What the Tasmanian Liberals will do:

Support a thriving and expanding recreational fishing sector and ensure it has a strong voice into the future.

The importance of the fishing sector to Tasmania’s economy, and way of life, cannot be overstated.

The recreational fishing sector is a major employer and wealth creator. It is estimated that one in every three Tasmanians goes fishing and fishing is a popular activity for interstate and international visitors. The state is recognized internationally for its game fishing; and our inland fishery is acclaimed around the world.

But the recreational fishing sector has for too long been marginalized by the State Government and needs a strong, representative voice to ensure that this sector’s needs are properly considered by government. And the sector needs a government that understands the massive contribution it makes to Tasmania, rather than taking it for granted.

Infrastructure issues must be addressed. Fishing infrastructure has been neglected after 12 years of Labor, and the reactive ad hoc approaches of the Labor government to ongoing bar way issues statewide needs real change.

Fishing is a part of the Tasmanian lifestyle. The Liberals will ensure that the recreational fishing sector is given the support it needs to grow and the voice it needs to be heard properly by policy makers.

What the Liberals will do

Socio-economic study
A Hodgman Majority Liberal Government will implement an independent socio-economic study into the Tasmanian recreational fishing sector.

The recreational fishing sector supports a large sector of the State’s economy, yet is often overlooked when it comes to policy decisions.

We believe a greater understanding of the value of the recreational fishing sector will ensure that the sector’s views receive greater prominence by all levels of government and policy-makers.  We will provide $50,000 funding for the study.

Peak body
A Hodgman Majority Liberal Government will ensure the recreational fishing sector has a well resourced peak body to represent it, with democracy available for all fishers.

This will ensure the sector has a unified voice that is better heard when it comes to government policy making and decisions that impact the sector.

We will reverse Labor’s decision to take $150,000 a year from the Fishwise Fund to pay for departmental activities previously funded through the State Budget.

No saltwater rod licence
A Hodgman Majority Liberal Government will not implement a licence for saltwater rod and line recreational fishing in Tasmania.

Other States have moved down the path of establishing licensing regimes for saltwater rod and line recreational fishing and the Bartlett Labor Government has not ruled this out – in fact it is considering it.

Only a Hodgman Liberal Government can be relied upon to allow all Tasmanians and visitors to dangle a line in saltwater without the need to hold a licence.

Streamlining management of fishing infrastructure
Tasmania has a commercial and recreational fisheries sector that covers almost the State’s entire coastline. Over the years, various jetties, wharves, pontoons and other
facilities have been developed by a range of different agencies. Responsibility for these facilities is often unclear and many have deteriorated to a state of disrepair.

The Tasmanian Liberals believe all public marine facilities not required by the commercial shipping sector should come under single control, and we believe MAST has the track record to take on this new role.

Fixing our bar ways
A Hodgman Majority Liberal Government will require MAST to develop a preliminary business case for a program of annual or biennial dredging of regional bar ways and
ports used by the commercial fishing, and recreational fishing sector.

We will provide MAST with $50,000 funding to develop this business case.

Dedicated recreational scale-fishing zones
We believe that recreational-scale fish-only fishing zones have merit and we will examine their establishment. However this would be done in close consultation with the
commercial fishing sector and we believe that any loss of entitlements should be compensated for on a fully commercial basis. 

Potential recreational fishing zones that exclude commercial interests could be established near Bridport, St Helens coast, Burnie and Table Cape, and other areas.

Access to ports
A Hodgman Majority Liberal Government will initiate a Parliamentary Inquiry into the feasibility of Tasports providing access, even if only on a limited basis, to recreational rod
and line fishers.

New federal security requirements have led to the exclusion of recreational fishing from port facilities at Hobart, Burnie and Devonport.

We will ask the Parliament to examine how to open these port facilities up for family rod and line fishing in a manner that does not compromise ports security or the Tasports business model.

New scale fish rules
A Hodgman Liberal Government will formally disallow Labor’s new scale fish rules.  Among other anomalies, these new rules set in place illogical changes to striped trumpeter and blue eye catch possession limits for both recreational and commercial fishermen.

We will formally disallow these rules until agreement is reached on a series of unresolved issues – with genuine consultation this time.

Protecting recreational diving entitlements
Recreational diving in Tasmania is a well established activity with many Tasmanians enjoying diving for scallops, abalone and rock lobster.

To address fears in the recreational fishing community over the Labor Government’s intentions in this area, all current opportunities to take fish in this manner will remain in place under a Hodgman Majority Liberal Government.

We will also review the arrangements for the recreational scallop diving regime in the D’Entrecasteaux channel, considering proposals to shorten the season while allowing a modest increase in daily take.

INLAND FISHING

Water management - giving anglers a greater say
A Hodgman Majority Liberal Government recognizes there is considerable concern that water management plans, and irrigation development proposals, don’t provide enough consideration to anglers, particularly at an early stage of their development.

In response to these concerns, the current government provided for an Inland Fisheries Advisory Council and Anglers Alliance Tasmania representatives to be part of a special Irrigation Development Board working party.

The special working party will meet regularly so there is a strong mutual understanding of the needs of both sectors when it comes to irrigation development, and that the Anglers Alliance is properly consulted in the development of water management plans.

A Hodgman Majority Liberal Government will strongly support the continued implementation of the Tasmanian Inland Fishery Management Plan.

Water quality monitoring
The Tasmanian Liberals have released a comprehensive policy of how a Hodgman Majority Liberal Government will address concerns related to water quality, and particularly, pesticide run-off, which is of vital interest to recreational fishers.

We will overhaul the pesticide monitoring system to ensure the collection of accurate data to better understand patterns of chemical usage and to assist in the mitigation of any possible environmental and human health issues.

We will also commit to examining the current regulatory settings to ensure the system adequately protects human health, the environment and the users of these chemicals.

As part of this policy, we will also increase funding to a revamped Spray Information and Referral Unit.