Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation

Media Release 12 September 2012

The Voice of Australias Recreational Fishing Community

Legislation on super trawler should be amended to exclude recreational fishing activities

The Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation (ARFF), the peak body representing the recreational fishing sector, calls on the Federal Government to amend the changes to the EPBC Amendment (Declared Fishing Activities) Bill 2012 so that a declared fishing activity under the amendment to the legislation is a commercial fishing activity only, not to include recreational fishing. ARFF Director, Allan Hansard, said this legislation should be about stopping industrial fishing activities, where there is uncertainty about the sustainability or the environmental, social and economic impacts, particularly where it is not under pinned by appropriate science. It should not be about stopping mums, dads and kids from going and catching a fish in Australian waters. We call on the Government to amend this legislation immediately so that the activities of the super trawler can be stopped, we also call on the Coalition to support this amendment.

ENDS Media Contact: Alice Logan Edwards Mob: 0419 464 270 Email: alice.loganedwards@afta.net.au

The Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation (ARFF) is the newly formed national peak body representing Australias Recreational Fishing Community and is supported by the Australian Fishing Trade Association (AFTA), Recfish Australia, Game Fishing Association Australia (GFAA), Sunfish Queensland, Amateur Fishermens Association of the Northern Territory (AFANT), Recfishwest, Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW (RFANSW), Underwater Skindivers and Fishermens Association (USFA), Australian National Sportfishing Association (ANSA), Professional Fishing Instructors and Guides Association (PFIGA), Victorian Recreational Fishing (VRFish), and Australian Underwater Federation (AUF).