TARFish today panned the Ministers announcement on recreational rock lobster season dates for failing to support Tasmania’s 20,000 recreational rock lobster fishers in preference to the commercial sector.

“Enough is enough, it’s time that the Tasmanian Government stopped asking recreational fishers to pick up the tab for commercial overfishing on the East Coast of Tasmania,” said TARFish CEO Jane Gallichan.

TARFish lodged a submission in response to proposed Rock Lobster season dates for 2020-21. It is TARFish’s position is that the two-weekend buffer must be reinstated and not to do so directly disadvantages recreational fishers.

We have been working closely with Minister Barnett in recent weeks and indeed the last 24 hours to hasten the opening of the scallop season and on behalf of Tasmania’s scallop fishers, I thank him for listening and more importantly taking swift action on this.

TARFish lodged a submission in response to the Commonwealth Fisheries Resource Sharing Framework discussion paper.

TARFish, Tasmania’s recreational fishing peak body, helps land a major victory for Tasmania’s game fishers in the wake of the Southern bluefin tuna (SBT) fishery announcement by Tasmanian Senator and Commonwealth Assistant Fisheries Minister Jonno Duniam today.

“Tasmania’s recreational fishers are to be congratulated for their patience and understanding,” said TARFish CEO, Jane Gallichan.

“We’re a passionate lot and for so many recreational fishers to be landlocked for weeks on end has been tough but the end is in sight and I expect that boat ramps will be busy as fishers get out and back on the water this weekend. “

TARFish special bulletin on fishing responsibly during Covid-19 restrictions. The following information has been sourced from the Tasmanian Government and Marine and Safety Tasmania (MAST) on 6 April.