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Fishing Today Dec’04/Jan’05 Issue 17/6
TFIC News
By Bob Lister
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TFIC elections – it’s that time once again
Every couple of years the Tasmanian Electoral Office conduct elections for nine Directors to serve on the TFIC Board for a two year period and that time is with us once again.
Included as an insert in this issue of Fishing Today is a yellow Nomination Form for consideration by all TFIC members along with a full page advertisement from the Tasmanian Electoral Office.
If you hold a current Fishing Licence (personal), a current Marine Farming Licence or a current Fish Processing Licence you are eligible to make yourself available as a candidate for the election or to nominate another industry person.
When nominations close at noon on 2 March 2005 if there are more candidate nominations than the nine Director positions a ballot will take place with voting papers to be distributed from 16 March 2005. The ballot will close at 10 a.m. on 13 April 2005 and the Tasmanian Electoral Office will announce the successful candidates as new TFIC Directors within a day or so.
TFIC has been representing members best interests for over 18 years and we work closely with the Australian Seafood Industry Council and other similar interstate peak bodies.
The contribution of Directors to a wide range of local and national seafood management issues is a big responsibility particularly as our industry produces seafood products in excess of $300m.per annum at beach price and we employ around 7,000 Tasmanians in mainly coastal areas.
If you wish to be a leader in our industry and contribute to the betterment of seafood producers then this is your opportunity to commit time and energy to a very worthy cause. The very best time to make that commitment is right now on the yellow form.
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State MPA update
In February this year Minister Judy Jackson announced the State Government’s intention to create marine protected areas at Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour and at the Kent Group of Islands in Bass Strait.
On 23 November 2004 Minister Jackson also announced her decision to include the marine areas out to 3nm within and as an extension to the existing terrestrial Kent Group national park.
There are however still a number of outstanding issues which need to be addressed prior to the actual declaration of MPAs at Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour and the Kent Group of Islands.
For your information these issues are –
• Amendments are required to State Fisheries Rules including the Fisheries (Rock Lobster and Giant Crab) Rules possibly with a public consultation period.
• Currently under the MOU/OCS arrangement Commonwealth permit holders in the Southern Shark fishery can use longlines and shark gillnets in State waters from high water mark around the Kent Group of Islands to target school and gummy shark etc. This matter needs to be successfully negotiated with the Commonwealth so that these fishing activities can continue under the Kent Group National Park (MPA) declaration and the above Rules (which exclude this activity) or an alternate arrangement is agreed that may include displacement assistance for fishermen who may be adversely impacted.
State waters around the Kent Group account for some 100 tonnes per annum or about 6% of the Southern Shark fishery so this is a very important issue that needs to be addressed before the above Rules are progressed.
• The process for special adjustment payments to commercial fishermen who may be displaced as a result of the creation of both MPAs needs to be clearly spelt out in advance of any declaration. For instance what is the process the Government has agreed to establish, criterias and eligibility, how do people apply, how will assistance be calculated and applied and is this compensation extended equally to licensed State and Commonwealth permit fishermen who are to be displaced?
• What enforcement programmes will be put in place and at what cost to protect the MPA boundary lines on water in both remote areas to ensure compliance with MPA no take and restricted take rules?
These issues have not yet been satisfactorily concluded so the formal declaration of MPAs in both areas is still some time away. A full explanation of the proposed MPA changes was included in the TFIC News section of the February/March 2004 edition of Fishing Today.
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New alcohol rules for operators of fishing vessels
The State Government is to introduce a proposed Marine Safety (Misuse of Alcohol) Bill 2004 shortly. This new legislation will relate to the consumption of alcohol by people in charge of and operating a vessel in Tasmanian waters and stems from the Recreational Boating Safety Review conducted by MAST in April 2000.
Currently Tasmania does not have specific legislation prohibiting a person from operating a vessel whilst alcohol is present in their body or provisions that enable the testing of operators. There is however a by-law where people can be prosecuted with being drunk in charge of a vessel without being breathalised.
The Government now appears determined that the new legislation will provide for breath testing of vessel operators and prohibiting a person from operating a vessel while alcohol is present in their body at a level above a prescribed concentration. The prescribed levels are likely to be 0.05% for persons in charge of recreational and commercial vessels. Operators of passenger and trading vessels will be subject to a 0.00% prescribed concentration.
For commercial vessel operators a reported 0.00% limit in a recent MAST publication has been successfully overturned following strong representations to the Minister for Police and Public Safety David Llewellyn by both the TRLFA and TFIC.
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How to save a cool $200 p.a.
If you use the ports of Hobart, Strahan or Stanley and your vessel is not currently registered with the Hobart Ports Corporation as a home port vessel you should read on.
Under a HPC decision a surcharge of $200 per annum will apply to any vessel owner/operator who elects to homeport a vessel at one of these three locations for the first time after 31 December 2004.
Currently casual users pay a visiting vessel daily rate and for an average vessel staying more than about 40 days per year at one location the home port registration before the end of this year (without incurring the surcharge) is probably an attractive option.
You can contact the HPC on 03 6235 1000.
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Review of Crown Land waterfront users
The Information and Land Services section of DPIWE is about to undertake a review of all Crown Land users and uses and in our industry the rentals, fees and charges for waterfront properties, jetties, boatsheds, slipways, ramps and access.
This review may result in the offer of fixed term leases with rentals to be set at 6% of the Valuer General’s land value assessment and with public liability being the responsibility of lessees.
Another aspect of the review will be to improve the standards of structures over time with regular audits, to remove derelict structures and to identify unauthorised occupancy and structures. Members of our industry will inevitably be involved in this process as there are about 1,000 waterfront Crown Land areas around the State.
If you wish the project team can be contacted on 1300 368 550.
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Coalition committed to industry support
The Federal election has come and gone with at least one most worthwhile benefit for our seafood industry.
The commercial fishing industry has been recognised for its importance to the nation’s economy with the new Federal Government committed to providing the Australian Seafood Industry Council with $400,000 over the next four years.
This allocation announced by the Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation Senator Ian Macdonald will give ASIC a much needed funding boost to enable it to continue to represent the best interests of our industry members.
TFIC is proud to be a member of ASIC and now would be a good time to recognise the sterling efforts of the ASIC CEO Russ Neal who is of immense value to our industry Australia wide and who successfully negotiated this extra funding.
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New ED at FRDC
On Christmas Day Dr Patrick Hone will take over the Executive Director position at the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. Patrick will replace Peter Dundas-Smith who is retiring from this position after 12 years steering this very important industry R&D organsiation. We wish Peter and Patrick the very best and look forward to a smooth transition with all the FRDC business activites.
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Assistance available through Workforce Development Fund
The State Government recently announced the availability of funding for a new package of skills initiatives which may be of interest to you and your seafood business. The Workforce Development Fund is one part of this package and is intended to encourage small to medium size employers to integrate staff training plans and skill development with their business planning.
This is an opportunity to identify the key skills you or your workforce will need over the next few years and to help make the associated investment in training and skills development. Small and medium size businesses involved in fisheries/agriculture/food are able to apply for funding as follows;
Businesses with 1-10 employees can apply for 100% of training costs, up to a maximum of $5,000
Businesses with 10-200 employees can apply for dollar for dollar funding up to a maximum of $5,000
Funding will cover:
• facilitating development of a business and training plan;
• training relevant to the business and individual skill development needs as identified in training plans;
• in-house consultation, mentoring and/or coaching relevant to the business' skill development needs, and
• any other training arrangement as appropriate on individual application.
If you wish to take advantage of this funding you can contact the Business Point Hotline on 1800 440 026 or if you need special assistance you could contact a training provider such as Seafood Training Tasmania on 6233 6442 or Fisheries Business Consulting Australasia (Sandra Gillanders) on 0408 626 710.
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Latest TFIC Board issues
At our last Board meeting Directors discussed issues such as the TFIC Leadership Development Program, MPAs in Tasmania and the South East Regional Marine Plan, development of a TFIC strategic plan, the review of Fishing Today, MAST, Natural Resource Management, the Australian Seafood Industry Council, environmental management systems, the next TFIC election, seal control measures, super trawlers , daytime freight capacity, our State budget submission, the proposed misuse of alcohol bill, penalty provisions and demerit points and scalefish management decisions etc.
If any of the above is of particular interest please give me a call at TFIC on 03 6224 2332 and I can bring you up to date.
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Compliments of the Season
We have just about completed yet another extremely busy year looking after the best interests of our TFIC members and the whole of industry.
The number of issues seems to grow every year and the impacts are becoming more serious with even more pressures on our members just to stay afloat.
It has certainly been our great privilege to represent this wonderful industry and we very much appreciate all the support we have received from all around the State.
Ralph, Anne, Julie and I wish all TFIC members and readers of Fishing Today a very merry Christmas and an enjoyable, safe and prosperous New Year.
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