Gillnets nets are used to catch fish - such as barramundi and mackerel - but they can also injure and kill threatened dugongs,turtles,dolphins and protected shark species.
The wall of netting allows the head of a fish to pass through but not their body. As the fish tries to escape,their gills are caught in the net and they become entangled. There are 240 licensed gillnet fishers in Queensland,using 159 kilometres of gillnet - more than the distance between Brisbane and Noosa.
Monday’s funding announcement will also accelerate the implementation of sustainable fishing strategies and introduction of legislation to mandate the use of independent data validation on commercial fishing vessels. The latter will ensure overfishing is minimised.
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Federal Minister for the Environment and Water,Tanya Plibersek,said one of the greatest risks in the Great Barrier Reef was unsustainable fishing.
“It causes damage throughout the reef,” Plibersek said. “The removal of gillnets in net-free zones on the reef has already helped boost local fish populations. We want to see this happen right across the reef.”
“The Great Barrier Reef is one the most beautiful places on Earth. We want to better protect it for our kids and grandkids.”