Fishing Today – TFIC News – 16/5 October/November 2003
TFIC News
By Bob Lister
It’s now decision time for State MPAs
After eight years of proposals, responses, debates, arguments, many, many meetings, wide consultation and a whole lot of anguish by industry members, bureaucrats and Ministers a decision on marine protected areas at Port Davey and the Kent Group of Islands is now very close.
The Resource Planning and Development Commission (RPDC) has finalised their preferred options and has handed a Final Recommendations Report to Minister Bryan Green.
The RPDC produced many documents and sought comments from the general public over a period of some 18 months and now the process is firmly in the hands of Minister Green and State Cabinet for decision.
The Minister tabled the RPDC Final Recommendations Report in State Parliament on 19 August 2003 and we then held a series of industry meetings in relevant areas around the State to discuss the issues with individual fishermen and others who have some knowledge and involvement with both Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour and the Kent Group of Islands.
At the invitation of the Minister TFIC lodged a final response to the RPDC recommendations with him early in September and in a general circular to members encouraged others to do likewise. We thank all those who responded and provided written comments direct to the Minister.
The RPDC recommendations propose the establishment of some 'no take' areas and larger restricted areas where fishing is either permitted or prohibited in both regions.
Whilst industry is generally opposed to the introduction of restrictive MPAs which will impact on traditional and current commercial fishing and diving activities we do recognise that there is a political desire to restrict activities in some marine waters which in my view are for political rather than common sense reasons.
We have provided all TFIC members with maps of the RPDC recommendations so I will not go into the detail here but suffice to say that industry collectively has done a solid job in negotiating these proposals over the last eight years with two governments and three different Fisheries Ministers.
Our next and last attempt to minimise the impact on commercial fishing interests will be when the TFIC Board and industry representatives discuss our concerns and options with Minister Bryan Green in early October.
We will be proposing changes to the RPDC’s recommendations to the Minister which we believe will enable the Government to achieve an objective of increasing Tasmania’s marine protected waters by some 37,000 hectares with minimal disruption to our sustainable commercial fisheries.
The most recent TFIC’s submissions to both the RPDC and Minister Green are available on our website at www.tfic.com.au . If any members want to discuss this matter or to receive hard copies of our submissions please give me a call at TFIC.
Georges Bay barway – where to from here?
Whilst this barway is now greatly improved there is a concern that siltation will return unless a maintenance programme of dredging is planned for the future. A number of options are being canvassed including an opportunity for the coastal patrol to purchase a suitable vessel with government assistance which could be used for ongoing dredging maintenance.
MAST has also had representations from the Break O’Day Council asking if commercial scallop fishing vessels could use their dredges to drag over the barway during an ebb tide at the entrance to Georges Bay.
The use of scallop dredges would have a similar effect to the agitation dredging programme undertaken by the Parks and Wildlife Service over the last 12 months and if used on the outgoing tide would help to maintain water depth over the barway.
MAST discussed this proposal with the TFIC Board in St Helens recently and were advised that without an exemption it would be an offence to lower a dredge into the water outside of a prescribed scallop area.
DPIWE has now advised MAST that Minister Bryan Green has granted an exemption until the end of the current scallop season to allow commercial fishermen to drag their dredges over the barway on the outgoing tide. This exemption will be gazetted shortly.
The use of dredges is of course voluntary and should only be used during calm weather conditions but may assist in maintaining the water depth at the entrance to this important fishing port.
Single person crewing of vessels >12m<15m
There has been some confusion about a MAST article on page 33 of the last issue of Fishing Today regarding crewing of vessels exceeding 12 metres measured length.
Following further discussions with MAST the adoption of the National Standard for Commercial Vessels Part D by Tasmania in January this year stipulates requirements for crew competencies and levels of manning as part of the uniform approach throughout Australia.
The decision to not approve permanent manning by one person of vessels exceeding 12 metres only applies to new applications i.e. new vessels, vessels under new survey or changes in vessel ownership.
For existing vessels operating with single crew as detailed on the vessels certificate of survey the manning level of these vessels will not change.
Single crewing of existing vessels will be related specifically to a current owner therefore if a vessel over 12 metres is sold the single crew limit will be removed.
Please note that the operational limit prescribed for single crewing where shown for existing vessels is restricted both in distance from and laterally along the coast from defined sheltered waters.
I hope this allays the concerns that many have expressed to me but if you need further clarification you should ring the MAST Manager for Vessel Standards and Survey Gwyn Alway on 0419 002 503.
For survival in future you may want to switch to a 406
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has advised that satellite processing of 121.5 MHz EPIRB analogue distress beacons will cease from 1 February 2009.
World wide over 95% of distress calls are false alarms on this frequency and the associated costs and waste of manpower and equipment has long been of concern.
The obvious alternative is the 406 MHz digital EPIRB that is smarter, faster and safer. The 406 beacons include a free registration system to identify the owner, have better location accuracy incorporating GPS technology, are more reliable and provide for near instantaneous detection through geostationary satellites.
Sure there is an increased cost in round terms of approximately $300 for a 121.5 and about $700 for a 406 but prices should drop with market acceptance and an increase in volume of sales.
Vessel operators wanting to buy a new EPIRB need to assess the short and long term benefits and cost options with the knowledge that 121.5s have a limited life of just another five years or so.
ROPES will reduce sea service requirements
The National Marine Safety Committee has initiated a new system for recording sea service that will be more effective in documenting the practical on vessel experience of candidates.
This Record of Practical Experience and Service (ROPES) has been approved in general principle by the State maritime authorities around Australia and subject to some clarification in detail will be introduced progressively in each State.
In Tasmania MAST is keen to introduce the ROPES task book in the next six months.
The books will enable candidates to accurately record sea service and to measure the quality of sea service on board vessels. It is not a training system and will be subject to continual evaluation and revision.
The ROPES book is intended to apply to entry requirements for Coxswain, Master 5, MED 3 and 2 only and will result in sea-time requirements being reduced by some 50%.
Final details are still being developed but ROPES will be coming to our State as a result of the outcomes of the National Standard for Commercial Vessels Part D and should make life easier in many ways for those who wish to maintain an accurate record of sea service.
Tightened security coming to a port near you
A Maritime Transport Security Bill was introduced into Federal Parliament on 18 September 2003 following co-ordination by the Department of Transport and Regional Services (DOTARS).
The intent is to implement by 1 July next year a new security system at major ports used by international and interstate vessels. Around 70 ports in Australia are affected and in Tasmania it involves the ports of Burnie, Devonport, Bell Bay, Triabunna and Hobart and will impact on all port facilities and operations.
Based on risk assessments new security strategies and measures will be developed at each port to different security levels to secure and protect the ports from for instance terrorist attacks.
The Federal Government has allocated $300m for basic security and port officers will have the powers to board and inspect ships, to enter premises and to observe and record procedures.
The impact on commercial fishing fleets is uncertain at this time but will most likely involve restricted access to some wharf areas and a level of inconvenience where security measures are in place.
Obviously we need regulatory certainty and a balance between maritime security and the facilitation of normal trading but it is likely that small vessel operations will be impacted to larger and lesser degrees at the ports subject to this new Bill.
Separate to this issue there is also to be a new emphasis on ensuring that airfreight is checked and monitored to reduce security threats and this may involve time delays and inconvenience for fish processors and exporters.
Unfortunately even our island State is caught up in the threats to public safety and we will have to monitor and assess all changes as they occur. If you have any local concerns I would be pleased to assist.
Boating fatalities fall with development of safety culture
You may have read in years gone by that fishing related fatalities have been up to 18 times higher than in the average work force.
Probably as a result of the development of a safety culture in both recreational and commercial boating there is now some much better news for those who enjoy boating and who work on the water.
Dr Peter O’Connor, an epidemiologist and injury consultant, has just completed a National Study into Boating Fatalities supported by the National Marine Safety Committee. Dr O’Connor reviewed fatal marine accidents in Australia between 1992 and 1998 and studied 270 incidents involving 333 deaths and 27 survivors.
Boating causes more harm than rail and air crashes combined and the cost of marine fatalities and injuries to the Australian community is enormous.
Overwhelmingly fishing activities on the water and generally in small vessels up to four metres in length were the major contributors to fatalities.
The major cause of death was drowning and the lack of wearing PFDs, overloading, overpowered vessels and alcohol and drugs were the major contributing factors. Not wearing a PFD and alcohol use appeared to go together and 35% of deaths involved alcohol or drugs. If you wear a PFD you are twice as likely to survive.
For commercial fishermen 72% of deaths were associated with hazardous conditions and importantly fishermen related deaths have halved since the early 1980s.
There may be other factors such as reduced time on the water and quotas etc. which also have had an impact but I think we can be assured that the safety message is being heard and the operation of vessels at sea is much safer today than it has been in the past.
Perhaps the strong message is to heed the warnings and to do everything you can to ensure that you only operate in safe conditions and have all the safety equipment on board with a fully informed crew.
The life you save may be your own!
TFIC Board issues
Our last TFIC Board meeting was held at the Bayside Inn, St Helens, which enabled industry members from northeast Tasmania to meet with Directors and to discuss matters of general interest.
Directors considered a large number of issues including the National Standard for Commercial Vessels, proposed MPAs in Tasmania and in Commonwealth waters, MAST issues, slipway management, TSQAP, the scallop season, future planning issues, a communication policy, two man crewing of vessels over 12 metres, pre USL Code fishing certificates, the Georges Bay barway and Marion Narrows and a whole lot more.
Our guests were Colin Finch, Trevor Faust, Charles Weston, Col Andrews and Lisa Romero from MAST along with local industry members.