NSW Minister for Primary Industries, Niall Blair says that Labor’s announcement for recreational fishers is hardly a good catch.
“Labor’s only announcement for commercial fishers is a plan to have a plan and their commitment to recreational fishers today is to create a committee to oversee other committees,” Mr Blair said.
“No-one ever caught a good fish in a boardroom or an inquiry.
“Had Labor actually done their homework they would know that the Recreational Fishing Trust Fund is already overseen by two expenditure committees and a statutory Advisory Committee.
“The Advisory Committee is made up of fishers representing coastal and inland locations, as well as sections of the recreational fishing community and they already recommend where and how the trust money is spent.
“While Labor want to spend fishers’ money on establishing another committee, the Government is getting on with the job of improving recreational fishing experiences in NSW.”
According to Blair, Michael Daley’s so-called ‘bureaucratic pot’ has been invested into:
- Offshore artificial reefs (including the Eurobodalla and Merimbula reefs)
- Successful game fish tagging programs
- Research to improve fish stocks
- Fish re-stocking programs including inland re-stocking
- Fish aggregation devices
- Dollar for dollar fish stocking projects
- Habitat restoration
- Compliance officers
- Continuing access for anglers to Sydney Harbour ferry wharves
Mr Blair said all these projects are publicly available on the Department of Primary Industries’ website.
“We have rolled out a number of new initiatives such as Eco Huts, which make recreational fishing holidays more accessible for fishers and their families.
“We are promoting the industry through Gone Fishing Day and we are educating the next generation through our ‘Get Hooked’ schools program.
“It’s simple – Labor is taking a ‘committee-for-everything’ approach – we just want to see more people out fishing.”
