2019-07-18 OM Agenda - Item 1 - Attachment 1 - Noosa Fishing Futures

                                                  MOVE THE FISHING CLOSURE LINE FROM MUNNA POINT
                                            Part 9, Division 2 – Possessing or using nets – no regulated periods
                                                                                                  Prohibited activities
                                                            A regulated person must not in the regulated waters—
                                                         (a) possess a net for taking fish for trade or commerce; or
                                                            (b) use a net for taking a fish for trade or commerce; or
                                                        (c) possess a fish taken in contravention of paragraph (b).

Feedback from some commercial fishers is to consult with Fisheries Queensland on moving the closure line at
Munna Point back up the river closer to the cable ferries at Makepeace Island or up to the entrance to Lake
Cooroibah. This suggestion is to prohibit the use of regulated nets in an area that is highly visual to locals and
tourists and further reduce the risk of conflict and interactions between commercial and recreational fishers
and tourists. The current closure applies to north of a line joining the following points;

       from FB (Fishing Boat) sign on Lake Cootharaba’s north western shore;
       to FB sign on the southern tip of the peninsula on the eastern side of Shark bay (which is part of the
        Lake);
       to the FB sign at the southern tip of Kinaba Island;
       to an FB sign on Lake Cootharaba’s eastern shore.

Whilst there were not specific incidents of conflict sited by stakeholders during consultation, this is an issue
that was raised by a commercial fisher and a recreational fisher to have the issue be considered, but as a part
of a suite of possible changes to further improve the image of the commercial sector in the community.

POTENTIAL ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS AND BENEFITS OF THE PROPOSED
CHANGE

A possible benefit of changing the closure line further up river would be to remove commercial net fishing from
a busy section of the Noosa River and remove any potential for conflict and out of sight from community views.
There is a closure in place during the weekends however during peak tourist season there is no prohibition on
commercial netting in this busy section of the river. The issue is likely to receive support from the local
recreational fishing body, the Queensland Recreational Fishing Network, along with support from
conservation groups.

                                       ALLOCATE INDIVIDUAL TRANSFERRABLE QUOTA (ITQ) FOR MULLET

There is an opportunity to engage with the Queensland Government on the future harvest strategy for the
Queensland mullet fishery. Commercial fishers are operating on the beach in Laguna Bay in the Ocean Beach
Net Fishery targeting spawning mullet, during the K8 season from 1st April to the 31st August. This fishery is a
large volume net fishery in the Noosa area with peak catch during June and July.

The preferred management framework for Queensland’s commercial east coast inshore fishery is a
combination of Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) allocated through Individual Transferable Quota
(ITQ). The key reforms include:
    .   divide the fishery into six management regions based on key fish species
    .   allocate ITQ on priority species (e.g. barramundi, king threadfin, grey mackerel, school mackerel,
        whiting)
    .   set competitive TACCs (which are not allocated to individuals) for other key species (e.g. mullet, tailor,
        bream, flathead, shark); and
    .   monitor the remainder of inshore species and establish triggers in harvest strategy for review.



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