aussiebasser:
The Queensland Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme is the envy of the world as far as providing a recreational fishery on a user pays system. I would hate to see it amalgamated into a general, state wide fishing license. Volunteer stocking groups would close down, because it would be too hard to raise funds for small groups to continue stocking. We already pay taxes to support the infrastructure of running our Country and our States, this includes law enforcement. Current and past governments, both state and federal have squandered vast amounts of money without regard to the long term benefit of the people. To give them access to the monies raised from the SIP scheme to do with as they wish, would see an immediate decline in fish stocks in Dams supported by volunteer groups. Yes bring in a license if you must, but leave the SIP scheme as it is please. Use the money from this new license to buy out all river netters, give them a redundancy package similar to a person working in the private sector, and give them reasonable market value for their equipment. Return the rivers to recreational anglers only, and you won't need a Snapper closed season, because the nursery won't be getting it's guts netted out every day.
Scott Mitchell:
A blanket question/poll like this will not provide true sentiment - although I already see the few that have voted suggest the idea has potential ..........
I believe we need to suggest the frame work of what a general rec licence "could be " ......................
What are your thoughts on the idea of a General Recreational Fishing licence ?
If In Favour I suggest we would model it on the NSW example along the lines of :-
1) ALL money raised goes into two transparent Trust accounts One for Freshwater ( taking over from the current SIPS program This would be kicked off with a minimum of the average funds raised under the current SIPS over the last 3 years as a starting guide for allocation ) Plus a New Saltwater Trust where All remaining fund would be held. No funds can be spent without written approval from the management committees.
2) Administration costs to manage the program would be capped at 10% from License contributions This employs government staff to administer & manage the program.
3) The 1st priority would be to establish a selection of Recreation Fishing havens ( RFH's ) throughout Queensland in Key recreational angling areas IE: Great Sandy Straights where ALL commercial fishing would be brought out of the designated areas with no exceptions.
4) All remaining funds would be managed by a selection of committees consisting of recreational anglers from ALL zones with-in the state IE Freshwater Committee Saltwater Committee & a Head Committee consisting of recreational anglers with expertise with in their areas.
5) What are your thoughts on costs ie:-
3 Days = $6.00 1 Month = $12.00 1 Year = $30.00 3 Years = $75.00
6) More back ground can be viewed @ http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/licence-fee
Some light reading on this result can be found @ http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=154653&highlight=General+recreational+Fishing+Licence
Regards Scotto
maverick76:
mmmm,
A tax by any other name ie. Lisence, Permit etc utilised effectively could certainly benefit the future of recreational fishing. However am I wrong to assume that I pay a 10% tax (GST) every time I buy something fishing/boating related? Would it be wrong of me to assume that the funds collected from this tax are therefore not being distributed to the relevant governmental departments to help ensure the sustainability of fishing into the future or is it unfeasible to expect that this could occur. I have no problem with the SIP scheme as the monies paid are directly applied to the sport in which I participate hence creating a sustainable future going forward.
I understand that the NSW system has had obvious positive results to the rec and pro fishing industry and that can only be a good thing for everyone. My concern is that this will turn into another bureacracy that needs to be funded to exist and that the money collected will be absorbed by salaries and office leases consequently directly reducing the very funds required to effectively manage the crisis it was set up to fix.
Politics by its nature is a very touchy subject and the views and opinions expressed by all on this forum show that we are all passionate about our sport and we all seek the best outcomes for its future. Much debate and consultation will need to be sought to ensure the balance is met. It does however concern me that future of this sport could be left in the hands of Peter Garret who I can assure would not be burning the Midnight Oil to ensure the best outcome for everyone.
This debate will rage on in earnest for many years to come and I will continue to voice my concerns which are not against a tax in principle just by whom it benefits and how and where it is collected from. The rec and pro sectors pay healthy sums of tax to exist and or participate in this recreation. A recreation that creates thousands if not hundreds of thousands of jobs.
My hope is that the consultation process on this proposal encompasses the very people that help it to exist. My old man always said measure twice........cut once. Lets just hope it can be applied in this instance.
Just my thoughts and happy to be corrected if I am wrong. I just want to go fishing!!!
Regards Colin Linton
BG:
Just a sideline while this is under discussion folks.
A lot of us are not happy to see too much funds in the hands of our pollies and govt departments I am a voter and I dislike them as much as anybody, some a little more, but over the past few decades I feel there has been a move to a little more honesty and transparency.
Heads have been rolling, look at the number of whistle blowers that have put their hands up in the last few years. Transparency is a busword that must be in the front of their minds in the years ahead.
You can bet they will be tightening their systems, or becoming transparent, in case there is a minor Wickleaks on the local scene.
No more do we have to drive 10 or 100k to go to a meeting then send the local member a copy of the minutes and hope they read it.
They will be aware of your discussion and should be taking it on board, we hope.
Good luck Gordon
Dick Pasfield:
One thing a licence does is buy a seat at the negotiating table, many would wonder why that would be necessary since we are all tax payers. Does that wash with the commercial fishers who pay taxes, who pay for a licence to fish? A licence can buy a portion of the TAC for recreational anglers. Negotiations can carried out between the fishery sectors and the Gov and seen to be on an equal footing.
Another thing a licence does is buy the user the right to fish, within the laws. If you think that you inherit the right to fish and therefore a licence is irrelevant think again, times change. It may have been everybody's right to take a roo for tucker once. When was the last open season, may well have been in the Great Depression?
A licence is more about ownership and being able to demonstrate it from my point of view than anything else.
What do you do with the money, who controls it etc are details that often condemned the whole idea to the rubbish bin for a decade or so. It's a matter of the tail wagging the dog while other interests look on with bemusement wondering if that mob will ever get their sh!t together, meanwhile lets have another marine park over there because the water is such a pretty shade of blue.
WA has just adopted a recreational boating licence, this exempts shore based anglers so the very casual angler, pensioners, kids etc can do their thing from the shore without the need for one.
To date from a regional point of view Kununurra has it's first Fisheries compliance officer since 'ever', number one priority for angler groups up here since year dot. We now have a funded Recfishwest. We will be restocking Lake Kununurra with barra, that Monduran sucker will be nothing but live bait when that kicks off ;)
A lot of good can come from a licence, a lot of bad came come from not properly preparing for the fact that the fishery is a diminishing resource and there are interest groups dead keen to see rec fishing reduced to fishing a few cake crumbs out of your latte while watching documentaries on how to gain further insights from one's navel