WeFish press release 31st August

“WE FISH”

Press release

31^TH August 2012

For immediate release

Victorian Anglers Banding Together to protest against the Super Trawler Margiris

With the arrival of the Super trawler FV Margiris into Port Lincoln to be re Badged an “AUSTRALIAN VESSEL” and to fish for 18000tonnes of Jack Mackerel Redbait and Blue Mackerel (and an option of another 18000 Tonnes) Victorian anglers, like other Anglers from all over Australia, have drawn an line in the sand and are taking a firm Stance against this Trawler, AFMA. DAFF, and Senator Joe Ludwig’s support of this Vessel.

“Saturday 1st September will see the Victorian Recreational Fishing Community band together En Masse to show the Federal Government and its agencies involved that we have had enough” said Dale McClelland We Fish Spokesperson

Recreational Fishing is a way of life for many Australians and contributes many billions of dollars to the community and we are treated like a cash cow at times

Recreational Fishermen in Victoria have raised many concerns on three key issues relating directly to this trawlers impact

  

ENVIRONMENTAL
- Victorian anglers do not believe the Margiris employs sustainable fishing practices
- Victorian anglers believe that the Margiris is threatening to the entire food chain by its impact on bait (food) species. We believe that its method will result in adverse effects to all marine life right up to top end species including whales, seals, sharks, dolphins, tuna and marlin. We hold great concerns over other effects on marine reliant species such as penguins, seabirds etc.

Victorian anglers are seriously concerned that localised depletion of bait stocks in key fishing areas will have a detrimental effect on everything from tourism to tackle sales

MORAL
- Victorian Anglers do not believe in harvesting and selling precious Australian resources cheaply to overseas markets.
- Victorian anglers do not believe that employing imported ships with foreign labour should be allowed to fish in our waters whilst our own professional fleet is diminished.

ECONOMIC
- Victorian anglers do not believe that employing the Margiris provides any positive economic value for Australians.
- Victorian anglers believe that there will be a negative economic result through the impact on marine life and its various reliant economies i.e. Professional and Recreational Fishing, tourism etc.
- Victorian anglers do not trust the science supporting the proposal. The science has been primarily funded by the proponents, and history has shown clearly that marine science has got it wrong. I.e. School shark, gemfish, coastal prawn, orange roughy etc.

WE FISH gratefully acknowledge the support shown from the following groups

VR fish, the state peak body and advocacy group for recreational fishing

GFAV the Game Fishing association of Victoria

Many clubs and organisations such as the Victorian Game Fishing Club, Bass Strait Game Fishing Club, Greenvale Game Fishing Club, Hobson’s Bay Angling and Game fishing Clubs, Altona Angling Club, Launching Way at Patterson Lakes The Hobson’s Bay City Council and Victoria Police as well as many tackle stores, boat Companies and Fishing radio shows, Websites and social media outlets

   WE URGE ALL VICTORIAN ANGLERS TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT BY JOINING THE RALLY

Media Contact:

Dale McClelland

0400 902 492

WE FISH press release 28th August Super tralwer

“WE FISH”

Press release

28^TH August 2012

For immediate release

Victorian Anglers Banding Together to protest against the Super Trawler Margiris

With the imminent arrival of the Super trawler FV Margiris into Australian waters to fish for 18000tonnes of Jack Mackerel Redbait and Blue Mackerel (and an option of another 18000 Tonnes) Victorian anglers  like other Anglers from all over Australia have drawn an line in the sand and are taking a firm Stance against this Trawler, AFMA. DAFF and Senator Joe Ludwig’s support of this Vessel.

The Science, Backroom Deals regarding the Quota and lobbying for this Trawler by AFMA just don’t stack up Said Dale McClelland, WE Fish spokesman

Victorian and Australian anglers have been dealt So many issues in the last 2 years by This Government such as marine parks, Mako Bans, pressure on specific species, and the like on based on out-dated and dodgy Science and we have had enough.

A show of Strength will occur this Saturday (September 1^st)  when a procession of boats From both the east and West of the state will merge on the West Gate Bridge in and then proceed back to Altona Ramp where a rally will be held to voice concerns over the Trawler and the process involved in bringing it to Australian shores

Boats will leave Launching Way in Patterson Lakes at 10 am and Altona at 10.30 am and merge together on the Westgate Bridge to form a line of some 200 boats showing recreational fishermen’s solidarity on this issue

We Fish and Victorian anglers believe this ship should be banned from fishing in Australian waters and registered as an Australian ship on the following 3 grounds 

ENVIRONMENTAL

- Victorian anglers do not believe the Margiris employs sustainable fishing practices
- Victorian anglers believe that the Margiris is threatening to the entire food chain by its impact on bait (food) species. We believe that its method will result in adverse effects to all marine life right up to top end species including whales, seals, sharks, dolphins, tuna and marlin. We hold great concerns over other effects on marine reliant species such as penguins, seabirds etc.

MORAL

- Victorian Anglers do not believe in harvesting and selling precious Australian resources cheaply to overseas markets.
- Victorian anglers do not believe that employing imported ships with foreign labour should be allowed to fish in our waters whilst our own professional fleet is diminished.

ECONOMIC

- Victorian anglers do not believe that employing the Margiris provides any positive economic value for Australians.
- Victorian anglers believe that there will be a negative economic result through the impact on marine life and its various reliant economies i.e. Professional and Recreational Fishing, tourism etc
- Victorian anglers do not trust the science supporting the proposal. The science has been primarily funded by the proponents, and history has shown clearly that marine science has got it wrong. i.e. School shark, gemfish, coastal prawn, orange roughy etc.

WE URGE ALL VICTORIAN ANGLERS TO SHOW THEIR SUPPOT BY JOINING THE RALLY

Media Contact:

Dale McClelland

0400 902 492

Coalition throws its support behind fishers

AUSTRALIAN MARINE ALLIANCE MEDIA RELEASE

THE ENVIRONMENT IS THE BIG WINNER FROM TODAYS FEDERAL

COALITION ANNOUNCEMENT OVER MARINE PARKS

The Australian Marine Alliance (AMA) today applauded the leadership of the federal coalition in announcing a renewed effort to bring the Marine Bio-Regional Planning Process (MBPP) back to the stable scientific foundation it was on prior to Labor taking carriage of the process.

Chief Executive of the AMA Dean Logan, “This is truly a historic and courageous announcement that will deliver unprecedented environmental benefits.

“As I speak to over 50 chefs next week in Sydney and dozens of industry leaders across the country on Wednesday and Thursday, the choice is now very clear.

 “We can choose to accept a process that horse trades the marine environment for inner city preferences -backed, of course, by misleading brochures, campaigns and advertisements - or we can support the development of a policy framework that delivers a strong independent and scientific outcome.”

Figures released today to the AMA by a leading marine scientist show that the Tony Burke led marine reserve network will close in excess of 34% of Australia’s total EEZ with a staggering projected total impact of approximately 77% of Queensland’s east coast, 36% of this will be totally closed to fishing. Whilst it is difficult to determine the precise amount of area closed, the overall percentage of closures well exceeds the international benchmark of 10% for what many now realize is a negligible environmental  benefit. Moreover, Australia imports in-excess of 70% of its total seafood requirement. Within weeks of Minister Burke making the announcement to develop the largest marine reserve network in the world and tell Australian fisherman to ‘sell up’ by seeking compensation, the USA Tuna Purse-Seine fleet cut a $630M deal to catch tuna in the western pacific and a Thailand and Philippine consortium invested millions to can 380 metric tonnes of tuna a day, the very tuna Minster Burke says our fisherman can’t catch.

Mr Logan continued “We say negligible environmental benefit because the scientific evidence is compelling. You deliver far more for the marine environment by managing the environment than you do simply locking it up and throwing the key away.

“UNESCO agrees, arguing recently in Australia, that our marine environment is not threatened by fishing at all, but rather land based externalities like coastal development and nutrient runoff.

 “The marine environment deserves strong leadership – not horse trading for political survival.

“You can’t one week implement the largest marine reserve network in the world and lock out fisherman based on ‘environmental principles’ and then the next week allocate hundreds of new oil and gas leases in the same areas as Federal Labor has done.

 “We also can’t remember the last time the Australian Greens held a community forum and sat down with fisherman to talk about their industry. Does Christine Milne represent all Australia or just those who happen to agree with the Greens policy?

 “The Coalition made a principled decision today. They are clearly the only party committed to working with fisherman, families, industry and communities to protect the marine environment and give this country and the environment the future it deserves,”

ended

Mr Logan.

Media can contact Dean Logan (AMA) on 0403 195 798

WWW.AUSTRALIANMARINEALLIANCE.COM.AU

CANBERRA | NEW SOUTH WALES | BRISBANE | SOUTH AUSTRALIA | WESTERN

AUSTRALIA | NORTHERN TERRITORY | VICTORIA

24 August

Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation media release 23rd August

Victorian anglers No super trawler rally

Saturday 1st September

Environmental

Point1

We don’t believe the science and its too conflicting with the jack mackerel population now being stated by the CSIRO as resident in many key areas

Point 2

Why interfere with the food chain for very little if any benefit to Australia its just too bigger risk

Economical

Point 3

There is no financial benefit to Australia

None

the fuel used on this boat is being subsidised by the EU making our fishing fleet less competitive

Social

Point 4

There is no benefit to the recreational or commercial fishery by having this boat here

Point 5

Why take any risk with this boat that is of no benefit to the larger population

Recreational fishing is one of the biggest social activities in Australia From garbologists to lawyers we all fish and talk about fishing and love fishing, its one of the great equalisers

Launching way route

Altona route

Details

Keep up to date have a look at the facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/VictorianAnglersNOSuperTrawlerRally

Altona route google map

http://goo.gl/maps/PCu4O

Carrum route google map

http://goo.gl/maps/8QaVD