Question Time

FISHERIES COMPLIANCE

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (15:10): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries a question about fisheries and aquaculture.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS: The Department of Primary Industries and Resources South Australia (PIRSA) Fisheries and Aquaculture is a key management and economic development agency within the South Australian government. PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture is recognised as the deliverer of regulatory services to the fishing sector. Will the minister provide an update on the at-sea capability of fisheries compliance along the metropolitan coast?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (15:10): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. The South Australian fisheries are a very valuable natural resource. While they are accessed by a number of sectors with a diverse range of interests—including commercial, recreational and Indigenous—they require careful and considered management.

This government is committed to protecting the sustainability of South Australia's aquatic resources and facilitating the economic viability and profitability of the fishing and aquaculture industries. The government's strategic goals in delivering these services are to maximise the voluntary compliance of all fisheries across the state and to create effective deterrents for would-be offenders.

The purpose of the PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture compliance team is to provide a compliance service that does not compromise the integrity and sustainability of the state's fisheries resource. This is achieved by working in partnership with the industry and other stakeholders to design and implement practical and workable enforcement regimes. Locally, on the metropolitan coastline, recreational fishers make up the majority of fishing, more than anywhere in this state, along with a strong commercial fishing sector.

Last week it was fantastic that PIRSA was able to launch a new fisheries patrol vessel at the Adelaide jetty marina. The new 7.5 metre boat is named Naiad after the Greek water nymph, I am advised. The new vessel has been specifically designed to undertake core compliance activities in this region and will provide a significant boost to the capabilities of the fisheries officers. It is packed with the latest technological features, such as a navigational system that allows for more accurate navigation of the state's coastline.

The boat has a range of 200 nautical miles, allowing patrols to run from Port Adelaide to Cape Jervis and back. It is a robust inflatable vessel, which I am advised will withstand severe weather conditions. The Naiad is specifically designed to undertake compliance work not only across the metropolitan coastline but anywhere across South Australia. The new boat will complement PIRSA's current fleet of vessels that patrol the state's rivers, gulfs and other waters, which is vital. As you would expect, a large component of fisheries compliance work is conducted at sea. This new vessel will allow fisheries officers greater access to patrol areas that they could not previously reach, particularly during harsh weather and sea conditions.

The new vessel will provide a huge boost to the at-sea capabilities of fisheries compliance along the metropolitan coast. Successful fisheries management depends on optimal fisheries compliance. There is a high level of community expectation that our fisheries resources will be maintained at sustainable levels and that the aquatic habitat will be protected for future generations to enjoy. I believe the compliance team do a really wonderful job of achieving this goal and I am sure that this new vessel will be a useful tool in helping them in their endeavours.