Contacting Fisheries and the Minister for Primary Industries

Hello everyone

It has been just over a month and the petition has over 300 signatures.   I have just shared the petition with Fisheries Queensland and Tony Perret the Minister for Primary Industries in Queensland.   (A copy of the email is below).

Fisheries  Queensland is aware of the issue - as can be seen by their recent facebook post.

Unfortunately, I’ve also discovered that the local Facebook community groups, Moreton Community, Bribie Island Community and Bribie Island and Surrounds, have refused to share the petition, which is a shame because these are areas where abandoned crab pots are a significant issue.  

Kind regards

 Michael

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Dear Fisheries and Minister Tony Perrett

I know it is the responsibility of fisheries inspectors to remove abandoned crab pots.  I also know that there is a number to call to notify fisheries of abandoned pots that are found.

About a month ago I came across an abandoned pot while scuba diving.  I had a recently deceased turtle in it.  It had no float and the chances of finding it again would be very low.

As we know it is illegal for anyone other than a fisheries inspector to remove an abandoned crab pot.  So I started a petition on change.org, as attached, and have over 300 signatures supporting a change in the law.

I have also attached a video of the dead turtle I found in the abandoned crab pot.

As I understand it, the current relevant laws are:
Fisheries Act 1994
Fisheries (General) Regulation 2019
Fisheries (Commercial Fisheries) Regulation 2019

The Fisheries (Commercial Fisheries) Regulation 2019, Schedule 7, Part 1, Division 3 defines the regulations related to the marking and location of crab pots as follows:

12 Marking of fishing apparatus
(1) An item of crab apparatus must—
(a) have attached to it a tag on which is written the name of the owner of the
apparatus; or
(b) be marked with the boat mark for the primary boat identified in the licence.
(2) Also, the item of crab apparatus must be attached by a rope to either—
(a) a compliant float that is no less than 15cm in any dimension; or
(b) a fixed object above the high water mark, including, for example, a jetty or
tree.

The Fisheries Act 1994, Part 8, Division 3 defines how an inspector may seize an abandoned crab pot.

Might I suggest that the simplest change would be to add a clause to Fisheries (Commercial Fisheries) Regulation 2019, Schedule 7, Part 1, Division 3 along the lines of an extra to 12.2 such as:
(c) A crab apparatus not compliant with (a) or (b) above may be removed to above the nearest accessible high water mark by any person who finds it.

Once removed to above a high water mark the risk to sea life is significantly reduced and it would be easy to for the pots to be found again after reporting to fisheries.

I appreciate the concerns of commercial and recreational fishers with regard to the theft of crab pots.  I would like to suggest that any person that is going to steal a crab pot will do so regardless of the law.  It would be better for our waterways if crab pots
could be removed to a safe place.  This would still allow fisheries to manage the collection, seizure and notification as required by the act.