200 Australian fishers hand back their licences

[MarkC]

Can you say 'Steel Trawler'. Their vessels are beginning to come onto the market now. Look at www.boatpoint.com.au.

I don't know if these vessels are a bargain or not. They might be of interest to someone looking for a project boat or a trawler.

200 fishers hand over licences

The Federal Government has spent around $90 million to buy back licences and permits for nearly 200 commercial fishers.

Fisheries Minister Eric Abetz has announced the buyout of more than 400 licences and permits from Australian fishers.

More than 500 commercial fishers lobbied for a slice of the $90 million on offer in the first round of fishing licence and permit buy backs.

Senator Abetz says there has been an encouraging response from the eastern tuna and billfish fishery, as well as the southern and eastern scalefish and shark fishery.

But he says a number of requests from northern prawn fishers, or Bass Strait scallop fishers, were not considered good value for money.

Senator Abetz says in total, tenders from nearly 200 fishers have been accepted in the first round.

"The Government fully accepts an occasion such as this is filled with a lot of mixed feelings for the fishing communities," he said.

"Clearly they were dying the death of a thousand cuts because of market forces.

"The taxpayers have come to the party by trying to ease the burden."

Gail Richey, from the Commonwealth Fisheries Association, has welcomed the result.

She says it will help fishers leave the industry with dignity.

"It's the same as any other primary industry where people are forced from the land or forced from what they would rather be doing," Ms Richey said.

"But in our view it is much better to have a structured removal from the fishery because it allows them to go with a bit of dignity, some money in their pocket to re-establish themselves in another business or other employment."

A second round of buyouts, worth about $60 million, will be opened in the middle of next month.

Fishers will have five weeks to submit a tender.

from ABC web site friday, 15 sept.

[safewalrus]

Tried that stunt in this country (UK) most of the boats were cut up _ that criminal straight away. The fishermen are pretty unhappy, them as has found work are stuck in dead end jobs working for idiots they can't stand and them as have got back to sea are now working and making money for others (mostly foreigners, so that money isn't even staying in the country). No I'm afraid its bad news all round! The fish are still getting caught to and not getting the chance to reproduce, just costs more or goes abroad!

[Guillermo]

It's all around the same in Europe. Fishing fleets are been cutted in half through a period of years.

Apart from the fishermen problems to get a new life, another interesting question arise: What can be done with no-longer-fishing fishing vessels?
Here in Spain law only allows for them to be either scrapped, donated to a museum or to be 'parked' at public places like decorative monuments. How's out there in other countries?

Maybe we could open here a brainstorm about alternative uses for them. Any ideas?

[MarkC]

I dont believe the Australian authorities can/will scrap vessels nor force their sale. Some are being sold. Not only steel trawlers - also carvel wooden, big plywood, and fiberglass.

I thought it might be an opportunity for someone looking for a project-boat - to say, keep hull, engine - remodel interior - end up with a cheaper but proven displacement cruiser - or a largish harbour launch / party boat.

On the fishing side of things, I read and hear that the fisherpeople are happy to be given money to leave. It is still a sad occasion.

[Guillermo]

What about remodeling the bigger ones into campaign hospitals and sending/offering them to devastated/poor regions?

There are several uses already tried: Artificial reefs, pleasure crafts (as pointed by MarkC), research vessels, come quickly to mind....

What else can be done? Come on, be creative...!

(Or maybe you know of some other interesting alternative uses already done. Tell us.)

[longliner45]

they are more productive as reefs, in 2 0r 3 years they can produce 30 or 40 thousand dollars ,in fish (in reality it is sad ) but it is happening ,,,,,,,,,,,,,another sign of the times,,,,,,,,,,,time to give the sea a rest,,longliner

[safewalrus]

Fireships? They worked during the Armada years in Calais roads when good Queen Bess was on the throne, sorry Gilly but you did ask for a use!

[Guillermo]

That was a good one, Mike!

[Poida]

Yeah after some guy went mad with an automatic gun and started shooting people the Australian Government decided to buy back guns.

Graet idea I thought because what are they going to do with all the guns, sell them. Good I can buy a cheap gun and shoot people.

But they didn't sell them. Bum
But, in reality, they are only buying back the fishing licences, not the boats.

In Australia you need a licence to sell your fish not to catch them. And without a licence you are restricted to the amount you catch

[MarkC]

Yes - the authorities are only buying licences not boats.

Yes - a licence is needed in order to catch and keep over the amount allowed to be taken by an amateur-fisher and to sell the catch.

Anyway - check out boatpoint.com.au - there are more prof. fishing vessels for sale than normal - which means many fishers are getting-out completely once their licence is given back.

I imagine that the number of vessels being sold 'may' reflect in lower prices for vessels - and this may interest someone looking for a project boat.

[safewalrus]

your license allows you catch a certain amount of fish and sell it, great! Anybody heard of 'black fish' (apart from Bergalia of course!) thats where you catch more than your quota and sell it on to that very large hungry factory ship with a foreign flag (Russians very good at this) it's never landed in your country so nobody knows about it save the other boats - and as they are doing the same thing ........

[MarkC]

Yes - but did you read that those Spanish Patagonian tooth fishers who were captured in Aussie waters (on the Cabodian vessel) have been found guilty in the Australian court. Their catch was sold-off, crew deported and these two are 'going down' (pardon..). Perhaps things are getting stricter.

[safewalrus]

first you got to get caught!