Fur Seals

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (14:49): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. Will the minister inform the chamber about how the government plans to address the growing number of long-nosed fur seals in the Coorong and Lower Lakes area?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (14:49): I thank the honourable member for his very important question. A great deal has been spoken about the growing number of long-nosed fur seals in South Australian waters, particularly in the Coorong and Lower Lakes area. I would like to take this opportunity to clearly outline to the chamber the way the government plans to address some of the associated concerns around those population increases.

Long-nosed fur seals are a state and nationally protected species. They are a natural part of our marine ecosystem. The widespread practice of seal hunting saw the population plummet during the 19^th century. The best science available to me is that we are now seeing a recovering population of long-nosed fur seals, up from those very low levels which were close to extinction levels.

While it is generally a good thing when a species recovers, I am also quite sympathetic to the impacts this has had on the local fishing and Aboriginal communities as well. In contrast to the Liberal opposition in this state, the government will oppose the culling of seals. The member for Hammond in the other place, on behalf of the Liberal Party, seems fixated on the only way forward being to go out there with a gun and shoot seals and clearly has not taken advantage of the scientific information that has been available to me at least and which I have been trying to communicate broadly to the Liberal Party.

The Hon. J.M.A. Lensink interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: But, as the Hon. Michelle Lensink says, they seem to have their head stuck in sandhills. Science and past experience around the world and here locally tells us that culling would be ineffective, because culled seals would simply be replaced by new seals—unless the member for Hammond and the Liberal opposition are proposing that we go out and kill another 100,000 seals; that might be one way forward. That would be something they might want to do, but removing a few seals would just encourage the seals to replace them.

We are also opposed to culling because of the detrimental effect it would have on South Australia's reputation as having a clean, green and sustainable environment which produces premium food and wine. We want to help the fishing industry, and in particular the Coorong fishery, preserve their reputation as a premium South Australian food producing area. This is what gives these industries an advantage in successfully marketing their produce domestically, but more importantly also, internationally.

Let's not forget that many tourists travel to our state because of that reputation we have. Our nature-based tourism accounts for around $1.1 billion a year expenditure in this state, I am advised. We believe that the best way to address the impact of seals on fishers is by industry and government working together, and through industry investing in new techniques, equipment and changing practices. This approach has been strongly supported by the local community.

The state government is investing $100,000 towards research into fishing gear, methods and deterrent devices in an effort to reduce the impacts of long-nosed fur seals on Coorong fishers. This will also assist in trialling humane, non-lethal deterrents, such as small underwater crackers (known as seal scarers) as an additional tool to assist fishers to manage seal impacts.

In addition, we are setting up a high level working group to investigate and address issues associated with fur seals and their interactions with industries and the environment. This working group will be made up of representatives from relevant government agencies, the Ngarrindjeri Regional Authority, local council and natural resources management boards, environmental NGOs, research institutions and key industry groups. In a statement released on 22 July, I am advised, Conservation SA, the state's peak environment body, strongly backed the state government's plan to set up this working group. I am pleased with that support.

It is always, as I have said previously in this place, tempting to grasp at some short-term solution to a problem, but it is not a rational way at all to approach complex environmental issues. I look forward to working very closely with local groups and experts to ensure we tackle this challenge in a humane and sustainable manner for the benefit of the environment and industry alike in the long term because, quite simply, there is no alternative that is going to work. Yes, the member for Hammond might be pleased to have seals shot but it will not help the industry: the seals will just come back.