An anti-supertrawler advertising blitz targeting the Liberal Party in Tasmanis, Australia, will start tonight.
Recreational fishing and conservation groups from the Stop the Trawler Alliance today launched an election advertising campaign calling for the Liberals and all political parties to support the majority of Tasmanians who wanted the vessels permanently banned from nearby waters.
The television advertisement will be shown in the lead-up to the March 15 election and will be supported by radio and newspaper advertising.
Northern recreational fisher Todd Lambert, who is featured in the campaign, and Mike Stevens from Tasfish are concerned that the state’s Liberal Party is secretly considering lifting the existing supertrawler ban.
We’ve contacted the Liberals here in Tasmania and they have not tried to distance themselves from the very vocal support of Tasmania’s Liberal Senator Richard Colbeck to allow supertrawlers in to our waters, Mr Lambert said.
Many anglers are of a view that commitments may have been given to the proponents of this vessel at some point in time and that is why this issue hasn’t been put to bed once and for all.
Mr Stevens said the advertising campaign was seeking a commitment from all political parties to a permanent ban on supertrawlers.
This is a state election issue because there is a real and present danger for the local fishing industry and local jobs if these giant fish factories damage the marine environment and fish stocks are depleted, he said. This election is a chance for all parties to stand up for local jobs and the healthy seas surrounding our great state by supporting a permanent ban on supertrawlers.
The Stop the Trawler Alliance includes the Tuna Club of Tasmania, Environment Tasmania, Game Fish Tasmania, TasFish Tasmanian Fishing News, Launceston Environment Centre, and the St Helens Gamefishing Club.
Liberals fisheries spokesman Rene Hidding said recreational fishers would be outraged that their TV campaign against the supertrawler had been hijacked by Labor and the Greens.
The Liberals stand shoulder-to-shoulder with recreational fishers in opposing the supertrawler, he said.
But the TV ads, which are funded by recreational fishers and Environment Tasmania, specifically target the Liberals despite both major parties having identical policies opposing supertrawlers.
Recreational fishing groups with no political affiliation will be dismayed to learn that their funds are going towards a political campaign targeting one political party.”
News Ltd 2014