Securing the future of our fisheries
On 20 October, WA Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis convened the Fishing Futures Forum at Parliament House, bringing together around 50 key stakeholders to explore the latest scientific insights into demersal fisheries and chart a sustainable path forward for their management.
WAFIC welcomed the forum as a valuable opportunity to engage with diverse perspectives and find sound solutions to address sustainability concerns with the demersal scalefish.
The Minister opened the forum by outlining a vision for a collaborative and sustainable future, one where all stakeholders can co-exist and contribute to the recovery of our fisheries. While she initially stated that “everything was on the table,” the minister then indicated in a media interview that the Labor party had ruled out mandatory catch reporting during election campaigning.
WAFIC has never advocated for mandatory reporting for casual beach or jetty fishers. But we do want targeted real-time digital reporting for recreational boat fishers operating in high-risk areas like the West Coast Bioregion, where accurate, timely data is essential for informed management. We cannot manage what we cannot measure.
WAFIC has been consulting with the active demersal fishers for months on an industry submission which champions the values of the commercial sector, while putting forward sensible suggestions tailored to the respective bioregions.
Ultimately, sustainability must be the shared goal. WAFIC remains hopeful that the Minister will champion a model that empowers all sectors to contribute meaningfully to stock recovery and allows for a responsible level of commercial fishing to supply our fish markets, restaurants, various hospitality venues, retailers and WA families coming together at Christmas.