Douglas Shire Council and local commercial fishing industry representatives from the Port Douglas Commercial Fishing Association came together Tuesday 9th February to sign off on the unanimous formal confirmation that Lot 96 and the required portion of Lot 146 are acceptable as an alternative location for the commercial fishing industry.

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Mr Tony Purves, President of the Waterfront Protection Association Inc and Liaison Officer for the Commercial Fisherman’s Association advised the letter of confirmation will be forwarded to the Minister for State Development and Minister for Natural Resources and Mines (DNRM) for the matter to be negotiated between the Minister and Douglas Shire Council for the purchase of Lot 96.

Council will also continue with their negotiations with The Reef Marina as part of their request to relinquish a portion of its lease to locate the fishing berths and provide water access located at Lot 146.  Failing this a report will be prepared for Council recommending the compulsory acquisition of the required land to provide secured waterfront access for land and water-based commercial fishing operations.

Whilst this is a positive step forward for the commercial fishing industry, Mr Purves stated that for years there has been a long and ongoing process to protect the future of the commercial fishing industry and the Port Douglas waterfront which began with the development of the Port Douglas Waterfront Master Plan.

As part of the Project Advisory Committee, Mr Purves said they had a group of 30 representatives from organisations, associations and business throughout the Shire, including Indigenous representation, who met every month on a Sunday for four and a half years.

“The Port Douglas Waterfront Master Plan was signed off and approved by the State back in 2009.

“In the initial master plan the Duck Pond and surrounding leases provided berthing for the commercial fishing industry.

“Over this time we have had four different marina owners, four different Councils, four different State Governments and four different Federal Governments,” he said.

Mr Purves advised the commercial fishing industry are currently on temporary leases under the current marina ownership and he said that this does not currently provide them with the security of tenure they have been negotiating for, stating that their only desired outcome is security of tenure for the future of the commercial fishing industry.

With the future security of the commercial fishing industry at a stalemate, one negotiation that currently appears to be on their side was the State Governments’ decision to approve freehold application of leases at the Port Douglas marina with conditions that seek to preserve access for the community and the commercial fishing industry, which was approved in principal by the Minister for DNRM Dr Anthony Lynham on 29th July 2015.

A letter will also be required from Council confirming as evidence that The Reef Marina Development Approval does not diminish the viability of marine-based industrial uses.

Following a pre-lodgement enquiry by The Reef Marina late last year, Council provided initial feedback and two key responses indicated that;

• Council would not support a Development Application that does not satisfactorily address and give certainty to the commercial fishing operations currently undertaken within the precinct.  This will require agreement to be reached among all relevant stakeholders; and
• The Slipway must be retained until such time as the capacity of the existing slipway is established in the Port Douglas South Waterfront Planning Area, or as otherwise approved by Council.
  
  

Mr Purves advised there are currently 34 registered commercial fishing vessels and he believes the commercial fishing industry directly and indirectly employs approximately 300 people in the region.

“We run the risk of losing 23 boats moving elsewhere and the loss of around 300 jobs and a $50 million industry into the economy, as well as a tourist asset that will diminish.

“When you take into consideration there are 23 boats that employ a minimum of three people each, plus transport, drivers, as well as other indirect employment, it’s around 300 jobs.  It costs one boat around $17,000 in fuel each trip, which varies depending on the size of the engine, and if you times that by 23 boats refuelling, it’s around half a million dollars in fuel being purchased.

“Plus the commercial fishing vessels require ongoing preventive maintenance. They’ve got to have 24 hour snap freezer refrigeration, which also uses fuel.  If they’ve got live trout, their pumps need to pump water to keep it alive, this all adds to the maintenances of their vessels.  They also need to purchase their bait, tackle, riggers as well as supplying their catch to local restaurants.  All this goes back into the local economy,” said Mr Purves.

The commercial fishing industry fear that if negotiations fail between all key stakeholders, including State and Local Governments and The Reef Marina developers, for which they are still in the process of, Mr Purves believes The Reef Marina will proceed to contest the Minister’s freehold conditions with an application for a statutory order review.  Therefore the commercial fishing industry understands that successful negotiations between all parties are imperative but said it has been difficult getting all three parties around the table together.

“We need to get some security back, through a condition on a lease, not based on word of mouth. Once they freehold what’s stopping them from on selling. There was a no freehold clause for 40 years. The Reef Marina have every right to apply for freehold, but not without conditions.” said Mr Purves.

Mr John Deuble, second generation fisherman and a Commercial Fisherman’s Association member,  who is now passing over the reigns to the next generation, said that since de-amalgamation the new Douglas Shire Council has supported the commercial fishing industry as part of the Port Douglas history.

“Cairns Regional Council didn’t consider what was happening locally. Communication was difficult dealing with them and now we have a Council on our side.

“The former Council agreed in principle to the freeholding of much of the ports waterfront land with no consideration as to where the fishing fleet might go.  Prior to this decision the fleet had enjoyed some security via special conditions on a lease then owned by Meridien Marina Port Douglas. This lease is included in the freehold offer.

“With de-amalgamation, we have seen the return of a Local Government which actually gives a damn about this community including the fishermen who are part of it,” said Mr Deuble.

Laurie Moull, a second generation fisherman and owner of Santiego prawn trawler, as well as a member of the Commercial Fisherman’s Association, said he supplies around 20 businesses with his catch.

“I supply to restaurants as well as pubs and the butcher. My dad had boats and I’ve been on a trawler since I was three months old.

“We also just had my boat Santiego filmed for a television commercial for Origin. There was a chef from Nautilus cooking crayfish and my boat is in the background,” said Mr Moull.

While negotiations between the key stakeholders are still underway, Mr Purves stated that the commercial fishing industry do not wish to misguide the community.

“We deal with reality and we do our homework thoroughly and want the community to make up their own mind.

“The Douglas Shire ratepayers can be assured that they are not and will not be subsidising the commercial fishing industry,” he said.

“This Council is the only Council that I have dealt with over the past ten years who have sat down and genuinely listened to our issues as a part of the community. They sensibly recognised that the commercial fishing industry problems were in fact a whole of community issue and for the past two years have treated it as such.

“It is not only the current sitting Councillors but also the permanent Council staff that have worked so diligently over the two years in seeking the best possible outcomes for the entire community in this matter.  No financial negotiations have taken place whatsoever,” assured Mr Purves.