Algal Bloom

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (14:52): My question is to the Treasurer. Is the short-term future of fishing at risk in St Vincent Gulf? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr PEDERICK: In a radio interview on Friday, experienced and well-respected professional fisherman Bart Butson said, and I quote, 'I think that we should stop fishing because I think it will aid in the recovery of the fish stocks.'

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Minister for Workforce and Population Strategy) (14:52): I just want to convey the answer that was given by Professor Mike Steer, who runs SARDI, when this question was put to him at the press conference last week, in case members didn't all hear it. The question has arisen not just with the gentleman that the member has referred to but among other people who have spoken to the Senate inquiry and, occasionally, when one or other of us are on the media about the algal bloom, it will come up as well and in our many public forums.

The question is quite understandable that, if we have seen a lot of destruction in the marine environment, if there have been a lot of fish deaths, as there have been, what implications does that have on whether we can continue to fish, either recreationally or commercially, the various species? Will there be an imposition of some sort of halt on fishing? It's an understandable and logical question.

As you would expect, there is an understandable and logical answer which has come from Professor Mike Steer. I don't want to risk paraphrasing him inaccurately, but it was essentially that SARDI at present is going through the process of assessing the fish stocks that are currently in our waters and will make advice in due course about whether any decision is needed to be made to restrain any fishing in any particular sector. He warned that the reality is that there are a number of species of fish that are commercially fished and recreationally fished that are doing just fine. The fish that tend to live further out from the coastline—and King George whiting was an example he used—are doing well. Of course, 70 per cent of our coastline has not been affected by the bloom, and therefore their marine environment is healthy.

So while it is a reasonable question, we do need to let the scientists undertake an assessment in order to give us informed advice on what the best approach is now for fish. What we don't want to do is jump and stop people from being able to sustain their livelihood, which we have just been talking about in the last couple of answers, where commercial fishing is so important to so many communities. We do not want to jump and stop that if it's not necessary and we need the evidence base before we make that decision.