New fishery working groups hook into sustainable fisheries management

The Queensland Government is appointing new members to eleven fishery working groups to continue implementation of the Sustainable Fisheries Strategy.

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said there was strong interest to join the groups, which are integral to delivering world-class fisheries management in Queensland.

“The fishery working groups are renewed every two years and this is an exciting opportunity to be part of sustainable fisheries management,” Mr Furner said.

“These groups provide important operational advice on the management of specific fisheries and an important communication and consultative forum between fishing stakeholders, Fisheries Queensland and the government.”

Mr Furner said a Fisheries Queensland selection panel considered more than 120 nominations to join eight existing and three new fishery working groups.

“The panel appointed 96 members who represent a range of stakeholders including commercial and recreational fishers, charter operators, seafood marketers and processors, scientists and conservationists,” he said.

“I would like to thank all the applicants who expressed an interest in being part of the fishery working groups for the next two years.”

Two new fishery working groups will review Gulf of Carpentaria inshore and East Coast Spanish mackerel fisheries, while eight other fishery working groups are being reformed to continue to provide operational advice under the new harvest strategies.

A new vessel tracking working group has also been established as part of a Fisheries Queensland review.

Some of the groups held their first meetings in April or early May, while the rest will meet soon.

For information about Queensland’s fishery working groups and their members, visit

https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/sustainable/fishery-working-groups.

ENDS

Media contact:           Ron Goodman            0427 781 920