My 2 bobs worth as presented to WA fisheries minister many years ago at a time l was a committee member of the Perth Game fishing club! A farmer prepares the land, plants seeds, manages and supports the crop to grow.At days end the farmers toil and costs provide, hopefully, a financially beneficial product to send to market! A charter fisherperson starts their let’s say 10 people at $450-$4500! Now the engine starts and real costs begin and that $4500 income starts reducing as a result. The time that engine runs, burning profit is a limiting factor and that provides a situation wherein a relatively small area is placed under enormous pressure, an unsustainable pressure! Unlike the farmer, the charter boat receives remuneration from a resource that has required no time nor costs growing that very resource- nature did that! I am amazed that nothing has ever been done to protect such a delicate, ecosystem as the Darwin harbour from the immense pressure of both half and full day charters, available everyday- it’s just crazy! WA made change and so should the NT and l propose charter fishing for demersal species should only occur 50kms or more out to sea from the nearest land! Buying a boat, gear, rego, licensing etc etc not to mention work, tides and weather are all limiting factors for recreational fisherpersons.
It is time to call out these big charter operators and start policing fishing boats for catch quotas. Too many people do not abide by the rules.
My 2 bobs worth as presented to WA fisheries minister many years ago at a time l was a committee member of the Perth Game fishing club!
A farmer prepares the land, plants seeds, manages and supports the crop to grow.At days end the farmers toil and costs provide, hopefully, a financially beneficial product to send to market!
A charter fisherperson starts their let’s say 10 people at $450-$4500!
Now the engine starts and real costs begin and that $4500 income starts reducing as a result. The time that engine runs, burning profit is a limiting factor and that provides a situation wherein a relatively small area is placed under enormous pressure, an unsustainable pressure!
Unlike the farmer, the charter boat receives remuneration from a resource that has required no time nor costs growing that very resource- nature did that!
I am amazed that nothing has ever been done to protect such a delicate, ecosystem as the Darwin harbour from the immense pressure of both half and full day charters, available everyday- it’s just crazy!
WA made change and so should the NT and l propose charter fishing for demersal species should only occur 50kms or more out to sea from the nearest land!
Buying a boat, gear, rego, licensing etc etc not to mention work, tides and weather are all limiting factors for recreational fisherpersons.