South Coast fishers keen to understand the detail in marine park announcement
The WA Fishing Industry Council (WAFIC) says today represents the culmination of four years of debate over the South Coast Marine Park. Some will feel relief and others despair as they examine the final boundaries of the sanctuary zones to see if they have a future in the industry or not.
WAFIC Chief Executive Melissa Haslam said it is a day of mixed emotions.
“It’s been a hard-fought debate, and tensions have been high. I will acknowledge that Minister Punch has pushed for some critical concessions for the commercial fishing industry, which will ensure the continuation of fishing businesses that were otherwise doomed for exit,” Ms Haslam said.
The final plans show removal of Point Hood and Kepa Kurl sanctuaries, along with reductions and other changes to critical fishing areas within Cape Pasley, Eastern Group Islands, Salisbury-Cooper Islands, Cape Le Grand and Eucla sanctuary zones. It is hoped the changes will support the viability of purse seine, abalone, crustacean, octopus and gillnet and longline fisheries on the south coast
After originally seeking marine sanctuaries of approximately 25 per cent, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) has settled on a model that will secure approximately 20 per cent of the 1000-kilometre long marine park as sanctuary zones.
Ms Haslam said no one in the industry was ever going to be thrilled over a politically-motivated marine park, however it is clear from this decision that the government has taken local voices into its decision-making process reducing the no -take sanctuary zones to approximately 20 per cent of the marine park. WAFIC worked with its industry members to identify these critical areas.
“The South Coast fisheries are already recognised as being sustainable and well managed, with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s annual State of the Fisheries Report rating the region as being 96 per cent sustainable and not at risk,” Melissa said.
“At the end of the day there are thousands of square kilometres where no food production will ever occur again. What is often forgotten through these processes are the huge amount of marine parks that already exist, representing nearly 40 per cent of Australian waters. Its why we have to fight so hard, otherwise there will be no commercial fishing at all,” Melissa said.
The four-month public consultation process received more than 20,000 submissions.
Melissa said there’s still a lot of work ahead, including a review of comments made in the submissions by local stakeholders, and the assessment of cumulative impacts on fishers who work across multiple zones.
“Lock-out marine sanctuaries are not a perfect answer to environmental management and there are many examples of how they don’t achieve their intended goals, including here in WA. We will now work with government to identify the full economic impacts the marine sanctuary zones will have on local fishers.”
“Ultimately there will be fishers who are no longer viable. This will be tough and we will not rest until everyone is looked after, and compensated appropriately.”
“There’s still a lot more work ahead. WAFIC will be in Esperance next week to work with DBCA and our members to help them determine the full impact of these sanctuary zones,” Melissa said.