Next Roundtable

Spearfishing is represented on the fisheries Roundtable – which is a government committee. The next meeting is coming up on Friday June 14.

Attached should be a file containing the agenda for the meeting. Is there anything the members feel should be raised or spoken to?

I am scheduled to give a 15 minute presentation to the Committee. At this stage, my basic aim is to say “Spearfishers are here. We’ve been around for a while and will continue. Like all fishers, we are being squeezed, so our interests should be taken into account if and when regulations are updated.”

Its easy for me to describe the sport, and the history but the issues facing the sport and its future are little more tricky. I have previously discussed some of them on this forum, but more feedback wouldn’t hurt. Seems to me, the following are important:
• automatic equality with anglers (unless there is a specific reason to the contrary)
• establishment of artificial reefs suitable for spearfishing, and maybe FADs
• a re-think of the ban on blue groper
• another look at some closed areas with a view to opening some
• more and better boat ramps
• declaring some areas important to fishing and spearfishing, with legal recognition of the right to fish and spear in them.

Comments?

I plan to be at the next (June) club meeting (I am the short, old, b*gger with the white goatee), and if you feel inclined to discuss with me, please do.

Ric

_________________
Ric Fallu started spearfishing in Pt Phillip in the early 1960s, and never really stopped

one more thing - fresh water spearfishing (carp).

_________________
http://lokus200.blogspot.com/

Fish shop i saw the other day wouldnt like that they were selling the crap at 8.99kg.


Hey Ric,

Closed areas such as Inlets to be open to us without the stupid conditions currently being imposed - certain inlets eg Andersons Inlet you can use a hand spear with no sling, two barbless prongs only. So you spear a fish it gets away and dies a slow agonizing death.

Bigger fines/jail time for people that are caught raping our waterways. A fine of 5k with a suspended sentence, big whoops a big deterrent that is for somebody who has been doing it for years, a few more illegal sessions will pay that off quickly!

Geoff

_________________
Watch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnsjOA1G3wE&sns=em

Thanks for the feedback

Have taken comments on board, and will relay

Ric

_________________
Ric Fallu started spearfishing in Pt Phillip in the early 1960s, and never really stopped

Would it be appropriate to say something about improved education regarding boating safety around dive flags? Besides the inherent danger of freediving, that is probably the next biggest danger (in the bay at least). In particular with the PWC's.

Correct me if I'm wrong but can you get done for cleaning fish and chucking the guts or frames back into where you dived (as opposed to at a boat ramp with bins)?

Thanks for feedback on this forum and at the last meeting. Will take comments into account and modify presentation accordingly.

Boat strike is definitely an issue. It might well be the most important safety issue.

Returning fish guts and frames to water may be an EPA issue (as opposed to Fisheries) - and its desirable to keep rubbish out of sight. Am not sure if its an issue that needs to be brought up at the round table. The ban on returning ab guts is a Fisheries matter - and has a sound basis for disease control - so its something we should support.

Ric

_________________
Ric Fallu started spearfishing in Pt Phillip in the early 1960s, and never really stopped

I attended the Fisheries Round table on 14 June 2013.

As usual, most of the discussion did not have much to do with spearfishing – a lot of it was about how fishing licence money is spent, and there was some discussion on dealing with marine life damaged by fishing line. I’ll post a copy of the Chairman’s summary when it becomes available.

But at the end, I did get a chance to give my presentation on the history of spearfishing in Victoria and some of the problems facing the sport. My primary goal was to raise a hand and say “We’re here. Don’t forget us”.

I think I managed to catch their attention. I put the contention that spearfishers are the poor relations and that we suffer restrictions that were never intended, but occurred simply because spearfishing was never really thought of during deliberations. This seemed to be accepted. It was suggested that I compile a list for discussion at later meetings. (I hope to have a discussion on the forum about what goes on that list).

I mentioned FADs – suggesting our interest was more for kingfish than mahi mahi. This seemed to fit in well enough with what they have been considering for anglers. I also suggested that future artificial reefs in the 10 to 16 metre depth range might be more usable for spearfishers than ones in 20 metres plus. This seemed to be noted too.

I also threw in three contentious examples to gauge the response. I suggested that:
• matters such as protecting blue groper need to be covered by an environmental management plan, which makes allowance for management goals not being achieved, and possible relaxation of restrictions if no benefit was coming from them. Most of the faces looking at me were blank.
• it should be legal to spear carp. There produced a little more interest, but still a lot of blank faces.
• Anderson’s Inlet should be opened for spearfishing. I speculated that the ban on spearing was initially implemented to protect flounder, and was out of date. This generated a bit more of a positive reaction. One member commented that the ban was introduced before commercial fishing was removed from the inlet. A fisheries official noted that there was a fisheries/stakeholder meeting at the club rooms of the Anderson Inlet Angling Club in Inverloch this coming Tuesday, and suggested I might like to attend. I plan to. It still early days yet, but the possibilities for opening Anderson’s Inlet (and gaining access to estuary perch therein) appear worth pursuing.

Anyway, its just be beginning for the whole process, the fisheries staff certainly appeared to listen, and we may eventually get a loosening of some (what appear to us) unnecessary restrictions. We certainly have nothing to lose. There is still a long way to go, but it’s not too bad a start.

I still need to hear ideas of what ought to be changed with Fisheries law to provide better and sustainable spearfishing in Victoria. Feel free to post your thoughts.

Ric

_________________
Ric Fallu started spearfishing in Pt Phillip in the early 1960s, and never really stopped

I attended the Fisheries forum at Inverloch last night. It was held in the club rooms of the Anderson's Inlet Angling club.

The agenda was full and the time was limited, so rather than me giving a hurried presentation, I found the "go-to" person for the club and asked her if I could come back and talk to the club at one of their later meetings. If we want to regain access to the inlet, getting the approval of this club is essential. The "go to" lady said she will arrange for me to attend a meeting. She was a little cautious, but that's only right and proper. Time will tell how well they recieve my presentation and the matters I would like to raise.

I also took the opportunity to talk to other people I met there. Amongst them was a local Fisheries Officer who had a bit of background on the inlet and the laws relating to it. It seems that spearfishing was allowed in years gone by, but there was concern that spearfishers would interact badly with commercial fishers netting the area, and spearfishers lost the debate. However, since that time, commercial fishing has been banned in the inlet - removing the original reason to ban spearfishing.

What would be good would be if I could get access to a projector so I can give my presentation in power point. Does anybody have advice where I may be able to get one?

Ric

_________________
Ric Fallu started spearfishing in Pt Phillip in the early 1960s, and never really stopped

Great job ric!