Is the Broadwater running out of fish? Anglers say visitors complaining they can’t catch a fish
EXPERIENCED fishermen say visitors to the Coast are complaining they can’t catch a fish, hurting the city’s reputation as Queensland’s best marine playground.
Beaches & Fishing
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ANGLERS fear a government review will lock them out of fishing areas and fail to save the Broadwater, where they claim commercial rivals are plundering the richest sand banks.
Experienced fishermen and bait shop operators say visitors to the Gold Coast are complaining they cannot catch a fish, hurting the city’s reputation as Queensland’s best marine playground.
They have accused jetski operators of disrupting fishing by riding through weeded breeding grounds and say speeding boaties are powering along major channels with unlit vessels during the night.
Despite their concerns about rapidly reducing fish stocks and safety, recreational anglers predict apathy will sink the latest review because they are exhausted after several rounds of inquiries by successive governments.
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The Newman Government has employed independent consultant MRAG Asia Pacific to conduct a public consultation meeting tonight at Nerang in a bid to “fix a system which is complex, costly to administer and inconsistent”.
Several amateur fishing clubs contacted yesterday were unaware of the meeting and their management was unlikely to attend due to frustration about previous inquiries.
The announcement by Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Jim McVeigh about the public consultation meetings has led to a furore on some fishing forums.
On the Nugget Outdoors forum, fishermen predicted the forums would be “another talkfest” that would only lead to new laws impacting on recreational fishermen.
A fisherman, responding to the forum which attracts 5000 viewers, wrote: “I actually share your thoughts about them (the politicians) not giving a Rats B*m (sic) mate but I think if we all just sit back and say nothing we may as well give them a padlock and close off all of our fishing areas.”
Experienced Broadwater recreational fisherman Wayne Young said he agreed and believed fishermen were losing the battle because they failed to have a united voice.
Mr Young said the review should consider excluding commercial fishing from south of the north arm of the Coomera River and reduce bag limits that allowed a fisherman to catch 30 bream and 30 whiting in one outing.
“There has been review after review and nothing has been set in concrete. It’s always been a patchwork. Fishing is not high on the (political) agenda,” Mr Young said.
“I work in a tackle and bait shop. All the tourists are saying there are no fish here. The Broadwater gets netted five days and five nights a week. It’s the most heavily fished area in southeast Queensland.
“The main areas locals catch fish are the rivers and canals. We have a great fishing area on the Coast (for tourists) and it should be better.”
Southport Amateur Fishing Club president Bernard Gaven said regulations were not being enforced.
“They’re netting the Broadwater and taking everything out there. When we go fishing all we catch is undersized fish,” Mr Gaven said.
“I will throw 30 back before I get to bring one home.
“The jetskis don’t help. They go over the weeds and destroy the fish habitat. They need to be in a controlled area.
“They will put it in the too-hard basket.
“What’s the use in regulations if they don’t police them?”
The Fisheries Management Review public consultation meeting will be at the Nerang Bicentennial Centre main hall from 5-7pm.