Spatial Squeeze
Western Australia’s waters are increasingly crowded as our commercial fishing industry competes for space with offshore renewable developments, coastal developments, marine parks, and other expanding industries.
Our commercial fishing industry has operated sustainably for generations but now faces escalating spatial squeeze, as competing industries displace fishing operations without coordinated planning. Without a comprehensive ocean planning policy, we risk losing access to marine resources that supply fresh, local seafood and support coastal economies.
WAFIC is advocating for a comprehensive State Ocean Planning Policy that aims to address critical gaps in current marine management. Ocean planning requires thorough evaluation of environmental, economic, and social impacts, focusing on cumulative impacts—the combined effects of all existing and proposed developments, not just project-by-project assessments.
Australia lacks established regulations and procedures to formally address how co-existence between marine industries will occur. This creates uncertainty for existing users and inadequate protection for legitimate, sustainable industries.
A meaningful consultation processes would look like:
- Adequate consultation timeframes for complex spatial decisions
- Early fishing industry involvement at pre-assessment stages
- Collaborative partnership using IAP2 standards
- Comprehensive research and criteria analysis for all proposed developments
- Ocean floor mapping and environmental baseline studies
- Clear demonstration of why specific areas are suitable for particular uses
- Transparent assessment of alternative locations
Why this matters
Without coordinated ocean planning, Western Australia risks losing food security as sustainable fishing operations are displaced, coastal communities face economic disruption, and uncoordinated development damages marine environments. A comprehensive ocean planning policy would enable proper cumulative impact assessment and identify co-existence opportunities that protect both our marine resources and the industries that depend on them.
