The Palaszczuk Labor Government’s changes to the state’s Fisheries Regulations is causing angst up and down the coast, with the changes forcing hundreds of family-owned commercial fishers out of the industry.
LNP Shadow Minister for Fisheries Tony Perrett called for a halt to the regulation changes after it became clear Labor was no longer listening to industry.
“Under the proposed changes listed in the released discussion paper, quota changes to certain fisheries species will see allowable take reduced to well below business viability for many fishers,” Mr Perrett said.
“Generational fishing businesses and jobs are being whipped away due to Labor arbitrarily squeezing them out, by reducing their quota to unsustainable levels.
“All these changes are being imposed on fishers without a cent of compensation.
“To make matters worse, the Palaszczuk Labor Government hasn’t completed modelling on the impact the reduction in available Queensland fisheries will have on local and domestic seafood supply.
“It doesn’t take a genius to realise if there is less available local seafood to meet demand then imports from overseas will increase.
“Put simply, there will be less Queensland seafood and more imports in your local supermarket.
“While the LNP want to make it easier for consumers to identify and purchase Queensland seafood through clearer labelling laws, Labor is in the process of dismantling and destroying our once proud commercial fishing fleet”.
Queensland Seafood Industry Association (QSIA) CEO Eric Perez joined the LNP in calling for a halt to the misguided regulation changes putting fishers’ livelihoods on the line.
“Quota changes have not been developed in full consultation with industry and do not represent best practice in terms of fisheries management,” Mr Perez said.
“Industry were asked to provide feedback on how to manage our fisheries and quota was not supported by most commercial fishers.
“Yet this industry finds itself on the verge of more poorly developed fisheries policy”.
