"The Future of Recreational Fishing in Queensland - have your say"


This circular is to inform details of the Sunfish Conference to be held at the Bardon Conference Centre, Brisbane on Sat-Sun 14-15 November 2009.
Please mark this date in your diary.

The title of the conference is "The Future of Recreational Fishing in Queensland - have your say", and its purpose is to enable discussions of the future directions of recreational fishing by a wide range of persons directly involved in recreational fishing and its associated industries. The aim of the conference is to achieve a broad consensus on the future directions of this popular and important pastime activity in Queensland. Sunfish will publish a report on the results of the Conference.

Participation is open to all Sunfish members and regional branches as well as recreational fishers who are not affiliated with Sunfish organizations. Business persons who are involved in providing services to the recreational fishing sector are very welcome to participate. Representatives of Queensland and Commonwealth Government agencies involved with recreational fishing are also most welcome. This conference is the first of its kind in Queensland - it is for those involved in recreational fishing - it will have a major bearing on the future of recreational fishing - it is organized by Sunfish, the peak body for recreational fishing in Queensland.

The conference will be partly subsidized from the private vessel levy established some 15 years ago under the Burns Inquiry into recreational fishing. However the estimated registration fee at this stage is $50 per person, for which registrants will receive a kit of speakers' papers, all meals on Saturday and Sunday including a dinner on Saturday evening, and the final Conference report on outcomes. Registration forms will be distributed shortly with all relevant details. Motel accommodation is available on site but must be paid for separately by participants.


Themes that will guide discussions at the Conference are:

1. Responsible and Enjoyable Recreational Fishing
2. Sustainable Stocks and Habitats - Monitoring and Research
3. Governments' Management and Support of Recreational Fishing
4. Participation Levels, Associated and Supporting Industries, Economic Significance
5. Conflicts and Their Resolution


Any person who cannot attend the Conference and who wishes to have a say on any of the themes may do so by sending comments to the Sunfish Conference Registrar. Written submissions will be presented to the conference in summary form.

Invitations to speakers and workshop chairs will be issued shortly. Sunfish now has a Conference Registrar to handle registrations, enquiries and submissions. The contact details of the Sunfish Conference Registrar are given above.

The programme on Saturday of the conference will consist of a series of presentations by speakers supported by PowerPoint followed by questions and comments. Speakers will be leaders in their fields and they will be asked to comment on each of the conference themes. The programme on Sunday will consist of five concurrent workshops each focusing on one of the conference themes, and chaired by persons of considerable standing who will report back to the main conference on workshop outcomes. The themes will be further discussed in an open session of the conference and form the basis of the conference report.

Speakers on the first day will include leaders from: Sport fishing, Game fishing, Freshwater fishing, Underwater fishing, Fishing clubs association, Pastime anglers, Associated industries, and Government agencies. There will be reasonable time for questions and comments on all presentations. However the workshops on day two will enable more detailed discussions on each of the themes.

It is important that those who are interested in the future of recreational fishing make an effort to "have your say" at this conference - either by attending or by sending comments to the Conference Registrar. The outcomes will provide a clear strategic direction for recreational fishing in Queensland, and will be used by Sunfish in representing the interests of recreational fishing into the future.

More information about the Sunfish Conference will be distributed in future editions of the Sunfish magazine and on the Sunfish website, at bait and tackle outlets and in the media.

Sunfish Queensland - representing the interests of recreational fishing