FACTS relating to Net Fee Zones & availability of Fresh Local Fish ... • Recreational Fishing Havens & Net Free Zones have been proven to improve localised fish stocks, community outcomes and tourism in NSW, Victoria & The Northern Territory. • A recent report on angler satisfaction also confirms the benefits already being seen in our new Net Free Zones in Mackay , Rockhampton & Cairns. • Without exception, studies of the economic value of inshore fish resources show that a kilogram of fish caught by a recreational angler is worth between 10 and 100 times the value of that same fish caught by a commercial fisher. • Barramundi in particular has a huge multiplier effect and is on the fairly short list of iconic species recognized and valued internationally. • Recreational fishing tourism was valued at $39 million in a survey compiled by the International Visitor Survey (IVS) and the National Visitor Survey (NVS) which was collated by Tourism Research Australia in 2009. • In 2012 the QSIA, FCFA, Sunfish, AMPTO and WWF ALL agreed that our East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery was the key commercial sector requiring rationalisation, investment and reform in Queensland. There are too many commercial licences issued, leading to excessive effort capacity and little room for those fishers who view their future in net fishing able to demonstrate stewardship. • Between 2012 and 2014, the Queensland Government ran three buyback schemes with a total budget of $9 million. The buyback target was to reduce 50% of the commercial large mesh netting licences from the Queensland East Coast • The buyback outcome represented a 31.9% reduction in large mesh netting authorities on the East Coast. A result approx. 20% short of the initial target! The “Great Sandy Designated Area” - Does NOT exist in ANY other Marine Park! The FACT is for 2016, nets accounted for approx. 64 tonnes of barramundi from areas immediately adjacent to the Central Queensland Net Free Zones, and no less than 241 tonnes of fish overall. Put into historical perspective, the long term average barramundi catch from the Fitzroy River has been around 40 tonnes/annum for decades. It has only been since the climatic anomaly around 2010 that the catches from the river were way in excess of the average and that was never going to last anyway. So, where is the issue relating to the supply of “fresh local fish ?” - There isn’t one! There are more fish still being caught locally in nets than could ever be sold on the local market and most is still being sent directly to southern markets as always has ! The Great Sandy Marine Park is THE ONLY Marine Park that allows commercial netting in what “should be” TRUE YELLOW CONSERVATION ZONE AREAS! Correcting our Great Sandy Marine Park and REMOVING the anomaly that is the “Great Sandy Designated Area” which ONLY makes up approx. 11% of the whole park yet represents the most environmentally sensitive and critical part of the park matches the values of an area which has already been tentatively listed as a World Heritage Area and will bring a much needed boost to an environment deserving of proper marine protection. Combined with 4% Green Zones leaves approx. 85% of the park which can be commercially fished sustainably. We now call upon yourself and request Dr Steven Miles - Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection and Minister for National Parks and the Great Barrier Reef and the Palaszczuk State Government to commit to ending destructive commercial netting operations in the Great Sandy Marine Park and adjacent waterways under the current full term 10 year review to restore fish stocks and help protect the Queensland urban coast’s largest dugong population.