Today, Saturday the 21st of July, recreational boaters and fishers will be holding rallies around the state to protest against the pending arrival of the super trawler FV Margiris and AFMA’s mismanagement of the associated small pelagic fishery.
These rallies will be held simultaneous in Hobart, Launceston and the North West Coast.
Cavalcades of cars, trailer boats and other vessels will be driving past the local Federal Government MPs office in what is likely to be the biggest demonstration of solidarity by recreational fishers in Tasmanian history.
They will be peacefully expressing the groundswell of opposition to super trawling and the lack of regulation to prevent over-fishing in Australian waters.
Launceston rally co-organiser Janet Lambert said:
“This rally is taking place so that recreational fishers can show their worth to the state’s economy. Recreational fishers feel they are largely ignored in this issue and are concerned at the lack of concrete facts surrounding this ship’s imminent arrival. We are concerned that this ship has set sail from the other side of the world without AFMA having all the necessary regulation in place so Australian waters are not devastated.”
Hobart rally co-organiser Tyson Clements said:
“We continue to ask our politicians for assurances this boat won’t permanently damage our fisheries and delicate ecosystems through localised depletion but political ranks seems to be divided, there is no clear understanding of the impact this trawler will have. We continue to hear out-dated scientific figures thrown about with no solid regulations to ensure sustainability”
North West Coast co-organiser John Edwards said
“We know this vessel has over 18 million kilograms of quota for jack mackerel, blue mackerel and redbait. This is only part of the 36million kilogram quota available. Under the existing AFMA regulations it is possible that all this can be taken within sight of Tasmania”.
Organisers will present Julie Collins, Geoff Lyons and Sid Sidebottom with a document outlining the recreational fishers concerns with a proposal on a way forward.
The Hobart rally will congregate on the Brooker Highway opposite the Showgrounds for an 11.00am departure and travel via the Brooker Hwy to the City via the Tasman Hwy and the Taman Bridge to the Eastern Shore via East Derwent Hwy to the DEC
The Launceston rally will congregate at the Silverdome at 10.30am for an 11.00am departure and travel via the southern outlet to the city past Geoff Lyons MHR electorate office and return.
The North West Coast rally will congregate on Victoria Parade in Devonport at 10.30am for an 11.00am departure and travel past Senator Ann Urquhart’s office in Best Street then on to Ulverstone and Burnie past Sid Sidebottom’s office on the corner of Cattley Street and Alexander Street and conclude at the rear of West Park.
There will be minimal traffic disruption and no delays to the public are expected.
Earlier on Tasmanian Times:
Giant freezer trawler proposal may become a reality
Supertrawling the spirit of Tasmania
Turn it away. Petition …Super-trawler fears justified. Liberal backing lashed
Fears over Bass Strait super-trawler. Algal bloom breakout
• Stop the Trawler Action Group presents the film End Of The Line by Rupert Murray, the first major feature documentary revealing the impact of overfishing: The Boathouse at Northbank, 55a Lindsay St, Invermay, Thursday 19th July at 6.30pm,
Guest speaker Jon Bryan, marine campaigner for the Tasmanian Conservation Trust, followed by an open discussion about the Stop The Supertrawler campaign.
Beer, wine and snacks provided.
For more information on the film visit http://endoftheline.com/film/
First published: 2012-07-17 01:53 PM
• What ASIC says about Seafish Tasmania
• International Consortium of Investigative Journalists: Looting the Seas … Plunder in the Pacific
• John Hawkins: All about Seafish Tasmania: I suggest that the power of vested interest is here displayed … Please respond, Mr Geen
Download document: Fishery_Document_(2).docx
• The Washington Post:
Review of ‘The Ocean of Life: The Fate of Man and the Sea’ by Callum Roberts
EXCERPT:
Two years ago scientists said that cod stocks were rebuilding in the Gulf of Maine, one of New England’s principal fishing grounds, and fishermen were allowed to operate there under restrictions. But now scientists say the cod stocks are greatly diminished and the catch must be dramatically reduced.
There are three possible interpretations: The scientists were wrong two years ago, they are wrong now, or the government regulators are greatly misinterpreting the scientists’ findings.
In an informal survey, I asked regulators and scientists, including at least one of Roberts’s sources, why fishery management was not more successful. Was it the fault of the fishermen, regulators or scientists?
They disagreed about whether regulators or scientists were to blame — perhaps it was a failure of communication — but no one pointed the finger at the fishermen.
• Anne, Rally update:
Margiris Supertrawler’ simultaneous protests on Saturday
On Saturday July 21st, recreational boaters and fishers will be holding rallies around the state to protest against the pending arrival of the super trawler FV Margiris and AFMA’s mismanagement of the associated small pelagic fishery.
Cavalcades of cars, trailer boats and other vessels will be driving past the local Federal Government MPs office in what is likely to be the biggest demonstration of solidarity by recreational fishers in Tasmanian history.
The Launceston rally will congregate at the Silverdome at 10.30am for an 11.00am departure and travel via the southern outlet to the city past Geoff Lyons MHR electorate office and return.
The North West Coast rally will congregate on Victoria Parade in Devonport at 10.30am for an 11.00am departure and travel past Senator Ann Urquhart’s office in Best Street then on to Ulverstone and Burnie past Sid Sidebottom’s office on the corner of Cattley Street and Alexander Street and conclude at the rear of West Park.
The Hobart rally will congregate on the Brooker Highway opposite the Showgrounds for an 11.00am departure and travel via the Brooker Hwy to the City via the Tasman Hwy and the Taman Bridge to the Eastern Shore via East Derwent Hwy to the DEC
There will be minimal traffic disruption and no delays to the public are expected.
