been pleading for more support and recognition for their economic contribution.
"The QGFA supports appropriately adopted fish stock and fish monitoring and resultant bag limits that flow from proper scientific stock assessments," he said.
"Not knee-jerk reactions as we have all been subjected to in the past."
David Caracciolo founded the Mackay Fish Market on the Great Barrier Reef almost 30 years ago.
He said why the warnings had been left in place for so long was a mystery.
"It's just like buying a house knowing it's going to be demolished in three or four years' time," Mr Caracciolo said.
"Why would you invest in an industry or a fishery if there's a warning saying not to?"
Backing fishing
Bundaberg seafood proprietor Paul Grunske said the warnings had caused uncertainty for fishing families and prevented new people from entering the industry.
Bundaberg seafood proprietor Paul Grunske says removing the warnings provides certainty. (ABC Rural: Tayla Larsen)
"Right across Queensland, people have been shying away from buying in or pursuing a career in fishing when there's an investment warning on a fishery," he said.
"Nobody's got any confidence, so to hear that they're finally lifting these sorts of things can only be for the good."
Mr Grunske hoped it was enough to encourage more people to enter the sector.
"It'd be great … to see some young people coming through," he said.
"There's been a lot of despondent fishers in the past, probably 20 years, because their livelihoods have been effectively taken away."
Mr Grunske hoped the amendment signalled the start of further reforms for the sector, including addressing closed fisheries.
Scallop fisheries between Mackay and the Fraser Coast have been closed since 2021 after the spawning biomass dropped to 12 per cent.
There had been promises of a reopening once levels reach 30 per cent, but it was uncertain when the target would be met.
It forced Mr Grunske, who previously relied on local scallops, to import from Japan.
"It has an effect on the broader community because we're not utilising our fisheries resource," he said.
Gulf in decline
Independent seafood producer Sean McAtamney said the warnings had stifled the once-thriving Gulf fishing industry.
He said the northern fishing and prawn industry's major ports in Karumba and Weipa were in steep decline, having lost more than half of their inshore fisheries in the past 18 months.
Shaun McAtamney hopes the announcement will boost the declining Gulf commercial fishing industry. (Supplied: Shaun McAtamney)
"Some of these investment warnings have been in place since 1990, and the industry has always felt that it was completely unnecessary that they've been in place for so long," Mr McAtamney said.
"I hope that we can use this in a positive way to encourage our fishing industry that there is some hope in their legacy.
"Whether it be for their families or investors to come in and invest in our fishing industry and hopefully put some confidence back in, where we can start to see some growth."
Mr McAtamney, who is also a spokesperson for the Gulf of Carpentaria Commercial Fisher Association, said the industry was working with the government to improve sustainability and policy.
"If we don't start to underscore these proteins … mud crab, mackerel, staples of the fish and chip shop sector in Queensland … they're going to become unaffordable for the average person to be able to enjoy them," he said.
"The industry needs assistance to work out strategies where we can pull through the next generation of fishers to catch this protein for the state."
He hoped it signalled the government was open to further discussion on other policies, like gill net bans.
"We proudly go to work every night and day to produce this protein, and we certainly don't go to work on the basis that we want to see our fishery not sustainable and not have a future," he said.
"I do hope that the current government remains open-minded to remaining flexible in terms of implementation of potentially reviewing some of those closures."
David Caracciolo from Mackay Fish Market hopes other policies will be addressed. (ABC Rural: Liam McNally)
In Mackay, Mr Caracciolo said, beyond the investment warnings, the gill net issue would also need to be addressed for more fishers to return to profitability.
"I can't see anyone rushing to invest in the industry because, well, we've got no inshore fishery," he said.
"I can't see it increasing a lot of effort into the industry, a lot of enthusiasm at all, or confidence because there's just not a lot there to get enthusiastic about."