Hon Jon Ford asks the Minister for Fisheries to rule out paid onshore fishing licences. Hon Norman Moore refuses, citing sustainability concerns and criticising the Labor Party's stance on recreational fishing licences.

AnsweredQoN 34Legislative Council
Asked
23 March 2010
Portfolio
Fisheries

QuestionView source ↗

RECREATIONAL FISHING LICENCES AND FEES
(1) Will the minister rule out the introduction of paid onshore-based fishing licences? (2) If no to (1), why not? Hon NORMAN MOORE

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)–(2) The only thing I will rule out is shirking my responsibility to ensure the long-term sustainability of our fish stocks. We are currently surveying the sustainability of near-shore species that are caught generally by onshore fishers. Should the research indicate any serious threat to their sustainability, I will consider all options to protect them. I cannot believe the irresponsibility of the Labor Party over the issue of licences for recreational fishing. It is the most irresponsible attitude of any political party that I can recall on an issue of this substance. We have raised funds from licences to provide a better way of managing recreational fishing with the objective of ensuring sustainability so that the opposition’s children and their children can catch fish. The notion that we should simply allow people to help themselves with no responsibility whatsoever will ensure that one day there are no fish left. I would have thought that Hon Jon Ford, as the former Minister for Fisheries, would have adopted a far more responsible approach to this matter than to go down the populist path of his leader, who seems to think that $30 to help protect our fish is an impost or a tax and is excessive, which is just beyond belief.
(2) If no to (1), why not? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)–(2) The only thing I will rule out is shirking my responsibility to ensure the long-term sustainability of our fish stocks. We are currently surveying the sustainability of near-shore species that are caught generally by onshore fishers. Should the research indicate any serious threat to their sustainability, I will consider all options to protect them. I cannot believe the irresponsibility of the Labor Party over the issue of licences for recreational fishing. It is the most irresponsible attitude of any political party that I can recall on an issue of this substance. We have raised funds from licences to provide a better way of managing recreational fishing with the objective of ensuring sustainability so that the opposition’s children and their children can catch fish. The notion that we should simply allow people to help themselves with no responsibility whatsoever will ensure that one day there are no fish left. I would have thought that Hon Jon Ford, as the former Minister for Fisheries, would have adopted a far more responsible approach to this matter than to go down the populist path of his leader, who seems to think that $30 to help protect our fish is an impost or a tax and is excessive, which is just beyond belief.
Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)–(2) The only thing I will rule out is shirking my responsibility to ensure the long-term sustainability of our fish stocks. We are currently surveying the sustainability of near-shore species that are caught generally by onshore fishers. Should the research indicate any serious threat to their sustainability, I will consider all options to protect them. I cannot believe the irresponsibility of the Labor Party over the issue of licences for recreational fishing. It is the most irresponsible attitude of any political party that I can recall on an issue of this substance. We have raised funds from licences to provide a better way of managing recreational fishing with the objective of ensuring sustainability so that the opposition’s children and their children can catch fish. The notion that we should simply allow people to help themselves with no responsibility whatsoever will ensure that one day there are no fish left. I would have thought that Hon Jon Ford, as the former Minister for Fisheries, would have adopted a far more responsible approach to this matter than to go down the populist path of his leader, who seems to think that $30 to help protect our fish is an impost or a tax and is excessive, which is just beyond belief.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)–(2) The only thing I will rule out is shirking my responsibility to ensure the long-term sustainability of our fish stocks. We are currently surveying the sustainability of near-shore species that are caught generally by onshore fishers. Should the research indicate any serious threat to their sustainability, I will consider all options to protect them. I cannot believe the irresponsibility of the Labor Party over the issue of licences for recreational fishing. It is the most irresponsible attitude of any political party that I can recall on an issue of this substance. We have raised funds from licences to provide a better way of managing recreational fishing with the objective of ensuring sustainability so that the opposition’s children and their children can catch fish. The notion that we should simply allow people to help themselves with no responsibility whatsoever will ensure that one day there are no fish left. I would have thought that Hon Jon Ford, as the former Minister for Fisheries, would have adopted a far more responsible approach to this matter than to go down the populist path of his leader, who seems to think that $30 to help protect our fish is an impost or a tax and is excessive, which is just beyond belief.
(1)–(2) The only thing I will rule out is shirking my responsibility to ensure the long-term sustainability of our fish stocks. We are currently surveying the sustainability of near-shore species that are caught generally by onshore fishers. Should the research indicate any serious threat to their sustainability, I will consider all options to protect them. I cannot believe the irresponsibility of the Labor Party over the issue of licences for recreational fishing. It is the most irresponsible attitude of any political party that I can recall on an issue of this substance. We have raised funds from licences to provide a better way of managing recreational fishing with the objective of ensuring sustainability so that the opposition’s children and their children can catch fish. The notion that we should simply allow people to help themselves with no responsibility whatsoever will ensure that one day there are no fish left. I would have thought that Hon Jon Ford, as the former Minister for Fisheries, would have adopted a far more responsible approach to this matter than to go down the populist path of his leader, who seems to think that $30 to help protect our fish is an impost or a tax and is excessive, which is just beyond belief.

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