Recreational Fishing

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (16:18): Supplementary: in relation to the draft recreational fishing management plan, can the minister explain why there is only one community consultation meeting in Adelaide, which in fact represents two-thirds of the state's fishing area for recreational fishers?

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson—Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Recreation and Sport, Minister for Racing) (16:19): We have these information—

The Hon. T.R. Kenyon interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Newland is warned.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: —sessions and listening sessions going on right around the state. So, we have got Mount Gambier, Victor Harbor, Kangaroo Island. We have got one in Adelaide. We have got one in Wallaroo. We have got one in Ceduna. We have got Port Lincoln and Whyalla. We are happy to listen to any suggestions about where there needs to be more public meetings. We are happy to go out there. We have February and March where we will be doing the consultation and having these public meetings, and we are happy to have as many meetings as it takes to get the message out to people and to receive the input from not only recreational fishers but other people who will have a say on this very important matter.

These bag limits first came in in the mid-1970s. Boat limits came in in 1984. We think it is beholden on us, as the government, to work with recreational fishers, who I must say, from the people I speak to right throughout the regions who go out fishing, want to see this sort of conservation. They don't want to see fishing stocks plundered and nothing there for their grandchildren and for future generations. So, we are being a responsible government, working with the community. I must say that the vast majority of feedback that we have had so far, and we only opened up this consultation about eight or nine days ago, has been very positive. I commend the fishing community on that.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: The environment department is not managing the fisheries. This is fisheries. This is part of PIRSA. I think SARDI and PIRSA are recognised around the world as doing an excellent job in managing what is a finite resource. We work with the recreational sector, we work with all the commercial sectors in fishing here, and we do have a reputation around the world for getting it right. It is a very important resource and I look forward to the consultation that will continue over the next few months. No-one can complain that this is some session that we are opening up and closing very quickly, people will have until the end of April.

So, I encourage each and every one of you and every other South Australian, particularly those 277,000 recreational fishers, to get across the website, and download the app. There is an amazing app that is available through PIRSA that will tell you the rules about every fish species that you want to catch in South Australia. It is terrific. It also gives you all the maps. It gives you the latest news from PIRSA, so that you can be totally informed about what you need to do to get involved in the consultation.

The other thing you can do on there is that you can report illegal activity, and we encourage people to do that. If people are doing the wrong thing, let us know. You can do it on the app or you can ring Fishwatch and you can do it either anonymously or you can actually give your name. It is up to people to make sure that we look after the fish resources for the future.

The SPEAKER: The night watchman sees us through to stumps. The deputy leader.