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Have your say at local boat ramps18 March 2002 Surveys to gauge the opinion of recreational fishers about the impact of commercial fishing on their catch will be conducted at boat ramps between Hinchinbrook and Ayr from this weekend until the end of April. "I want to gauge the opinion of recreational fishers as well as commercial fishers and charter boat operators," said Ms Renae Partridge, a postgraduate student with CRC Reef Research Centre Ltd based at James Cook University. "I will be starting a survey for recreational fishers on Saturday 23 March." "I will be approaching recreational fishers at boat ramps and asking them to answer a 10-minute questionnaire about whether they think that their catch is different between estuaries that are open and closed to commercial fishing," said Ms Partridge. "The survey will also ask the fishers about their attitudes towards commercial fishers, and if they think that commercial fishing has an impact on their catch." The surveys will run at local boat ramps between Murray River (north of Hinchinbrook) to Cape Upstart (south of Ayr) until the end of April. This round of surveys is for recreational fishers. Ms Partridge will later approach commercial fishers and charter boat operators. The surveys are part of a two-year project by Ms Partridge to examine any perceived and actual differences in recreational fishing quality between estuaries that are closed to commercial fishing and those that are open to commercial fishing. If you would like to have your say about resource competition in the local area, please look for Ms Partridge and her helpers at boat ramps near you.
Renae Partridge on 07 4781 5196 or email renae.partridge@jcu.edu.au |
