Sweetwater Fishing Forums
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Editor on September 21, 2012, 08:40:58 PM
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Below is what is going to be sent to fisheries stake holder groups in Qld.
read & enjoy............ :thumbdown
Dear Fisheries Stakeholder
You will be aware that the State Budget released on 11 September 2012 outlined budget savings of $31.7 million for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and a workforce reduction of 496 positions, which includes vacant positions.
Fisheries Queensland's contribution to the budget savings was $4.3 million this year. As a result, our workforce will reduce by around 60 positions. This will mean that Fisheries Queensland will have a workforce of 190 people by the end of June 2013.
Given these budget savings, we are re-focusing our remaining resources on our core legislative, policy and compliance roles to deliver on the priorities of the Government.
The activities that contribute to the savings include:
• ceasing the Fisheries Observer Program
• ceasing the Industry Development program for commercial and recreational fishing, and aquaculture
• ceasing the Fishcare Volunteer Program
• ceasing operational activity for waterway barrier works construction
• scaling back the freshwater fishing program - focus of activity will be on Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme, freshwater stocking policy, native fish scientific expertise and pest and noxious fish
• re-structure of the Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol to build capacity and expertise in priority regional locations
• not providing funding for the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (a decision for this year only, with review in future years)
• the Marine Ecology Group (seagrass monitoring) transitioning across to James Cook University
• rationalisation of Brisbane-based senior management and support services.
The next few months will see us transitioning from these activities, and by the end of the year the staff who provided these services will be gone. We will be working with all stakeholders over the next few months as this transition occurs.
The reduction in staff numbers has required a new structure to be adopted. Broadly there will be two groups.
• Group 1 - focus on management, assessment and review of fisheries and fisheries habitats
• Group 2 - maintaining the operational aspects of our work including compliance, education, data collection, licensing and assessments of development approvals.
Fisheries Queensland can no longer sustain the previous management structure which had individual managers for each activity area, or fishery. Leadership roles in Fisheries Queensland until the end of 2012 will be:
- myself as Managing Director
- Andrew Thwaites, A/Executive Director, Policy and Strategy (Group 1 lead)
- Bea Duffield, Executive Director, Monitoring and Operations (Group 2 lead)
- Mark Doohan, Director, Policy and Strategy
- Ian Fricke, A/Director, Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol
- Nikki Moore, Regional Manager (South)
- Mal Pearce, Regional Manager (North)
I know many of you will be keen to work with the new team looking after management, assessment and review of fisheries (formerly known as Harvest Management). Mark Doohan will lead the team for the next few months to ensure that the Government's goals of delivering the netting buyback and completing the reviews of the trawl, crab and freshwater fisheries occurs in a timely manner.
I look forward to continuing to work with you all over the coming months.
Regards
Maria
Maria Mohr
Managing Director, Fisheries Queensland
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Level 2, 80 Ann Street
Brisbane Q 4000
Telephone: 07 3224 2268
Mobile: 0423 821 006
Email: Maria.Mohr@daff.qld.gov.au
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This will mean that Fisheries Queensland will have a workforce of 190 people by the end of June 2013. :o
that is going to be one busy department.....wonder what the overtime bill will be to compensate for trimming personnel ::)
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Looks like the sweetwater fishos will be feeling the major impact of the cuts.
Wonder if our boat regos will go down with the ceasing of the recreational fishing grants.
Can see a lot of stocking groups making applications to join the SIP scheme .
This will probably lead to a decrease in funds available to existing groups.
The groups that only stock rivers etc will be having a lot more chook raffles at the local pubs .
Cheers
Ray
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Saw a bumper sticker the other day, it said, "Cando is a Can't".
;D
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The 'Hat Man' must be rubbing his hands with anticipation ;D
the only other alternative is to go back to Labour......
::) what a choice
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This sort of thing is happening in NSW as well. Like Queensland, we had years of a Labor government that spent money like a kid in a toy store. The result was a massive deficit. People are complaining (of course) but once the budget is back in the black we have to hope that some of these cutbacks will be worthwhile in the long term. Pleased to see the news of the netting buyback though.
JD
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Thinking about it, DAFF should flippin well be keeping a commitment to the SIP. We, the anglers who buy the SIP, pay for at least one wage in the 25% cream grab that Fisheries take off the top before they hand back the cash to stocking groups.
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Yep, and the money for thr recreation fishing enhancement, was not even the equivalent of the cost of one employee. Cutting it is nothing but being mean spirited.
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From the Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme financial summary 2011/2012
Total funds collected $955 906
Administrative costs $232 906 (24.37%) of which 82.15% $191 397 was spent on salaries.