THE nation’srecreational fishing community today congratulated Tony Abbott on hiselection victory and urged his new Government to ensure Australia’scoastline was open for business to Australia’s 5 millionrecreational fishers.
The Abbott Governmenthas pledged to end the controversial marine park lock out policies ofLabor and the Greens which would have put 1.3 million squarekilometres of fishing waters off limits.
Allan Hansard, the MDof the Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation, said the electionof a new majority government would provide “much needed certainty”for recreational fishers.
“On behalf of therecreational fishers of Australia, I congratulate Tony Abbott on hiselection victory,” Hansard said.
“Saturday’selection was a referendum on our rights to fish and the vote wasoverwhelming.
“While our rights towet a line will be protected under the Coalition Government, I thinkit’s time for the other parties to revisit their policies.
“Labor and theGreens should accept the umpire’s decision and change theirpolicies on the lock outs.
“All futuredecisions on the marine environment or fisheries management should bebased purely on science and not politics.”
Hansard said he looked forward tomaking representations to relevant new ministers, on behalf ofAustralia’s five million recreational fishers, once the Cabinet hadbeen sworn in.
