Peter Gleeson: Labor-Greens plan to ban commercial fishing of Spanish mackerel is a stitch-up
A Labor-Greens alliance that will ban the commercial fishing of Spanish mackerel from July 1 will destroy livelihoods. Those out on the water say the data behind the move is a stitch up, writes Peter Gleeson. VOTE IN OUR POLL
Peter Gleeson
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The Labor-Greens alliance and its potential to ruin livelihoods is on show as the Palaszczuk Government moves to ban the commercial fishing of Spanish mackerel.
A meeting of industry representatives held last week in Cairns was attended by scores of those who will lose their jobs when the ban starts on July 1.
Nobody from Labor turned up, with SpeakerCurtis Pitteven telling them it was a parliamentary sitting week, which it wasn’t.
The meeting heard from scientists and fishing experts who plainly and concisely countered arguments from conservationists that the Spanish mackerel numbers were dropping alarmingly.
It’s a stitch up, say local professional fishermen.
Yet another example of Labor cosying up to the Greens to shore up their preferences deal.
The new “quota’’ system being promoted by the government effectively makes the commercial fishing of mackerel unviable.
In 2016, it was estimated Spanish mackerel stocks were at a healthy 40 per cent of pre-fished biomass.
The government says that’s now 17 per cent.
There definitely seems to be something fishy going on.
