2019-07-18 OM Agenda - Item 1 - Attachment 3 - Noosa Council Submission to State Fisheries Discussion Paper

stationed on the Noosa North Shore for the peak catch period and all efforts to fish during this period
when the spawning mullet are present and this drives the behaviour, which in turn drives the
behaviour of the local K8 fishers. Advice from local commercial fishers is they receive between $2 and
$4/kg for the whole mullet. This is known as the beach price and it influences the price for the entire
mullet fishery, including the fishery in the river and lakes.

Additional benefits to an ITQ management regime is that changed patterns of behaviour will reduce
the likelihood of conflict between stakeholders. Feedback from local stakeholders and commercial
fishers suggest the behaviour of some of the crews on the beach has been less than what the
community would expect as well as at times conflict between the crews over priority of shot issues.
The community would welcome improved rules and management arrangements that address this
issue.

Noosa Council’s submission to the Queensland Fisheries Management Review in 2014 first noted the
conflict issues in the Ocean Beach Net Fishery targeting mullet. The Noosa North Shore (NNS) is part
of the Cooloola Recreation Area and is easily accessed by locals and visitors for recreational purposes
by day trippers, beach campers and recreational fishers.

Appropriate harvest strategy management arrangements for the mullet fishery that are based on the
principles of science and sustainability of the stock should be the determinant in identifying the most
appropriate management for the fishery. An ITQ that is set at realistic levels would be supported by
local N1 fishers however it may be opposed by some processors who may seek to maintain the status
quo. Council looks forward to the opportunity to have input into the upcoming Harvest Strategies.

2.5     Develop a Code of Practice for the mullet fishery

Council supports the development of a Code of Practice for the mullet fishery in Region 6 (between
the NSW/QLD border and just north of Bundaberg) as part of the development of a harvest strategy,
which seeks to address longer-term management issues for this key species.

Commercial fishers have brought conflict issues to the attention of Fisheries Queensland over time
that have occurred between commercial fishers on Noosa North Shore during the peak spawning
season for mullet in the K8 season. In particular, an issue regarding the rules around the
application/interpretation of the Priority to Fish regulations or ‘who has priority of shot’ once crews
are on the beach. To date there has been no change to the regulations and the issues have largely
been left to fishers to resolve among themselves. This has at times resulted in significant conflict
between parties and has been witnessed by members of the community.

Fisheries Queensland appear to have been reluctant to get involved other than simply refer issues on
to the Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol. This approach has not pleased local commercial
fishers who seek to have the rules scrutinised in an effort to remove any possible ambiguities that can
be exploited by individuals.

2.6 Minimum quote to be held for all tier one species

Proposal 7 states Allocate individual transferable quota (ITQ) for mud crab and blue swimmer crab for
the Queensland Commercial Crab Fishery (C1). Council supports the eligibility requirement that to be
able to fish a minimum holding of ITQ units or equivalent to 1.2 tonnes must be held for mud crab and
blue swimmer crab. However we believe a minimum holding of ITQ units should also be an eligibility
requirement extended to all tier one species in the East Coast Inshore Finfish Fishery (ECIFF). Without
this, it seems inconsistent with the reasons to introduce an ITQ harvest strategy – sustainable