(Adopted August 2014) 

Principles

The Queensland Greens believe that:

1. Our grandchildren and their grandchildren have the right to eat fish and go fishing. 

2. Sustainable fishing is achieved by involving local people in the intelligent management of their resource and license regime. 

3. Collaborative partnerships between industry, indigenous and recreational groups assisted by marine scientists can result in locally agreed use of permanent and temporary no go zones, catch limits, size limits and other mechanisms to conserve marine biodiversity and aid fish stock recovery. 

4. Our marine resources need increased exploration and monitoring so that the state of these resources; and changes in these resources can be closely observed and adjustments in management made as needed. 

5. Aquaculture can make valuable contributions to seafood stocks but it needs to be managed in an environmentally benign way, which is within the ability of the environment to neutralize any negative effects. 

6. Changes due to climate change or other factors must be monitored and publically reported. 

Aims

The Queensland Greens will:

1. Re-employ the marine scientists and reinstate the observer programme for Queensland fisheries withdrawn by the Newman State government, as a part of an increased ongoing process of assessing fish stocks and general marine health and monitoring any changes. 

2. Create Local Marine Fishing Councils that would participate in research and education activities that would provide input into the creation of in-shore fishing legislation.

3. Train commercial and selected recreational fisher folk to take water quality samples whilst fishing. They will be paid for their services to the understanding of our marine resource. We envision a highly automated system to maintain integrity of data. 

4. Increase marine resources enforcement capability to counter the threat from poaching and illegal activity that jeopardises the sustainability and diversity of marine resources. 

5. Strengthen monitoring, control and community education processes to counter the adverse impacts of exotic freshwater and marine species on native species and habitats. 

6.   Strengthen legislation and processes so that those wishing to start an aquaculture enterprise must demonstrate how they will minimize any stresses on the natural environment they might cause. Existing endeavours will be given time to comply. 

7. Where indigenous fishing rights apply, the LMFCs will consultatively encourage groups to consider local and international indigenous practices shown to be sustainable as well as self-managed compliance regimes that assist sustainability. 

8. Create a marketing campaign to highlight the value of buying a wide variety of locally caught fish accounting for seasonality and sustainability. 

9. Introduce a recreational fishing licensing regime similar to those used in other states of Australia. Related legislation will separate these funds from general revenue for the express purpose of LMFC managed project expenditure to revitalise the fish resource. 

References: 1 C. Hunt, 2013. Benefits and opportunity costs of Australia’s Coral Sea Marine Reserve, at:  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X12002539.