North Queensland fishers take gillnet ban fight to parliament

Governments say a fishing net ban around the Great Barrier Reef is for the reef’s health, but North Queensland fishers say the pollies are off course and gutting jobs. Now they’re taking their fight to Canberra.

Northshore Seafood Co. owner Lucas Dansie at his store. Picture: Blair Jackson

North Queensland fishers are taking their fight to parliament in opposition to a quickfire ban on gillnet fishing.

In June, the Federal and Queensland governments pledged to buyout and remove all N2 (set mesh netting) and N4 (offshore waters netting) commercial licences by December 31, as recommended by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

People who make their livelihoods on the water, servicing the industry and trading the fish woke up to the news of the ban on that June morning, and have been trying to create political waves since; they say the decision was made without consultation.

They will now rally on the Queensland parliament lawn on the next sitting day, August 22.

The group will potentially hand out fish of the species which will no longer be caught in the wild in Queensland, such as barramundi, king salmon, blue salmon, grunter, fingermark, whiting and flathead.

Stock for sale at Northshore Seafood Co. in Townsville. Picture: Blair Jackson

Lucas Dansie owns Townsville store Northshore Seafood Co., and says he is uncomfortable with UNESCO’s influence on the state and federal governments’ decision.

The ban bars fishing in the Great Barrier Reef world heritage area, but Mr Dansie says fisherman set nets far from the reef: the protected area goes right to the shoreline.

General purpose mesh netting licences will also be phased out by mid-2027.

The boundaries of the Great Barrier Reef world heritage area. By mid-2027, gillnet fishing will be illegal within the red lines.

“The Great Barrier Reef is 60 to 80 kilometres away from where the local fish is fished,” Mr Dansie said.

It was only because of pressure from UNESCO that the governments had “decided” the fisheries were not sustainable, he said.

“How are they legally shutting down industries all around us?”

Northshore Seafood Co. owner Lucas Dansie at his store. Picture: Blair Jackson

“UNESCO is an overseas organisation … they put pressure on the federal government to change measures on the east coast,” Mr Dansie said.

Last year UNESCO made 22 recommendations to the Australian and Queensland governments to help protect the Reef and retain its world heritage status, including better climate and emissions policies, improving water quality, stopping tree clearing and restoring coastal wetlands.

A gillnet vessel anchored at the Starkey River, north of Cooktown.

State Fisheries Minister Mark Furner said the governments made the “tough but necessary” decision, as recommended by UNESCO, to phase out gillnetting to protect the Great Barrier Reef for future generations.

That decision would have significant impacts on some fishers, and there was a joint state and federal $160m assistance scheme, the Minister said.

Fisheries Minister Mark Furner said the gillnet ban was a tough but necessary decision, and there was a $160m assistance scheme for affected operators. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

Asked whether he would meet with the rally on August 22, the minister said he had regularly met with the Queensland Seafood Industry Association in recent weeks and would continue to.

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto called on the Minister to front up.

“Hopefully the minister can find the gumption to come out and meet with commercial fishers … don’t just let these people be pushed into the darkness without listening to them first-hand,” Mr Dametto said.

The Federal Fisheries Minister did not respond by deadline.

Originally published as North Queensland fishers take gillnet ban fight to parliament