SOUTH AUSTRALIAN FISH STOCKS

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (14:37): My question is to the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries. Can he advise the house what is the current state of fish stocks in South Australia?

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN (Napier—Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Energy, Minister for the Northern Suburbs) (14:37): I thank the member for the question. The way that we manage fisheries in South Australia is by way of four categories, and if I could just give a description because then I will move onto the various types of fish. We have the category of under-fished, and that is under-utilised and has the potential to sustain harvest levels higher than those currently being taken. So, that is under-fished.

Fully fished: harvest levels are at or close to optimum sustainable levels. Current fishing pressure is considered sustainable. So, we are talking about a sustainable fishery. The third category is over-fished or depleted, and here we have harvest levels that are not sustainable and/or yields may be higher in the long term if catch or effort levels are not reduced in the short term, or the stock may still be recovering from previous excessive fishing pressure.

Recovery strategies in the over-fished or depleted fisheries will be developed by PIRSA, if we have that issue, to reduce fishing pressure and ensure that stocks recover to accessible levels within agreed time frames. Then we have uncertain, we do not really know the lie of the land, but I do not think we have any categories.

So, just working through the fisheries: Western Zone Abalone Fishery, fully fished, sustainable; Central Zone Abalone Fishery, fully fished, sustainable; Southern Zone Abalone Fishery, fully fished; Spencer Gulf Prawn Fishery, fully fished; Gulf St Vincent Prawn Fishery, fully fished; Sardine Fishery, fully fished; Blue Crab Fishery, fully fished; Giant Crab Fishery, fully fished; Marine Scalefish Fishery snapper, fully fished; Marine Scalefish Fishery King George whiting, fully fished; Marine Scalefish Fishery southern calamari, fully fished; Marine Scalefish Fishery southern garfish, depleted. In relation to the garfish fishery, our strategy is increased commercial net mesh size. We are trialling gear configuration and we are reviewing the recreational bag and boat limits.

The Northern Zone Rock Lobster Fishery, depleted; and the Southern Zone Rock Lobster Fishery, overfished. There we have a number of strategies, one of which is management of the quota. I am sure that the member for Mount Gambier is aware of my rather controversial decision at the time to close down the month of August to prevent the taking of buried females, that is, females actually carrying eggs.

It was my view that that particular fishery was under some stress; stock take numbers had been in decline. We had a remarkable turnaround in that fishery in the last season and, I think, everybody in the South-East is breathing a sigh of relief that we are actually seeing a significant rebound in that particular fishery.

The advice that I have received is that in the northern fishery we seem to have that issue under control. I think that is a fairly comprehensive snapshot, if you like, of the present state of play in South Australian fisheries.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Deputy Leader of the Opposition.