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

Symbol20 relevant to the reallocation proposal is the Noosa River and lakes connected to the Noosa River and
Laguna Bay area as defined in the Fisheries Regulations 2008.

The environmental benefits of the proposal are considered by many in the community to be significant. This is
also consistent with the Noosa Shire Council submission to the Green Paper on Fisheries Management Reform
in 2016 that identified Council’s concerns relating to commercial fishing and the compatibility of prawn
trawling in the Noosa River and Lakes. There is potential for an increase in abundance of local prawn stocks as
a result of the removal of beam trawl activity. Prawns clean up the beds of rivers and lakes, oysters filter water
(a single oyster sieving a bathtub of water daily). Both species secrete essential food for fish. They are
fundamental to a healthy marine environment and the project aims to ensure these fundamentals are
maintained.

Based on the historical data from the last few decades, it is possible to draw the conclusion that the abundance
of prawns in the rivers and lakes has been diminishing over time. What is evident from the last 6 years of data
is the practice of beam trawling is economically unviable as a stand-alone business as not one of the T5 symbol
holders earns a sustainable annual income from the fishery. Since 2013, total recorded catch was just 26.38
tonnes. Averaged over the six years that’s 4.39 tonnes per year between 6 active boats. This data, combined
with recent stakeholder feedback suggest the conditions for a buyout of the T5 symbols for Areas D and E are
present and represent an opportunity for Noosa Council to work with the Queensland Government to close
the Beam Trawl T5 Fishery in areas D and E, as soon as practicable.

In summary, the Reallocation Policy requires a proposal to demonstrate community support (all applications
must be accompanied by evidence of adequate stakeholder consultation, including written feedback from
potentially affected stakeholders. Consultation on the proposal including payment of all costs incurred is the
responsibility of the proponent).




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     https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/61844/t5-fishery.pdf

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