QSIA - Catching Fish for Everyone

QSIA Fishers for the Environment

Fishers for the Environment are licensed commercial fishers who sustainably harvest seafood from Queensland waters that apply environmentally acceptable practices in their fishing operations.

They are signatories to one of the regional Environmental Mangement Systems for the seafood along the Queensland coast.

Our Vision

To be the consumers chosen supplier of seafood that is responsibly harvested from sustainable wild fisheries.

EMS for Seafood

A seafood environmental management system is a tool for fishers and the onshore seafood sector that can be applied for a process of continual planning, implementing, reviewing and improving their business practices to manage its risks and identify opportunities relating to:

• the environment
• food safety and quality
• occupational health and safety
• community engagement and education
• profitability
• business structure

Circle of Seafood - EMS Steps

Funding

Seafood EMS for Queensland has been funded by the Department of Agriculture Fisheries & Forestry (DAFF). The project, now in its third stage is managed by QSIA and delivers to whole of industry opportunity to become a Fisher for the Environment.

Environmental Skilling

Skill building in the seafood industry is a priority and the EMS program has four QSIA member EMS facilitators who have gained formal qualifications with SFI40705 Certificate IV in Seafood Industry (Environmental Management), fishers with a competentcy in risk assessment. Other projects include a partnership between QSIA and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to develop an emissions calculator in the fishing industry..

Fisheries Performance as indicated by the EMS Process

Commercial fisheries of Queensland are highly regulated. This includes fishing apparatus and vessel restrictions, closures, quotas, total allowable catches, permitted species and fish sizes.

Risk Assessments undertaken during the development of Queensland fisheries EMS indicate:

• That the majority of risks identified for Queensland’s fisheries are already addressed through legislated controls and Voluntary Industry Codes of Practice.
• that there are a number of external risks to the marine environment and fish stocks that the industry is unable . These include; urban development and rural land use adjacent to waterways and recreational fishing and boating.

The EMS has revealed the long held belief of fishers that the basis for sustaining a progressive and prosperous seafood industry into the future is with conscientious and environmentally aware fishers actions which include;

• Developing an abatement plan for the interaction with dugong and endangered species awareness.(the precursor to legislation)
• Working with government on R& D to protect the aquatic flora and fauna. Collaboratively developing By catch Reduction Devices, Turtle Excluders, fishing apparatus gear selectivity such as net mesh sizing, crab pot design .
• Adapting fishing vessel design to reduce emissions, energy consumption and interaction with vulnerable species
• Engaging the community and stakeholders in the seafood industry- and respecting the cultural values..

EMS Regions of Queensland

Hinchinbrook Region – Fisheries Net/Line/Crab
Wide Bay Burnett/ Great Sandy Straits Fisheries - Net/Line/Crab/ Inshore Trawl
Sunshine and Cooloola Coasts - Fisheries Net/Line/Crab and Trawl
Moreton Bay – Fisheries Net/Crab/Line/Trawl
Gulf of Carpentaria – Fisheries Net/Crab/Line
Mackay Region- Fishers Code of Conduct

Within in each fishery there are multiple sub-fisheries prescribed by Queensland Primary Industries & Fisheries (e.g. Crab sub groups are mud, blue swimmer and spanner crab)

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