Newsletter 10 – September 2009
RECFISHTAS - I FISH AND I VOTE
Next year will probably be the most important year since the Association was formed in 1979 to counter (then) plans to BAN recreational rock lobster fishing. With the State Election looming, membership numbers and funding are critical so sign up and if possible find new members to help the effort.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING & SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
Saturday 17th October 2009
Immediately following the AGM there will be a Special General Meeting of the new committee to finalise RECFISHTAS's suggested model for a proper representative body to replace TARFish.
POLITICAL LOBBYING
The priority is a properly funded, democratically elected, independent representative body to replace the Government controlled, commercially dominated TARFish – whose rules specifically exclude full voting membership by the same individuals who fund it, and whose meetings are closed to the public. Completely unacceptable.
Other key issues being pushed are reduced licence fees and registration fees (for boats) rather than the present taxation system, and a better deal for recreational rock lobster fishers.
Rene Hidding (Liberal) and Kim Booth (Greens) agree TARFish is not appropriate; so too have several Labor candidates. RECFISHTAS has been asked to provide a model to replace TARFish. So far there are essentially two alternatives;
Model 'A' – all marine recreational fishers (who are not also commercial fishers/have commercial fishing interests) would be eligible to be members, regardless of whether or not they hold a marine recreational fishing licence. Affiliation by like minded not for profit organisations allowed.
Similar to the existing RECFISHTAS structure.
Model 'B' – individual full voting membership restricted to marine recreational licence holders only (who do not also hold/have commercial fishing licences or have commercial fishing interests). Affiliation by like minded not for profit organisations allowed.
Similar to the structure of the commercial fishing representative bodies e.g. Tasmanian Seafood Industry Council (TSIC) which do not allow recreational fishing membership.
In both Models commercial interests or organisations would be specifically excluded.
Unfortunately Premier David Bartlett is not interested and will not even agree to a meeting. However he did meet the peak body for trout fishers - Anglers Alliance pre the Budget, and, co - incidentally the taxpayer funded subsidy for the trout fishery was increased in the last Budget from $1.17 million per annum to $1.20 million at a time when most other areas suffered severe funding cuts e.g. Parks & Wildlife.
We have not wasted our time contacting David llewellyn given his clearly anti marine recreational fisher policies.
Save Recreational Fishing!
Recreational Fishing Policy Contacts - Tasmanian Government
Rod Pearn - 6233 3523 – Manager Recreational Fishing, Department of Primary Industries and Water
Kathryn Campbell - 6233 6704 - Ministerial Adviser to Minister David Llewellyn
