Fraser Coast angler welcomes new fishing reforms

Keen angler Scott Mitchell has welcomed the proposed reforms but says more still needs to be done about fishing in the Great Sandy Strait Marine Park

Tweed fisherman Mr Edwin "Snow" Ducat surveys the ocean before a morning's fishing off therocks at Hastings Point on the Tweed Coast.Photo Scott Powick Daily NewsTWE221015snow. Picture: Scott Powick

KEEN angler Scott Mitchell has welcomed the proposed reforms but says more still needs to be done about fishing in the Great Sandy Strait Marine Park.

The Fraser Coast Fishing Alliance chair told the Chronicle the revised rules were "some of the best” proposed in Queensland in the last 30 years and would be key steps to "improving fisheries management going forward”.

"It's great to see some of the initiatives being rolled out now, primarily the vessel monitoring system,” Mr Mitchell said.

"We hope the rest of the initiatives continue to be rolled out and it will be fantastic for both the recreational and commercial fishing industries as well.

"Recreational fishing is managed by bag, size and possession limits... we are seeing increased activity and we're open to having another review of bag and size limits if required.”

But Mr Mitchell said the group still believed there were too many commercial fishing licences across Queensland waters and said he wanted to see the zoning requirements for the Great Sandy Strait Marine Park amended to prevent excessive commercial fishing in the protected area.