CEO Report: Pressure remains on as we step into 2026
The demersal announcement certainly kept everyone on edge over Christmas and into January and the intensity is not subsiding.
At WAFIC, we were madly promoting publicly the many injustices of the announcement, which were picked up enthusiastically by the media. Between mainstream and social media there were quite literally hundreds of stories running across WA and nationally throughout December and January.
We have certainly seen strong public sentiment in favour of commercial fishers as people recognised the connections between fishers and supply of their favourite seafoods. The message is clear. The decision has not passed the pub test.
There is no need for a total and permanent closure of the West Coast demersal and shark fisheries, a point we have made clear to government, while reiterating that sustainable solutions exist which would enable commercial fishing to resume. We have an opportunity to discuss these ideas with government.
Separately, there will be a need for licence buy backs. We do not believe these need to be compulsory acquisitions of every licence, and any compensation must be fair and adequate.
Fishers should be compensated for their losses, including for their gear and boats that will either be unsaleable, or heavily depreciated by the announcement. There is evidently a lot more to consider than simply a base licence value when looking at any compensation, and WAFIC will work with fishers to promote this message clearly to government.
So, we will now turn our attention to the Minister’s Advisory Council as we aim to retain, or create, commercial fishing opportunities on the West Coast. We will focus on fair and adequate compensation for licence buy backs and continue to run stories on the specific impacts the announcement is having on businesses and families. We encourage you to reach out to us and share your stories for media.
It remains an uncertain time for everyone, so all we can do is take the next step.
Sadly, Felix’s time with us has come to an end. Felix joined us last year and brought an enormous depth of knowledge along with a can-do attitude. While we wish him all the best for his future endeavours we also look forward to Laura’s return in early February.
Following his six-month sabbatical, Matt Pember has decided it is time for new adventures. I do want to take the opportunity to thank Ree for stepping in for Matt. Ree was a pocket-rocket of energy and fisheries knowledge and we certainly appreciated all her assistance.
With Ree now back at DPIRD, we are advertising for one more senior position in WAFIC. This is an important position to fill as it deals with many of the day-to-day matters of so many fisheries around the coast.
At the end of the day commercial fishing provides so much public good. We all deserve to enjoy Western Australian fish. To do that, all we need is commercial fishers and good fisheries management.
Kind regards,
Melissa Haslam
WAFIC Chief Executive Officer