CEO Message: A strategic call for Ocean Planning
The recent Fisheries Forum hosted by the Minister marked a pivotal moment for Western Australia’s seafood sector. It offered a timely opportunity to reset industry priorities and embrace a forward-looking, strategic approach to sustainability and stakeholder collaboration.
While differences between stakeholder groups are inevitable, sustainability must remain the unifying objective. It must transcend short-term interests and political agendas, which have historically exacerbated the very challenges we aim to solve.
Food security is another critical pillar. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of local resilience. Western Australia must be able to feed itself during times of global disruption.
With 70 per cent of our seafood already imported, further restrictions on commercial fishing risk increasing reliance on unsustainable, unregulated overseas fisheries, shifting environmental burdens offshore.
Looking ahead
WAFIC is committed to working constructively with the Minister and is preparing a comprehensive submission to support informed decision-making.
We believe this forum can serve as a launchpad for a long-term strategic framework that we are calling an Ocean Planning Policy. This policy would provide clarity on future development zones, marine park proposals, renewable energy projects and coastal industrial expansion.
A strategic Ocean Planning Policy would foster confidence among stakeholders and investors, while reinforcing a stable foundation for sustainable fisheries management.
The timing is critical. There are now three million West Australians, the majority of which only enjoy WA seafood as a result of commercial fishing, with over 90 pr cent of commercially caught scalefish consumed within WA.
The hospitality industry, promoting Plating up WA, use local seafood caught by commercial fishers. Fish markets supplying local seafood at Christmas source their local fish from commercial fishers and popular sashimi and sushi outlets rely on the commercial fishers to provide fresh local seafood.
This is certainly a time for difficult decisions. Sustainably first is undeniable. Those privileged enough to be allowed to fish demersals must be responsible and 100 per cent accountable for their fishing effort. There is no room for guess work or error and the greatest beneficiaries of fishing must be the majority of West Australians.
WAFIC will continue to engage closely throughout the process and keep stakeholders informed as developments unfold.