Buy-outs proposal for North Coast fishers

Change in policy is expected for the north coast fishing industry to protect fish stock from diminishing.

Commercial fishermen of north coast area are lobbying for buy-outs plan to save the stocks of fish in the region. As per a study there are too few fish for too may fishermen and recommends incentives for some to leave the industry. The Professional Fishermens Association's John Harrison said it is a positive suggestion. He added if changes are not allowed in the policy then north coast fishermen will get nothing back after investing years of time and effort.

He informed that fishermen will have an opportunity for those who wish to exit the industry to apply through a tender process to surrender their fishing business on the basis that they sell their shares. He said that changes are positive for the industry, but it is hard to know how many operators will take up the offer to sell shares and businesses.

According to him there are quite a number of people on the north and mid north coast that've been in the game for a long time that are wanting to get out. There are fishermen taking this opportunity to put their fishing business in a tender process.

Source: abc.net.au"

WorldFishingToday d. 30-05-2012