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Legislative Council |
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| Ian Gilfillan Australian Democrats Member of the Legislative Council |
MARINE FISHERIES |
Parliament Index |
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Legislative Council |
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| Ian Gilfillan Australian Democrats Member of the Legislative Council |
MARINE FISHERIES |
Parliament Index |
The impact of recreational angling on marine scalefish stocks is certainly not minimised in the report. In fact the document entitled `Marine scalefish Fishery Restructure-Synopsis of the SA Marine Scalefish Fishery' prepared by the Department of Primary Industries and Resources specifically addresses the importance of the recreational sector to the fishery.
× The Federal Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister, Mark Vaile, announced on 7 June 1999 that management of Australia's recreational fishing industry would benefit from a national survey to be held next year. The survey, the first of its type to be conducted on the recreational industry, will target 80 000 households Australia wide over 12 months. It will gather information on participation, demographics, fishing effort and catch, and will lead to assessments of attitudinal, social, and spending aspects of recreational fishing. This information is important to help improve management over the longer term.
× Cost of the survey, including implementation and development, will be $3 million. It will be funded primarily from the Natural Heritage Trust's Fisheries Action Program, with contributions from the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, and the States and Territories. As well as looking at domestic recreational fishing, the survey will examine the impact of overseas visitors and fishing by indigenous Australians. × Management plans are a universally recognised tool for identifying the extent of existing knowledge of a fishery and setting performance indicators against which the sustainability and economic performance of the fishery can be measured. Such plans also provide a mechanism for identifying gaps in such knowledge and assist in planning appropriately focussed programs to provide the best results from the limited resources available. × Management plans are prepared taking into account the best available data on the fishery. Where insufficient information is available on the fishery or particular species a precautionary approach to management arrangements is generally adopted. × The Marine Scalefish Fishery Restructure Research Sub-Committee is currently examining various research related issues as part of the overall review of the marine scalefish fishery. Part of the Sub-Committee's role is to develop a schedule and priority list for updating stock assessment information on individual species, based on the extent of knowledge already available. × The Marine Scalefish Fishery Management Committee recently agreed that an independent review be conducted of the research programs in support of the marine scalefish sector which are required to fulfil obligations to Government in relation to biological reference points. This review has commenced and will be examined by both the Marine Scalefish Fishery Restructure Research Sub-Committee and the Marine Scalefish Fishery Management Committee following its expected completion in July this year. × Prior to the commencement of each licensing year the Marine Scalefish Fishery Management Committee examines and provides advice in relation to the proposed research program to be conducted for the marine scalefish fishery in the following financial year. This advice is provided to the Minister for Primary Industries, Natural Resources and Regional Development as part of the commercial fisheries licence fee setting process and funds are collected from individual licence holders to fund such research programs. All licence fees collected from commercial licence holders are allocated to specific programs (including a significant proportion to research) as identified by the relevant fisheries management committees. × There is currently no direct contribution made by recreational anglers to marine scalefish fishery research programs as there are no recreational fishing licences in South Australia. However, as part of the Government's community service obligations, funding is provided to the South Australian Research and Development Institute for such research. For some species, it requires many years of study and millions of dollars to be specifically able to determine total allowable catch figures. In the absence of this information, precautionary measure are in place to reduce the risk of unsustainable fishing practices by the commercial and recreational fishing sectors.