Supporters of We Fish

We Fish makes no money from what we do, its complete done on a volunteer basis, the supports listed down the right hand side of the page are the businesses or groups that help us share the information and assist us, a very vital role in the big picture, we don’t charge our supporters any money, they do so much it would be unfair, so if you are in need of any of the services they provide please give them a go, support those that support you.

If anyone else would like to assist please send an email to we_fish@hotmail.com, and we would be glad to add you to the list.

The We Fish team

Bunning’s issue resolved

First of all, a big thank you to all the anglers that sent emails and phoned Bunning’s and also to Bunning’s itself for resolving this issue so quickly, it’s great to have the speed and mass of anglers get behind something so quickly and I am sure this played a vital role in getting this issue resolved so quickly.

So to be completely clear a message did go out to at least some Bunning’s managers that they are not to support any group involved in killing any animal, the Bunning’s store managers that informed us of this are the good guys and not a bunch of rouges as it has been reported on some web sites, one particular manager was a recreational fisherman himself and was greatly concerned about the way this new directive had read, and when asked if he could assist a fishing club he said he would do what he can regardless of what the message had said. We are unaware how this will or will not affect hunting groups, but have passed Patricks contact details on to the hunting groups that contacted us to assist them is getting some clarification themselves.



Early this morning I received an email from Patrick Gallus Bunning’s Community Involvement Coordinator, and after a phone call, he assured me that the intent of the communications sent to store managers was not meant to include fishing/angling clubs and that he will get the message out to managers to clear up the intent of the message, I have been asked by a number of people if Bunning’s will support hunting groups, and I was unable to answer that but passed on the contact details so these groups can contact Patrick and clear that up themselves. Patrick asked for us to be patient as it might take a few days for the message to filter down through the chain.

Once again Bunning’s must be commended for acting so quickly and sorting out this issue in lest then 14 hr from it being brought to everyone’s attention it was fixed, I trust that anglers will continue to support Bunning’s as they have done in the past, and thank the Bunning’s store managers that assisted bringing this issue to our attention.

In the next week the We Fish team will follow up with the Bunning’s store managers concerned to ensure they have received the message correcting Bunning’s position to continue to support fishing/angling clubs as they have done in the past.

A great result all round, and you all should give yourselves a huge pat on the back, without the support that We Fish has from anglers it would not be possible to do the majority of what we do.

Bunning’s anti fishing stance!

We have been informed from 2 Bunning’s store managers that Bunning’s managers have been instructed not to support any group that is associated with killing any animal including angling clubs, as well as hunting and shooting clubs. This ban includes the Saturday Bunning’s BBQ out the front of their stores that sell meat sausages; I am assuming that the sausages sold at these BBQ’s contain the new meat that grows on trees! 

I have sent Bunning’s 2 emails asking for clarification and have included all my contact details, at the time of writing this I have not yet received a reply.

Fishing in Australia is very well managed, sustainable, a great activity for young kids and has been responsible for more conservation than any other group in this country, since 1973 Game fishing in Australia has provided or participated in the majority of the information we have on our marine species, at no cost to anyone else but our selves, in fact if it wasn’t for fishing in Australia we would most likely not even know what species are out there let alone anything else about them. Just last weekend I participated in game fishing tournament, where one fish was weighed in and 15 tagged, that’s 15 tagged fish swimming around that will provide information that will assist us in improving our knowledge on this particular species, at absolutely no cost to the government, science groups, or anyone one else as has been done for years.
Considering Bunning’s parent company Wesfarmers which was founded as a West Australian Farmers Co-op, this is just a joke taking this sort of action against groups that have always supported them.

This is a clear example of the anti-fishing propaganda that has been spread in this country with the help of our current government, the entire marine park issue has achieved nothing but banned fishing, no other threats some of which are hundreds of times greater than fishing did not even get a mention, yet these very same advocates for these marine parks are all of the same opinion that marine parks will not affect fishing greatly as people simply don’t go there, well if you are to believe what they say, they have created marine parks by banning people who don’t go there?


Anglers should not support any business that participates in this propaganda war against fishing, We Fish urge all anglers to simply stop shopping at Bunning’s until this is cleared up and or they change their policy of persecuting or discriminating against fishing clubs. As part of the Wesfarmers group, they should be more sensitive to their customers.


Contact Bunning’s head office, either electronically or snail mail (detail below) asking for clarification and if this isn’t resolved soon it may be necessary to hand in or cancel your trade account.


Enough is enough and its time we start standing up for ourselves, and stopped being walked over its time to draw the line in the sand!


Bunning’s National Support Centre
Locked Bag 3004 Hawthorn, Vic 3122
CustomerFeedback@bunnings.com.au


In your email or letter simply state that you have been made aware that Bunning’s stores will no longer support fishing/angling clubs, on the grounds they kill animals and you feel they completely lack the knowledge of what fishing is all about and will no longer be shopping at their stores and will ask everyone you know to do the same. Make sure you include all your contact details, and any fishing clubs you belong to.

Hopefully this will be a simple misunderstanding that will be resolved quickly by Bunning’s, if not then I am sure further action will send a loud and clear message.


This email was sent to the Bunning’s parent company Wesfarmers


We have been informed that Bunning’s manager have been instructed not to support any group that is associated with killing any animal or any sort of betting or gambling, and that this included fishing /angling clubs.

Seeing as fishing groups have been at the forefront of marine conservation, and responsible for greater marine conservation than any other group in this country, as well as being responsible for providing or participating in the majority of the information we currently have on our marine species, at no cost to anyone else but ourselves, we feel that this is just part of the anti-fishing propaganda that has been directed at fishing in this country over the last few years, and find it totally unacceptable.

We would like clarification from Wesfarmers whether this is just a Bunning’s decision or if it goes right across the range of all your companies.

I have sent emails to Bunning’s vair the contact form on the web page as well as a direct email and have had no response as yet, so we have gone public with this information and unless we receive are written clarification of this policy, we will be taking further action to inform as many anglers as possible, so they can make an informed choice on which businesses they support.


Awaiting your reply with anticipation

Daniel Stanilovic
We Fish

Labor SA get it so wrong

Hon Michelle Lensink MLC
Deputy State Liberal Leader in the Legislative Council Shadow Minister for Sustainability and the Environment
Shadow Minister for Water and the River Murray

Tuesday 19 February 2013

Labor Sanctuary (No Take) Zones out of touch with reality – Just see the Ad!

A $1.2 million TV advertisement for Labor’s Marine Parks Sanctuary (No Take) Zones stars a young fisherman crabbing on Pt Noarlunga jetty.

The only problem is crabbing is banned on Pt Noarlunga jetty.

“There couldn’t be a more graphic representation of how out of touch Labor is with reality over the implementation of its Sanctuary (No Take) Zone policy,” Shadow Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Michelle Lensink said.
“Coastal communities have being crying out for the Weatherill Labor Government to understand the devastating impact Sanctuary (No Take) Zones would have upon them.
“It is clear from this advertisement, Labor doesn’t even understand the rules currently in place.”
In addition to advertising illegal crabbing, the Marine Parks Sanctuary (No Take) Zone advertisement depicted the young fisherman without a hat or bait bucket.
In the space of one TV advertising campaign the Labor Government has advertised an illegal activity and abandoned its ‘Slip, Slop, Slap” policy.
“The staggering irregularities in Labor’s $1.6 million advertising campaign are indicative of the government’s cavalier attitude to the entire Marine Parks project,” Ms Lensink said.
“They failed to heed the concerns of regional communities, failed to listen to the concerns raised by the Liberal Opposition, and now fail to observe the law or basic common sense in sanctioning an advertising campaign celebrating the entire mess.
“This is a $1.2 million mistake by Minister Hunter. The responsibility lies with him.”

http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1110266716692-97/Labor+Sanctuary+%28No+Take%29+Zones.pdf

Drawing the line promo

http://www.drawingthelinefilm.com/#!about/c10fk

Call to fast-track Warrnambool harbour studies

FISHERMEN have urged Warrnambool City Council to streamline investigations into a proposed multi-million-dollar upgrade of Lady Bay harbour boating facilities.
In a united deputation to councillors on Monday night, local and metropolitan-based fishing groups again highlighted estimated economic spin-offs of up to $16 million in the first year if the harbour was improved.

They called for studies into any environmental effects and economic impacts to run in a similar timeframe to new 12-month research into wave patterns.

After months of tension between the fishing lobby and council over the contentious issue, mayor Michael Neoh yesterday told The Standard said it was pleasing to see solidarity in the sector.

“The fishing groups realise there need to be more studies done,” he said. “Council will look at all projects as part of the budget process and setting of priorities.

“We need realistic timeframes and certainly don’t want to be squirrelling away money for projects that are not ready to proceed.”

We Fish group spokesman Dale McClelland said if all necessary studies were undertaken simultaneously there would be more chance of being able to apply for key construction money sooner rather than later.

“It is far better to have these other studies done with the wave research, not afterwards,” he said.

“I gave a presentation to the council on how we could assist with securing government funding.

“There is a $20m boating infrastructure fund that hasn’t been fully used up yet.”

Last year two marina options of about $6m each were put out for public comment and the council decided to seek more information.

Mr McClelland accompanied Neville Dance, Bruce Ludeman, Andrew Body and Lucas Wilson of the Warrnambool Offshore and Light Game Fishing Club to the closed-door council meeting this week
.
“I think the council was positive towards us and realises the benefits of better boating facilities would be for the whole community and not just for fishers,” Mr McClelland.

He said the annual influx of boaters chasing southern bluefin tuna was starting and by the March long weekend there would be hundreds of visitors to the coastline between Warrnambool and Port Macdonnell.

http://www.standard.net.au/story/1312838/call-to-fast-track-warrnambool-harbour-studies/?cs=72

Young Gun fishing Adventures Outreach Program

Young Gun fishing Adventures Outreach Program

This is a fantastic program to assist young people that are finding it hard to stay on the right track, the program has very successful by introducing or re-introducing all aspects of fishing to these young people by diverting there anti-social behaviour into a positive accessible recreational activity.

This is something that all anglers should support in any way they can, it highlights one of the most positive aspects of fishing, Young Gun fishing adventures also conduct school incursions & excursions, school holiday fishing programs, fishing birthday parties as well as many other fishing related activities.

The young people are the future of recreational fishing, without them there will be no recreational fishing in Australia, we need to show as many young people the joys of fishing and the benefits it provides, we need to create more avenues for our young people to enter fishing careers, and we need politicians and public servant in the future to have a better understanding of fishing. Programs like this are vital not only for a healthier population of youth but imperative if recreational fishing is to survive into the future.

Well done to the Young Gun team .

website
http://www.younggunsfishing.com.au/school_incursions_&_excursions.html

Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Young-Guns-Fishing-Adventures/113909491973033?ref=ts&fref=ts