LNP moves to end commercial fishing in Queensland

The Palaszczuk government has stepped in to prevent an LNP move in Parliament that would have banned commercial fishing in the state.

An Opposition motion to disallow the state’s Fisheries regulations was debated in Parliament on Tuesday.

The effect of the motion, if it had passed, would have been to invalidate the licences of every commercial and charter fishing operator in Queensland.

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said thousands of jobs would have been at risk if the Opposition’s reckless motion had come in to effect.

“I want to make it very clear that the Opposition’s position on Fisheries would destroy the fishing industry in Queensland,” Mr Furner said.

“This is not an exaggeration. The regulations that the LNP would disallow are the very ones that allow licences to be issued to commercial fishers.

“If these were disallowed, every commercial and charter fisher in Queensland would lose their legal authority to catch, process or sell fish.”

Mr Furner said the impact would go beyond those who caught the seafood.

“Think of our restaurants, fish & chip shops, our transport workers and the exporters who would suddenly have no supplies of Queensland seafood,” he said.

“Every bit of seafood consumed in Queensland would have to be imported from interstate or overseas, and there is no doubt jobs would be lost as a result.”

Mr Furner said more than 1300 commercial fishers and 350 charter business operators would be unable to earn a living and there would be knock-on effects for our $27b tourism industry as well.

“Our work to ensure a sustainable fishery has actually worked to create charter fishing jobs, as well as protecting commercial fishing jobs by making sure there are fish to catch,” Mr Furner said.

“The Opposition, by comparison, offers only this Parliamentary vandalism that would destroy jobs and businesses across the state.

“The LNP doesn’t even have a Fisheries policy, other than to oppose every effort made to ensure the sustainability of the industry.”

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