Casting Around the Internet with Recfishwest
Issue 80, 14 January 2010

Here is a version formatted for printing on a single page:- CastingAroundIssue80.pdf (33 kilobyte PDF file)

Notes about using the links on this page.

Ministers hang up on recreational fishermen as shark ban earns anglers' ire

Ministers' offices are refusing to take phone calls over the Government's decision to ban mako shark fishing, demanding that any "complaints" be put in writing. Callers are told the Minister is on leave while his advisers are all "too busy" to take calls. Anglers are upset as the Minister had promised to delay the decision until after a review of the Australian EPBC Act. California and New Zealand have granted exemptions for mako shark fishing. A petition to the Government to stop its ban on mako shark fishing is receiving nation-wide support.

http://www.frankstonindependent.com.au/news/local/news/general/shark-ban-earns-anglers-ire/1722550.aspx?storypage=0 (link opens in a new window) and
http://www.liberal.org.au/news.php?Id=4487 (link opens in a new window) and
http://www.liberal.org.au/news.php?Id=4469 (link opens in a new window)

Report of the Independent review of the EPBC Act

Dr Allan Hawke presented the final report on the independent review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to the Minister on 30 October 2009. The Act is currently too repetitive, unnecessarily complex and, in some areas, overly prescriptive. It needs restructuring to make it more accessible, easier to navigate and reduce the regulatory and resource burden on those impacted by the Act. The review attracted a wide range of contributions, including 220 written submissions and 119 comments.

http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/review/publications/final-report.html (link opens in a new window)

Fishermen investigated after illegal shark catch

Fisheries are investigating claims two anglers caught a 2.8-metre bull shark and boasted about it in the media. At 2.8-metre and about 70kg, the shark is almost double the legal size limit. The catch was reported in two newspapers, with a photograph of it hanging from a tree. The men could face a maximum $75,000 fine.

http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/pair-investigated-over-bull-shark-catch-20100106-lu5v.html (link opens in a new window)

Barramundi licence buy back on track

The Government recognises the importance of recreational fishing, and in response to public comments has bought back the fourth commercial barramundi licence as part of its election commitment to purchase fishing licences. The closures will effectively reallocate the barramundi resource in these areas to recreational fishermen, fishing tour operators and the Indigenous sectors and will enhance the fishing experience in the area.

http://newsroom.nt.gov.au/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewRelease&id=6432&d=5 (link opens in a new window)

Councils urge use of $20 rubbish levy to fix dying Swan River

Riverside councils are calling on the Government to use its new household waste levy to clean up old landfill sites. At least 13 former landfill sites are thought to be leaching heavy metals, pesticides and other contaminants into the Swan River. The situation was so bad last summer old metal drums of waste could be seen emerging from eroded areas of the river foreshore. Government will get an extra $39 million a year.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/6655512 (link opens in a new window)

Forrest Beach fenced off

Legal checks have shown the area between the sand dunes and water's edge is privately owned. Concerns to the owners are the increasing levels of "hoon" type driving putting other beach users at risk, camping on the beach with associated fires, and the activities of commercial horse trainers. Fencing is to stop vehicles being driven on the beach, but will allow persons on foot to go through this area for fishing, swimming or general walking.

Pages 42-47 http://www.capel.wa.gov.au/minutes/minutes_161209.pdf (link opens in a new window)

Note about using the links in "Casting Around"

The links to external websites, shown in this page by the symbol are all checked to be correct, valid and working at the time these documents are prepared.

Rearrangements of external websites at some time in the future may remove or change some of these external links. Such changes are outside the control of Recfishwest, and will not be corrected in this page or the PDF version.


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This page last updated on 14 January 2010.