The Bligh Government informed that under the government $15.1 million buyback scheme commercial fishers will be banned from Moreton Bay for five years if they surrender their licences. The move has been backed by the commercial fishing lobby and green groups. It is said that the only way around the ban is to buy a licence from someone already operating in the bay – not from elsewhere in Queensland.
According to Ms Bligh the proposal means one can’t take the taxpayer’s money for his/her licence then come in through the backdoor. She also said that this will mean a real reduction in commercial fishing in the bay. There will be more fish for ordinary anglers and commercial fishers will have less competition. The authority has spoken to the commercial fishers on the bay and they agree it’s a better deal for everyone.
Australian Marine Conservation Society campaigns director Craig Bohm pointed out that his organisation supported the buy-back rules. He said that they support the intent of this initiative, which is to remove real commercial fishing effort in Moreton Bay Marine Park. Even the organization like the World Wildlife Fund and the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland also backed the move. Spokesman Simon Balitas opined that the initiative is the first step in an urgent need to reduce commercial fishing effort in the Moreton Bay Marine Park.
Sustainability Minister Andrew McNamara opined that the Government estimates about 100 of the 430 commercial operators will give up their licence. He told that this is the greatest environmental initiative in the bay’s history and it is based purely on science – no emotion, no politics.
