NSW Sustainable Recreational Fishing

Many Recreational Fishermen have fast fuel efficient boats, advanced technology and sheer numbers of over 100 boats per day fishing out of many ports up & down the coast of NSW.

In most states of Australia fish stocks are being totally annihilated by the number of fishermen who target them. Not even rough weather deters many recreational fishermen.

Due to increased pressure on fish stocks commercial fishing is now highly regulated and yet recreational fishing regulations have not been changed in NSW with destructive bag limits allowed. Eg. Each recreational fisher on a boat is allowed 10 snapper over 30cm each per trip with no limits on possession therefore if you have 4 people on a boat that is 40 snapper & if you have 100 boats = 4000 snapper per day. It is a simple numbers game. If those same people went out the next day that is 8000 snapper gone for the weekend. This is beyond a joke & needs to stop before another species is wiped out.

All other states have responsible & sustainable fishing regulations & it is high time NSW became regulated. We propose:

Fairness & Equality National Recreational Catch Limits and Closures:

"There are limits on the size (length) of a species you can take and the amount of a certain species you can have in your possession. Size limits generally allow a fish to spawn at least once in order to add to the species numbers. Some fish have a maximum and a minimum size limit because it is the larger individuals who may contribute more to their population.

Possession limits are in place to conserve heavily sought after species, species that are easily captured, share more catch, reduce illegal fish marketing and promote responsible fishing. Possession limits do not apply on a per day basis. Any fish you have caught previously and may be keeping at home in your freezer, for example, are included in your possession limit for a fish species.

Certain waterways are regulated, or closed for a period of time due to a population of endangered or threatened species living there, fish spawning in the location, potential overfishing of a species or to support the successful migration of a fish through the waterway. You aren’t allowed to fish during closed seasons or in regulated waters because of the impact it could have on a particular species and their lifecycle." (QLD Department of Agriculture & Fisheries https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/activities/boating-fishing/rec-fishing/rules/closures)

This petition is not designed to disadvantage any group of people. It is purely to ensure the sustainability of fish stocks for all groups of people and their children for many decades to come.