Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now we know that the Golden Snapper Stock Assessment Report
was this week released revealing sustainability issues with golden snapper
in the Greater Darwin region. The report highlights that golden
snapper around Darwin remain overfished around one fifth of their
original population, with the fishing mortality rates estimated to be
(00:20):
more than double the rate considered sustainable. Now joining me
in the studio is the fan CEO, David cheer Revolo.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Good morning to you, David, Hey, good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
It's a report find.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
So look, it's not good news in the report.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Essentially, what it shows is that the golden snapper stocks
in and around Darwin, not for the rest of the territory,
but sort of in a two hundred kilometer area around
Greater Darwin remains in an overfish state, or remains in
what we call depleted state. And that's because the recovery,
the recovery trajectory that was set back in twenty fifteen
(00:55):
is not on track to achieve that sustainable status in
a reasonable time frame.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
And the aim for a reasonable time frame in this.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Fishery is usually about fourteen years, and the current trajectory
is not meeting that.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
So why is that? How have we wound up in
this situation, I guess is a really obvious question.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
I think it's a complicated question. It is quite complex.
It's difficult as well because you know, recreational fishes have
done quite a bit of pain in this fishery as well.
There were interventions brought in in twenty fifteen after the
stocks were shown to be low way back in twenty ten,
and we had bag limits reduced down to down to
(01:36):
three per person, and doesn't matter if you go for
multi day.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Trips, it's still three. That's a possession limit.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
We've had closures areas that were brought in place back
in twenty fifteen, and unfortunately, what the stock assessment seems
to show is that the recovery is not occurring as
quickly as anticipated. That's despite people generally following the rules.
That's despite the closures remaining in place. But it looks
like a few things have happened here. One, this is
(02:04):
a twenty twenty one stock assessment, so it's actually.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Old three years ago already the data.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
And then the other thing is that the data going
into this fishery is not great because it's primarily a
recreational and fishing tool operator fishery, not a commercial fishery.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
So do you reckon that data could be old? Could
things be worse than what that data actually demonstrates.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
I think that given the general trajectory, has been an
improvement in the fishery, but a slow improvement in the
fishery is probably unlikely. But given the uncertainty in the data,
it is hard to know.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
So the actual.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Estimates say that the population could be anywhere between thirteen
and twenty nine percent and twenty one percent, which is
that for virgin biomass that is the mean figure or
the most likely middle figure.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
So who is responsible for the vast majority of golden
snapper catches?
Speaker 3 (02:57):
So when it comes to golden snapper, it's the recreational
fishing sector and the fishing tour operator or the fishing
charter sector that catch most of them.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
There is a small.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Component in the commercial fishery, but it is predominantly a
recreational fishery.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
So have wreckfishers been irresponsible or is it just a
situation where you know, people maybe haven't realized that those
stocks are depleting and that there needs to be a
bit more education in this space. Like, what's the answer.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
I think it's I don't think it's from people being irresponsible. Yeah,
this education is certainly an important part of it. Before
I go to that, I think what I would say
is that people have been following the rules that have
been put in place. It appears that the rules or
the target's been put in place as not being achieved
by the measures that are in place.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
So we need to change the rules.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Well, look, I mean it's probably, But the other thing
about it is it's very disappointing that we had these
big closure areas brought in and they haven't been monitored properly.
There hasn't been a proper conversation with the community about
how it's tracking. How we find ourselves almost ten years
down the track and we're finding ourselves in a situation
where more into is going to be required.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Why do you think the ball has been dropped here?
Speaker 2 (04:05):
It saints in.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
All honesty, I think it's a it's reflective of a
chronic underinvestment in fisheries management in the Ran territory. I think,
you know, people sort of think it's okay when they
hear about government departments getting efficiency dividends, but you apply
that over the period of a decade and couple that
with a thirty percent inflation over the same period of time,
and you quickly find a division like Fisheries potentially having
(04:28):
a budget that in real terms is about half of
what it used to be.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
And so in terms of not like would that mean
impacting in terms of like the monitoring of the fish
stocks and also looking at ways to increase the fish stocks.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
If we want to get away from having long term
problems with refish in the Northern territories, certainly there needs
to be actions in the minister and the department and
ourselves we recognize them. But one of the key fundamental
things here is having proper investment in our fisheries management.
We need to have more scientists, we need to have
more monitoring, we need to have better investment in the
peak industry bodies, which of course I would say, but
(05:00):
it's critical to having that stewardship, that education and that
co management, which really we have not been working well
towards in the Northern Territory for quite some time now,
primarily not due to will or not due to the
expertise of the people involved, but due to the resources.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
So what needs to happen next from your perspective, like
a reckfish is pretty worried about these numbers or what
are people saying to you.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
So the experience of recreational fishes here is going to
be significantly mixed. And that's because the golden snapper, unfortunately,
they are a very tricky stock to manage, especially next
to a population center, and that essentially there are sort
of fifty kilometer areas where that's predominantly on one stock
of fish. I'm not saying that those fish don't intermix
(05:44):
at all, from what we seem to know, it's quite localized.
So essentially, and I'll just sort of cut in the
chase here. What that means is some people's fishing experience
is if they're fishing further away around the Tiwi Islands
or over towards Point Stuart or Coburg, they're catching lots
of great fish. If they're fishing in and around Darwin Orf,
the're fishing around Dundee, they're not encountering anywhere near as
(06:05):
many adult fish. And an adult female golden snap of
sixty three centimeters it's.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
A big fish. So there are some mixed experiences.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
So I think the views of reckfishes are going to
differ significantly. But what the stock assessment shows is that
where the majority of the fishing is being done, there
is a problem, and we can't dispute that, even though
we want to improve the data. What the harvest strategy says,
and this is the rule that's in place, is that
when you encounter the situation, they have to reduce the
(06:33):
fishing in juice mortality, so the catch by fifty to
one hundred percent to return the trajectory to to recovery
over a fourteen year period. And the way that it
says that has to occur by either having more closure
areas or having closures for a period of time.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Right, people probably aren't going to like that, are they.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Well, people are definitely not going to like that.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
They're not going to like it for a few reasons,
as a low trust environment with the existing closures, and
as to whether they've worked or not. So people you know,
rightly will ask questions about that. But it is important
to also note that is that the harvest strategy also
requires what they call a recovery plan.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Now, what's good.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
About this is the recovery plan can also take in
other factors, so we can ask questions about could there
be a no take instituted. So at the moment we
say keep all your golden snaper because they don't survive
if you release them in water. We know a lot
of golden snapper are caught in shallow water. Could we
re release them back in exactly can we invest in
in habitat there's a two million dollar on this year's
(07:34):
budget for artificial reefs. Now we haven't heard from the
new government exactly if they promised they're going to deliver
on that in this year's budget, but it's in this
year's budget. See if we can enhance the productivity of
these areas. Obviously investigation, investing in education, stewardship. There's four
hundred thousand dollars in this year's budget for that and
that's very important. That's a direct result of our advocacy.
(07:58):
What's the role of fishing tours. We know that the
refishing tours have expanded and we think that really needs
to be looked.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
At and so you reckon that could be having an impact.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Certainly has been having an impact around places like Dundee,
and we need to really look at how that's managed
going forward. And then the other thing, of course is
can we stock snapper in and around Ye, there's a
lot of questions around whether.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
That might work or not.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
But if we look at Western Australia, if we look
at South Australia where they're snapper stocks are in trouble,
they are stocking, tas Mania are stocking their flathead, New
South Wales are stocking their duty working.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Well.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
It's early days for those.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Programs, but what it represents is that the governments are
committed to trying to do whatever they can to return
the stocks so sustainability as soon as possible, because the
social and economic impacts are significant. And the main problem
with golden snapper is is you might catch them when
you're not targeting them. So what impact does it have
on other fishing activities? It could be quite extreme if
(08:57):
we don't throw everything at this, and we're working with
the government to make sure that they do throw everything
out this. It's not a problem of their making. They've
inherited it, but we need to fix.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
It absolutely well. And we know that you're going to
have the opportunity really to raise a lot of this
at the AGM that's happening on Thursday night.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Isn't it a surprise surprise, it's a fan AGM and
there's big issues in the headlines. So yes, we have
the AGM tomorrow night at six pm at the Travel
Lodge on Kavanagh Street. Any recreational fishes who are interested
are certainly welcome. I do encourage them to get their
early registrations. At five point fifteen and Minister Mailee will
(09:37):
be making an address. We expect to hear from him
about his election commitments, particularly around Barramunday and the promise
phase out of commercial guildnetting. We also want to hear
about the government's approach to fishing access negotiations. There are
several land claims that have been recommended to be granted,
places like shady Camp, places like the Ropa River lower
(09:57):
Daily River, where we're expecting over this term of government
the federal government to make those grants. It will require
negotiations to occur, and of course the emerging issue with
golden snapper. There'll be a presentation from Anti Fisheries, an
opportunity to hear from the scientist's firsthand about the stock
assessment and to have those questions answered.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
What about where are things that with the phasing out
of the gill nets, right.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
So that's obviously a big ticket item. It's a very
very important thing.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
It's a four year commitment and you know, by the
time next year starts with three and a half years
three and only three and a half years to go.
So all about the government's commitment to phase out commercial
guildnetting for barrel Mondy and we're very pleased with that.
Of course, though the government has been focused on some
of its big ticket items, you know, crime and economy,
and we respect that.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
But come early.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Next year and the time of the empty budget, we
expect the government to be talking about what its plan
is and how it's going to institute it. It's not
only essential to give the community confidence that the government
is moving forward with its plan, but it's also fair
to industry to give them fair warning and to start
to show them what the pathway is to exit out
(11:08):
of those guilt net licenses.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
Yeah, which I think is fair enough. Like they obviously
need that plan and Territorians deserve to know. It was
something that was a big issue in the lead into
the election. David, We've got a few listener questions coming
through by the look of it. I've got one here
from Dave. Dave said, why don't we start registering bowjoners
and start up a fish stock program. This can also
be used for boat ramp and pontoon repairs too. Need
(11:31):
to stop using taxpayers money for boatings, says that message
from Dave.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Well, look, I mean I think it's a fair perspective
from Dave. He may not realize that recreational fishing actually
makes about a three hundred million dollar contribution to the
economy and is also critical to the way of life
for so many territorians. Now there are fishing licenses in
other states. One thing I would say is it hasn't
stopped the collapse of some of their fish stocks. But
(11:56):
the other challenge there is that we're talking in those
states about having seven hundred and fight hundred million fishes
in New South Wales, and even then their governments still
invest in their boating infrastructure and in their fishing infrastructure.
It is absolutely a conversation to have into the future.
Although I must say the cop has ruled out bringing
(12:17):
in fishing licenses, but it's important to recognize that the
amount of money that would be generated would not mean
that we don't have to have a significant co investment
from the government.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Hey, Robert called in yesterday to ask about the East
Boat ramps, saying that some minor repairs have been done.
It's chained up so it won't float away. But he's
hearing that that pontoon's going to be removing it in
the wish and putting it back in the dry Why
not just fix it probably the first time. Do you
know what the go is with that one, David, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
So there's been so many repairs to that pontoon that
it has been turned into effectively a seasonal the last
part of it, especially into a seasonal pontoon because when
we get those afternoons squads, when we get the wet
season wins, but also critically incredibly when we get the
dry season strong winds.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
It's been breaking apart.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Now, the government did make a commitment to improving Eastam.
They talked about capping, investigating putting a rock wall around it.
So we'll be encouraging the government to look further at that.
Exactly what the solution should be obviously has to fit
into the mix of other spending priorities help even with
regard to recreational fishing priorities, but it would be really
(13:31):
good to have that infrastructure beefed up. Unfortunately though it
is a shallow and exposed location where that ramp is.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Yeah, look, David, we always appreciate you coming in. There's
no shortage of things to talk about when it comes
to fishing. Thank you so very much for your time,
and I'm looking forward to hearing how things go at
the AGM as well.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Can anyone attend, Yes, certainly anyone with an interest in
recreational fishing. We'd considered to be one of our bona
fide guests, So if they'd like to hear, come along
to the Travel Lodge tomorrow night.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Registrations from five point fifteen.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
Six pm sharp start because we're going to hear from
the Minister first up. That really encourage people who attend
if they want to find out more about Barra, more
about access and more about Golden Snapper issue.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Wonderful stuff. David Girivolo, the CEO of AFANT, good to
speak to you this morning. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Thanks Katie
Now we know that the Golden Snapper Stock Assessment Report
was this week released revealing sustainability issues with golden snapper
in the Greater Darwin region. The report highlights that golden
snapper around Darwin remain overfished around one fifth of their
original population, with the fishing mortality rates estimated to be
(00:20):
more than double the rate considered sustainable. Now joining me
in the studio is the fan CEO, David cheer Revolo.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Good morning to you, David, Hey, good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
It's a report find.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
So look, it's not good news in the report.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Essentially, what it shows is that the golden snapper stocks
in and around Darwin, not for the rest of the territory,
but sort of in a two hundred kilometer area around
Greater Darwin remains in an overfish state, or remains in
what we call depleted state. And that's because the recovery,
the recovery trajectory that was set back in twenty fifteen
(00:55):
is not on track to achieve that sustainable status in
a reasonable time frame.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
And the aim for a reasonable time frame in this.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Fishery is usually about fourteen years, and the current trajectory
is not meeting that.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
So why is that? How have we wound up in
this situation, I guess is a really obvious question.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
I think it's a complicated question. It is quite complex.
It's difficult as well because you know, recreational fishes have
done quite a bit of pain in this fishery as well.
There were interventions brought in in twenty fifteen after the
stocks were shown to be low way back in twenty ten,
and we had bag limits reduced down to down to
(01:36):
three per person, and doesn't matter if you go for
multi day.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Trips, it's still three. That's a possession limit.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
We've had closures areas that were brought in place back
in twenty fifteen, and unfortunately, what the stock assessment seems
to show is that the recovery is not occurring as
quickly as anticipated. That's despite people generally following the rules.
That's despite the closures remaining in place. But it looks
like a few things have happened here. One, this is
(02:04):
a twenty twenty one stock assessment, so it's actually.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Old three years ago already the data.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
And then the other thing is that the data going
into this fishery is not great because it's primarily a
recreational and fishing tool operator fishery, not a commercial fishery.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
So do you reckon that data could be old? Could
things be worse than what that data actually demonstrates.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
I think that given the general trajectory, has been an
improvement in the fishery, but a slow improvement in the
fishery is probably unlikely. But given the uncertainty in the data,
it is hard to know.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
So the actual.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Estimates say that the population could be anywhere between thirteen
and twenty nine percent and twenty one percent, which is
that for virgin biomass that is the mean figure or
the most likely middle figure.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
So who is responsible for the vast majority of golden
snapper catches?
Speaker 3 (02:57):
So when it comes to golden snapper, it's the recreational
fishing sector and the fishing tour operator or the fishing
charter sector that catch most of them.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
There is a small.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Component in the commercial fishery, but it is predominantly a
recreational fishery.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
So have wreckfishers been irresponsible or is it just a
situation where you know, people maybe haven't realized that those
stocks are depleting and that there needs to be a
bit more education in this space. Like, what's the answer.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
I think it's I don't think it's from people being irresponsible. Yeah,
this education is certainly an important part of it. Before
I go to that, I think what I would say
is that people have been following the rules that have
been put in place. It appears that the rules or
the target's been put in place as not being achieved
by the measures that are in place.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
So we need to change the rules.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Well, look, I mean it's probably, But the other thing
about it is it's very disappointing that we had these
big closure areas brought in and they haven't been monitored properly.
There hasn't been a proper conversation with the community about
how it's tracking. How we find ourselves almost ten years
down the track and we're finding ourselves in a situation
where more into is going to be required.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Why do you think the ball has been dropped here?
Speaker 2 (04:05):
It saints in.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
All honesty, I think it's a it's reflective of a
chronic underinvestment in fisheries management in the Ran territory. I think,
you know, people sort of think it's okay when they
hear about government departments getting efficiency dividends, but you apply
that over the period of a decade and couple that
with a thirty percent inflation over the same period of time,
and you quickly find a division like Fisheries potentially having
(04:28):
a budget that in real terms is about half of
what it used to be.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
And so in terms of not like would that mean
impacting in terms of like the monitoring of the fish
stocks and also looking at ways to increase the fish stocks.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
If we want to get away from having long term
problems with refish in the Northern territories, certainly there needs
to be actions in the minister and the department and
ourselves we recognize them. But one of the key fundamental
things here is having proper investment in our fisheries management.
We need to have more scientists, we need to have
more monitoring, we need to have better investment in the
peak industry bodies, which of course I would say, but
(05:00):
it's critical to having that stewardship, that education and that
co management, which really we have not been working well
towards in the Northern Territory for quite some time now,
primarily not due to will or not due to the
expertise of the people involved, but due to the resources.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
So what needs to happen next from your perspective, like
a reckfish is pretty worried about these numbers or what
are people saying to you.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
So the experience of recreational fishes here is going to
be significantly mixed. And that's because the golden snapper, unfortunately,
they are a very tricky stock to manage, especially next
to a population center, and that essentially there are sort
of fifty kilometer areas where that's predominantly on one stock
of fish. I'm not saying that those fish don't intermix
(05:44):
at all, from what we seem to know, it's quite localized.
So essentially, and I'll just sort of cut in the
chase here. What that means is some people's fishing experience
is if they're fishing further away around the Tiwi Islands
or over towards Point Stuart or Coburg, they're catching lots
of great fish. If they're fishing in and around Darwin Orf,
the're fishing around Dundee, they're not encountering anywhere near as
(06:05):
many adult fish. And an adult female golden snap of
sixty three centimeters it's.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
A big fish. So there are some mixed experiences.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
So I think the views of reckfishes are going to
differ significantly. But what the stock assessment shows is that
where the majority of the fishing is being done, there
is a problem, and we can't dispute that, even though
we want to improve the data. What the harvest strategy says,
and this is the rule that's in place, is that
when you encounter the situation, they have to reduce the
(06:33):
fishing in juice mortality, so the catch by fifty to
one hundred percent to return the trajectory to to recovery
over a fourteen year period. And the way that it
says that has to occur by either having more closure
areas or having closures for a period of time.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Right, people probably aren't going to like that, are they.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Well, people are definitely not going to like that.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
They're not going to like it for a few reasons,
as a low trust environment with the existing closures, and
as to whether they've worked or not. So people you know,
rightly will ask questions about that. But it is important
to also note that is that the harvest strategy also
requires what they call a recovery plan.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Now, what's good.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
About this is the recovery plan can also take in
other factors, so we can ask questions about could there
be a no take instituted. So at the moment we
say keep all your golden snaper because they don't survive
if you release them in water. We know a lot
of golden snapper are caught in shallow water. Could we
re release them back in exactly can we invest in
in habitat there's a two million dollar on this year's
(07:34):
budget for artificial reefs. Now we haven't heard from the
new government exactly if they promised they're going to deliver
on that in this year's budget, but it's in this
year's budget. See if we can enhance the productivity of
these areas. Obviously investigation, investing in education, stewardship. There's four
hundred thousand dollars in this year's budget for that and
that's very important. That's a direct result of our advocacy.
(07:58):
What's the role of fishing tours. We know that the
refishing tours have expanded and we think that really needs
to be looked.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
At and so you reckon that could be having an impact.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Certainly has been having an impact around places like Dundee,
and we need to really look at how that's managed
going forward. And then the other thing, of course is
can we stock snapper in and around Ye, there's a
lot of questions around whether.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
That might work or not.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
But if we look at Western Australia, if we look
at South Australia where they're snapper stocks are in trouble,
they are stocking, tas Mania are stocking their flathead, New
South Wales are stocking their duty working.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Well.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
It's early days for those.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Programs, but what it represents is that the governments are
committed to trying to do whatever they can to return
the stocks so sustainability as soon as possible, because the
social and economic impacts are significant. And the main problem
with golden snapper is is you might catch them when
you're not targeting them. So what impact does it have
on other fishing activities? It could be quite extreme if
(08:57):
we don't throw everything at this, and we're working with
the government to make sure that they do throw everything
out this. It's not a problem of their making. They've
inherited it, but we need to fix.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
It absolutely well. And we know that you're going to
have the opportunity really to raise a lot of this
at the AGM that's happening on Thursday night.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Isn't it a surprise surprise, it's a fan AGM and
there's big issues in the headlines. So yes, we have
the AGM tomorrow night at six pm at the Travel
Lodge on Kavanagh Street. Any recreational fishes who are interested
are certainly welcome. I do encourage them to get their
early registrations. At five point fifteen and Minister Mailee will
(09:37):
be making an address. We expect to hear from him
about his election commitments, particularly around Barramunday and the promise
phase out of commercial guildnetting. We also want to hear
about the government's approach to fishing access negotiations. There are
several land claims that have been recommended to be granted,
places like shady Camp, places like the Ropa River lower
(09:57):
Daily River, where we're expecting over this term of government
the federal government to make those grants. It will require
negotiations to occur, and of course the emerging issue with
golden snapper. There'll be a presentation from Anti Fisheries, an
opportunity to hear from the scientist's firsthand about the stock
assessment and to have those questions answered.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
What about where are things that with the phasing out
of the gill nets, right.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
So that's obviously a big ticket item. It's a very
very important thing.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
It's a four year commitment and you know, by the
time next year starts with three and a half years
three and only three and a half years to go.
So all about the government's commitment to phase out commercial
guildnetting for barrel Mondy and we're very pleased with that.
Of course, though the government has been focused on some
of its big ticket items, you know, crime and economy,
and we respect that.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
But come early.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Next year and the time of the empty budget, we
expect the government to be talking about what its plan
is and how it's going to institute it. It's not
only essential to give the community confidence that the government
is moving forward with its plan, but it's also fair
to industry to give them fair warning and to start
to show them what the pathway is to exit out
(11:08):
of those guilt net licenses.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
Yeah, which I think is fair enough. Like they obviously
need that plan and Territorians deserve to know. It was
something that was a big issue in the lead into
the election. David, We've got a few listener questions coming
through by the look of it. I've got one here
from Dave. Dave said, why don't we start registering bowjoners
and start up a fish stock program. This can also
be used for boat ramp and pontoon repairs too. Need
(11:31):
to stop using taxpayers money for boatings, says that message
from Dave.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Well, look, I mean I think it's a fair perspective
from Dave. He may not realize that recreational fishing actually
makes about a three hundred million dollar contribution to the
economy and is also critical to the way of life
for so many territorians. Now there are fishing licenses in
other states. One thing I would say is it hasn't
stopped the collapse of some of their fish stocks. But
(11:56):
the other challenge there is that we're talking in those
states about having seven hundred and fight hundred million fishes
in New South Wales, and even then their governments still
invest in their boating infrastructure and in their fishing infrastructure.
It is absolutely a conversation to have into the future.
Although I must say the cop has ruled out bringing
(12:17):
in fishing licenses, but it's important to recognize that the
amount of money that would be generated would not mean
that we don't have to have a significant co investment
from the government.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Hey, Robert called in yesterday to ask about the East
Boat ramps, saying that some minor repairs have been done.
It's chained up so it won't float away. But he's
hearing that that pontoon's going to be removing it in
the wish and putting it back in the dry Why
not just fix it probably the first time. Do you
know what the go is with that one, David, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
So there's been so many repairs to that pontoon that
it has been turned into effectively a seasonal the last
part of it, especially into a seasonal pontoon because when
we get those afternoons squads, when we get the wet
season wins, but also critically incredibly when we get the
dry season strong winds.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
It's been breaking apart.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Now, the government did make a commitment to improving Eastam.
They talked about capping, investigating putting a rock wall around it.
So we'll be encouraging the government to look further at that.
Exactly what the solution should be obviously has to fit
into the mix of other spending priorities help even with
regard to recreational fishing priorities, but it would be really
(13:31):
good to have that infrastructure beefed up. Unfortunately though it
is a shallow and exposed location where that ramp is.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Yeah, look, David, we always appreciate you coming in. There's
no shortage of things to talk about when it comes
to fishing. Thank you so very much for your time,
and I'm looking forward to hearing how things go at
the AGM as well.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Can anyone attend, Yes, certainly anyone with an interest in
recreational fishing. We'd considered to be one of our bona
fide guests, So if they'd like to hear, come along
to the Travel Lodge tomorrow night.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Registrations from five point fifteen.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
Six pm sharp start because we're going to hear from
the Minister first up. That really encourage people who attend
if they want to find out more about Barra, more
about access and more about Golden Snapper issue.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Wonderful stuff. David Girivolo, the CEO of AFANT, good to
speak to you this morning. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Thanks Katie
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