President’s and Political Reports

AFTA Chair's Report - April 2025 "With the Federal election approaching, it is disheartening that all political parties disregard the over 25% of the population who go...

AFTA Chair's Report - March 2025 "Although the NSW Blue Groper fishery is deemed sustainable, AFTA is concerned about the three-year ban extension based on climate change impacts...

AFTA Chair's Report - February 2025 "The public isn't easily fooled. Election promises thrown around in the last days of a government, which could've been acted upon during its...

AFTA Chair's Report - January 2025 "It's a new year with new challenges for our industry; as such, we must draw on all of our reserves to combat the negative impacts on our...

AFTA Chair's Report - December 2024 “It is often stated that the most valuable gift is the gift of presence. There is no more meaningful Christmas gift than spending time fishing...

AFTA Chair's Report - November 2024 It is often and very well said, "If you don't ask, you don't get!!"  AFTA will never be backward in asking governments for what we want to...

AFTA Chair's Report - October2024 If you have overlooked renewing your AFTA membership in 2024, I strongly encourage you to do so for the 2025 year. The information will be...

AFTA Chair's Report - September 2024 "Governments' restocking freshwater and saltwater species helps boost sustainability and fishability; AFTA advocates for more recreational...

AFTA Chair's Report - August 2024 "The robustness of AFTA is underpinned by the commitment from wholesale exhibitors, retailers, and public involvement. The ongoing influx of...

AFTA Chair's Report - AGM 2024 Our objective is best defined as promoting, engaging, and educating more people, particularly families, females, and young people, toward...

"for wholesalers to see firsthand the enthusiasm and passion the next generation of anglers have for our sport" Once again, it has been a busy year for the AFTA Board. It was...

AFTA Chair's Report - July 2024 'AFTA congratulates both the NT Labor (ALP) Government and Country Liberal Party (CLP) Opposition for their commitment to purchase and close all...

AFTA Chair's Report - June 2024 On June 18th, AFTA secured both the ALP Government and the CLP Opposition commitment to a buyback of all 14 licenses over the next term of...

AFTA Chair's Report - May 2024 "AFTA unreservedly stands by Qld Fisheries Minister Mark Furner on removing gillnets in the Gulf just as we did the removal of gillnets on the Qld...

AFTA Chair's Report - April 2024 "From the first AFTA interactions on this issue, the reaction at the ministerial level down through bureaucracy shows AFTA holds a valuable and...

AFTA Chair's Report - March 2024 "Whilst AFTA fully supports the closure of any fishery when there is clear scientific evidence to show that this is the only way to sustain the...

AFTA Chair's Report - February 2024 "The closed access to the Finniss River and the potential of further access restrictions to the Mary, Roper & Lower Daly – Channel Point...

AFTA Chair's Report - January 2024 "No matter which state recreational fishers are in, they should not be funding the normal government work, i.e., Fishery Compliance Officers!...

AFTA Chair's Report - December 2023 "AFTA will always fight the battles for recreational fishers that others seem to ignore or go silent on!"QLD Gill Nets – ARE THEY IN OR OUT??...

AFTA Chair's Report - November 2023 "Gillnet fishing involves using fine-meshed nets at river mouths or estuaries that catch "everything". They catch dugong, turtles, dolphins,...