Category: Business

Thursday 30th November 

Mel Brown AM, Bob McComb and myself arrived at Parliament House to meet several politicians to discuss  spearfishing. The Hon. Robert Borsak and the Hon. Mark Banasiak who represent the Shooters and Fishers Party greeted the USFA warmly and a great discussion began about the proposed right to hunt bill, which will include us fishers and spearfishers, and will go lengths to ensure we will have the threat of lockouts extinguished.

Prepped with the confirmation that the SFP will support spearfishers (as was evidenced at the recent proposed Bongin Bongin beach sanctuary supported by the Greens) and with further understanding of the political landscape at Macquarie Street, Mark kindly took us to meet the Hon. Tara Moriarty the Minister for Agriculture (Fisheries is in the portfolio). 

This was the first time we have met the new Minister, and Tara was extremely gracious throughout the meeting. We were pleasantly surprised to have the Fisheries Deputy Director General, Sean Sloan, join our meeting online. 

Mel, Bob and I (over 100 years of spearfishing lobbying between us) discussed points of interest. Discussing topics such as:

• the USFA advocating ethics, education, safety, inclusion, and spearfishers rights to fish for 75 years, the need for safe access for all age groups and abilities was stressed.
• North Harbour Aquatic Reserve, where spearfishers are the only stakeholder omitted from the reserve, it was a decision made with the flick of a pen with no scientific evidence behind it, nor in 40 years has any scientific data been shown why it should be denied to us. We have requested the Reserve (there are two) particularly the areas around North Head and Dobroyd Point include spearfishing.
• How we could work together to promote spearfishing on International Women’s Day.
• Informing the Minister of our membership: including our newer clubs like the Orca’s who have up to 500 members involved in their club, and indigenous spearfishing club the Mulloways, all eight USFA clubs various activities were mentioned.
• Discussed the recent Sydney Kingfish Cup with its record sign on and growth, and how we contribute to science with Fisheries biologists, giving presentations during the fanfare of the Cup, and were involved with sample collections from the Kingfish to use in their research
• Requesting a Centre of Excellence. Providing a venue where all fishers can meet and further bond community ties, display historic items, a venue to develop future fishers and spearfishers.
• Slot sizes and the issues spearfishers face when imposed on finfish species were discussed, spearfishing is not a trophy fishery, we requested the regulation imposed on spearfishers regarding the Dusky Flathead be reviewed and we would like to go back to the original regulation for spearfishers, that is one fish over 70cm is allowed.
• Having an endorsed spearfishing representative, think someone who actually spearfishes and is approved of by the two NSW spearfishing associations, who will ensure transparent communications with the Minister, Fisheries and all spearfishers across NSW, keeping us abreast of current topics and arising points of interest which has been sadly lacking for several years.

Next step is to follow up with the Ministry on these points, and start the processes, we are fortunate to have the support of the Shooters and Fishers, and the Minister is happy to engage with us ongoing. Overall, an incredibly positive first meeting.

USFA Position Statment 22.09.2018

Fishers In the last month we have witnessed a truly organic uprising against a series of over reaching Marine Protected Areas in the Sydney Bio Region. Fishers in NSW are finding their political legs and this can only bode well for us all going forward. This is the third time I personally have fought a similar proposal, initially in 92-93 against the Sydney Coastal Council Group, then in 2009 against the “Torn Blue Fringe” and now against the Marine Estate Management Authority (MEMA). The irony in all this is that we do have a very strong conservation ethic, want healthy and productive oceans, are low risk in regards to threats, yet are continually scapegoated and demonised as the villains. Even if we win this it wont be the end, we will need to continually be vigilant and prepared into the future.

It should be clear to USFA members, all spearo’s and fishers that we won’t be compromising or trading off one location against another. We are however, happy to talk to the Government about workable solutions going forward. We see MEMA as the main protagonists and want to see MEMA replaced with an advisory committee made up of elected stakeholders with its Chair reporting directly to the Minister. We would like independent and transparent scientific reviews into the key risks of the proposed and existing marine protected areas with the view to improving the access to low risk activities. The advisory committee should oversee these scientific reviews.

The USFA is supporting a ten-year moratorium on any new marine protected areas. Whilst in principle multi-use marine protected areas appear nice on the surface, once in place the “use” can be changed with the stroke of a pen by regulators with out going through the legislative process. We through experience have a lack of faith and trust in the regulatory process. Marine protected areas have existed in this state for several decades yet we have seen little in the way of measurable outcomes particularly concerning water quality, abundance in biodiversity, biomass or research. Although we are calling for increases access for low risk activities in established MPA’s we are not yet calling for their abolishment. We feel ten years to improve the outcomes and performance of the managers of these areas before establishing more or demolishing the existing as fair.

Being fully aware that this will historically be remembered as only one in a long series of battles for fishing rights and access, it is important that we build our resilience. Our opponents are well organised and well funded often out of public funds. I believe that we all should now be pushing for funding and premises for a fishing museum and an adjunct research foundation, so as to have a centre for education and training. We need to be supporting and developing our future leaders, improving environmental awareness, improving safety for ourselves and also valuing our unique and diverse fishing culture and traditions. It is hard to believe that there are over a million of us, yet we receive nothing in the way of this like the arts or other sports.

The events of this past month, whilst unpleasant, have really galvanised the fishing community. We should be proud of ourselves. We have seen many alliances between stakeholders strengthened, new and future leaders emerge and a political awakening of the fishing lobby, let’s continue the momentum and use this new found power constructively and wisely.

Thank you,
Bob McComb
President USFA
22.09.2018