What can you do?
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has”.- Margaret Mead
Please refer to “What needs to happen”.
Don’t buy imported seafood … aside from the obvious advantages of that philosophy, their regulatory conditions are usually either non-existent, or extremely poor.
Only purchase / dine on seafood that is clearly sustainably and ethically caught. Your actions will usually prompt non-compliant businesses to change their ethos. You have a part to play in the equation, too … the ethical product will be more expensive. But you will have made the right decision as a consumer to help eradicate practices which do not support ethical and sustainable fishing.
Lobby your local Member / Fish Market / Fish Monger / and Seafood-loving friends and associates to deter Mass catch operators, and promote change in their methodologies.
I dream of creating a situation where licenses operated by Mass-Catch operators can be ‘bought-out’ by supporters of ethical and sustainable fishing. If you are financially placed to do so, I offer my time and services free of charge, through an independent Solicitor, to liaise with others for the purchase of these Mass Catch operations, and retire the offending licences – with proceeds of any infrastructure sales returning to you – without any charge from me. My ‘remuneration’ will be the satisfaction that the licence will never work again.
Our Governments should be doing this …..
Federal Minister Ludwig, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry http://www.maff.gov.au/contact
Federal Minister Burke Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities http://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=DYW
Please sign this petition: Stop the Super Trawler
http://www.communityrun.org/petitions/stop-giant-fishing-trawler-in-tasmania/
Please petition your local minister to champion sustainable and ethical practices:
TAS: Minister for Primary Industries and Water, Brian Green, Email: bryan.green@dpac.tas.gov.au, Tel: (03) 6434 6252
QLD: Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry: John McVeigh MP, Email: agriculture@ministerial.qld.gov.au, Phone: (07) 3239 3000
WA: Minister for Mines and Petroleum; Fisheries; Electoral Affairs Norman Moore BA DipEd JP MLC, Email: Minister.Moore@dpc.wa.gov.au, Telephone: (08) 6552-5400
NSW: Minister for the Environment, and Minister for Heritage: Robyn Parker, Email: Robyn.Parker@parliament.nsw.gov.au, Phone (02) 9228 5253
SA: Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Paul Caica, Email: Minister.Caica@sa.gov.au, Phone (08) 8463 5680
NT: Environment Protection Authority, Email: epa@nt.gov.au, Phone: 08 8999 3751
ACT: Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment, Email: envcomm@act.gov.au, Phone (02) 6207 2626
Mark Eather