Qld Stocked Impoundment Fishing Permit fees set to rise

[Editor]

Qld Stocked Impoundment Fishing Permit (SIP) fees set to rise

July 1 will see a rise in the cost of the Queensland freshwater fishing permit to keep it on line with CPI increases.

The new price will be:

o   $7.20 for a weekly permit
o   $32.40 for a discount yearly permit
o   $36.05 for a yearly permit

The information is in here http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/SLS/2011/11SL106.pdf

for a stocked impoundment permit—
(a) permit fee for 1 week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.20
(b) permit fee for 1 year for a person (an eligible person) who holds—
      (i) a Queensland Government seniors card; or
      (ii) any of the following cards issued by the Commonwealth department in which the Social Security Act 1991 (Cwlth) or the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (Cwlth) is administered—
          (A) a pensioner concession card;
          (B) a health care card;
          (C) a repatriation health card for all conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32.40

(c) permit fee for 1 year for a person other than an eligible person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36.05

The Qld SIP fishing permit is a user pays system which puts all of the monies raised back into the participating lakes / dams on the scheme. These include:
Burdekin Falls Dam
Eungella Dam
Kinchant Dam
Peter Faust Dam
Teemburra Dam
Tinaroo Falls Dam
Callide Dam
Fairbairn Dam
Theresa Creek Dam
Boondooma Dam
Bjelke-Petersen Dam
Cania Dam
Gordonbrook Dam
Lake Gregory
Lake Monduran
Lenthalls Dam
Wuruma Dam
Cooby Dam
Coolmunda Dam
Connolly Dam
Glenlyon Dam
Leslie Dam
Storm King Dam (near Stanthorpe)
Borumba Dam
Cressbrook Dam
Lake Dyer
Lake MacDonald
Lake Samsonvale (North Pine Dam)
Maroon Dam
Moogerah Dam
Somerset Dam
Wivenhoe Dam

You only need one permit per couple (married or de facto), and those under 18 do not need one.

The permit allows you to fish with a hand-held or set fishing line - nothing else. You are not allowed to use a net, for instance.

When I buy a permit, where does the money go?
The money goes to support the work of local groups who stock the 33 dams covered by the Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme, which has been running since July 2000.

When you buy a permit, in most cases the outlet does not keep any of the money. It is a voluntary service.

The outlet sends the money to Fisheries Queensland, a service of the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) which then distributes the money to local stocking groups throughout Queensland.

What are these local stocking groups?
They are people who have come together on a voluntary basis to raise or buy fingerlings (young fish) so that they can stock their local dams with native fish.

They do this for a variety of reasons:
- preserve native fish species
- boost the local economy by attracting recreational fishers
- they are interested in freshwater fishing.


How is the money allocated?
It is divided between administration costs and funds available for fish stocking.

The funds available for fish stocking are then divided among the dams on the scheme according to a formula. The formula depends on which dams anglers nominate and the size of the dams.

How it works
When you buy your permit, you state which dams you want the money to go to. The scheme's administrators gather this information and work out a reasonable formula. This formula is not necessarily the same from year to year.

How is the scheme administered?
It is administered by Fisheries Queensland. However Fisheries Queensland is advised by an Advisory Committee. This committee represents local fish stocking groups, the Freshwater Fishing and Stocking Association of Queensland (FFSAQ), recreational fishers, Sunfish, the freshwater aquaculture industry and Fisheries Queensland itself. Its role is to provide input that will benefit Queensland's freshwater fisheries of the state.

Permits can be purchased at participating outlets around SIP lakes/dams or can be purchased on-line at https://www.smartservice.qld.gov.au/services/permits/fishing/apply


Info Source- Qld Fisheries (DEEDI)

[rayke1938]

I personally welcome this increase  and actually think that it should have been more an extra $5 a year would not hurt the pocket considering the other fee increases that we have had to wear.
I may be wrong but I do not think that the fee has risen since its inception.
 Some smaller stocking groups that do not have any alternative money raising sources must really be struggling to maintain an effective stocking program.
Cheers
Ray

[Fitzy]

I personally welcome this increase  and actually think that it should have been more an extra $5 a year would not hurt the pocket considering the other fee increases that we have had to wear.
I may be wrong but I do not think that the fee has risen since its inception.
 Some smaller stocking groups that do not have any alternative money raising sources must really be struggling to maintain an effective stocking program.
Cheers
Ray

Apples for apples, the smaller lakes/dams are often better off. The larger lakes are hamstrung by the 4000ha cap so never get a equal quota based on fish/hectare system that Qld Fisheries recommend. In another way of looking at it, the larger lakes give some back to the smaller ones.

Fitz..

[aussiebasser]

Any word on changes to the percentage rate between admin and stocking allocation?  Don't mine the rise, as long as it's shared

[Fitzy]

Any word on changes to the percentage rate between admin and stocking allocation?  Don't mine the rise, as long as it's shared

Nothing yet. I got a call from the inside about this today. A press release is expected, this might cover it.

I bet many of the selling agents are not aware of it as yet...

A very valid question however..........

fitz..

[Scott Mitchell]

We're pushing for the admin fund to be reviewed as well - currently being fleeced at 25%   

FCFSA also received this years allocation - nearly $3000- less than previous years due to our last disastrous summer .......

Regards Scotto

PS:Fitzy - Did you get our web page updates ?

[aussiebasser]

I'm not sure that we're being "fleeced", the admin of the scheme is pretty intense and having 25% dedicated to that admin is a lot better than going back to running chook raffles to buy fingerlings.
The smaller stocking groups are no different to the larger stocking groups all have other overheads that need to be covered.  I'm sure it's a lot less labour intensive to release 20,000 fingerlings than it is to release over 100,000 fingerlings.

[Fitzy]

So now that the dust has settled on this issue, it appears to have been a storm in a tea cup. There were a few out there trying to rally the troops in protest but it kind of fizzled out as many folks out there actually support an increase which will equate to more fish for everyone to catch.

Personally I had a few calls from connections trying to get me on side to stir the pot, however I declined. Rather I've been a proponent of a rise in the SIP for some time now. Actually I would support a full review if the SIP & how the fees are distributed to correct a few minor inadequacies.

Those with a gripe seem to be the ones with a nose out of joint because they simply weren't consulted... well boo bloody hoo IMHO. I recon if you want to see change, be the driver of it, as opposed to do nothing then sit & whinge when somebody does effect changes & you weren't involved.

I'll be making a submission regarding the long term strategy of Qld's SIP program & encourage others to do the same.

Cheers,

[Binder]

Certainly were some mixed messages about.
Got two emails from the one mob in one day, one bitchin about the SIP rise, the other telling me they were inclined to support an overall fishing licence above and beyond the SIP what was my opinion.

Cant have it both ways!