For those who can remember what the World Class Golden Trevally Flats fishery was like throughout Hervey Bay 15-20 years ago.....

Surely these fish are worth more in recreational fishing/tourism dollars than they are as a commercial catch?

Golden Trevally was a low effort and catch fishery with no data available from 2018-2020 due to privacy requirements resulting from less than 5 licences fishing those years. Golden Trevally effort peaked in 2010 at 69 days while catch peaked in 2015 at 5.4t

This cannot be achieving the "Maximum Economic Yield" for what is a far more valuable recreational sport fish that could bring a much higher value to our Fraser Coast Communities through increased recreational sportfishing tourism!

The 3 key parameters of licences, catch and effort are all on a downward trend. While the overall CPUE appears to remain steady there has been a marked decline in Golden Trevally commercial catch since 2016. These parameters suggest that the overall fishery here in Hervey Bay is in decline....

QFISH indicates that the data for 2020 is incomplete and covers Jan-Sep only...

You only need to look at Rockhampton to see what can be done once you remove commercial netting in favour of recreational fishing in order to achieve the maximum economic yield from our natural resource - leveraging off the real value of recreational fishing both socially and economically!

Let's hope Meaghan Scanlon MP commits to completing the full term review of our Great Sandy Marine Park which is already 5 years overdue and releases the DRAFT re-zoning plan WITHOUT ANY REDCROSS HATING on it shortly .....

The Annastacia Palaszczuk MP Government was re-elected with the support of the recreational fishing sector along with local angler support that saw Bruce Saunders return for Maryborough and Adrian Tantari MP for Hervey Bay WIn the Hervey Bay Seat as well !

Call and Email Meaghan Scanlon NOW:-

Please email Hon Meaghan Scanlon - environment@ministerial.qld.gov.au

And ask for an update on when can we all expect to see the DRAFT Re-Zoning plan released and let her know you expect to see NO RED CROSS HATCHING ON IT!