Natural Resources Committee: Marine Scalefish Fishery, Summary of Evidence 2014-2017

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (19:56): I move:

That the report of the committee on Marine Scalefish Fishery, Summary of Evidence 2014-2017, be noted.

The issue of declining marine scalefish fish stocks was raised with the Natural Resources Committee via an emailed letter to the Hon. Mr Hood in June 2014. The letter was written by Mr Robert Knight of Cape Jervis, with Mr Knight describing a situation where southern calamari numbers around Cape Jervis had declined considerably. Mr Knight hypothesised that this reported squid decline was also impacting on other species. I can assure you, I will be conducting my own research in the next six months.

The fishing of southern calamari is regulated by Primary Industries and Regions South Australia in accordance with the Fisheries Management Act 2007 and its associated regulations. Specifically, the commercial fishing of southern calamari is regulated within the marine scalefish fishery, which is a multi-species fishery dominated by four species: King George whiting, southern garfish, snapper and southern calamari. Not all species fished within this fishery are scalefish, and other species include worms, squid and sharks.

Mr Knight's letter and his subsequent presentation to the committee prompted the committee to seek further advice about the marine scalefish fishery. The committee undertook to listen to viewpoints from a range of stakeholders with an interest in this fishery, including fishers, peak bodies for recreational and commercial fishers, scientists and regulators from PIRSA and our own great South Australian Research and Development Institute.

The committee heard evidence that marine scalefish stocks were in decline, with the four main species within the fishery currently classed by SARDI as transitional-depleting or overfished. The complexity of managing the fishery was highlighted by stock status varying across different areas throughout the gulfs and West Coast of South Australia. For example, the status of southern garfish in the northern Gulf St Vincent is overfished, but classed sustainable in the southern Gulf St Vincent.

The committee heard from PIRSA and SARDI that various management measures were employed that were designed to give fish stocks a chance to recover. However, the committee also heard from various witnesses, whose evidence is summarised in the report and on the committee's website, that in the fishing community there were numerous concerns as to whether current management arrangements were sufficient to protect the marine scalefish fishery.

The committee was concerned that perceptions of or actual declining or poorly managed fish stocks represented an economic and social problem for the state, with the potential for impact on the state's reputation as a producer of clean, green primary produce. This report represents a snapshot or a summary of the evidence collated by the committee regarding marine scalefish stocks in South Australia. This is not a comprehensive report or a report of a formal parliamentary inquiry.

After careful consideration, the committee considered the issues around management of marine scalefish fisheries probably justifies at some future time a thorough parliamentary inquiry or an investigation based on clearly defined terms of reference.

I commend the members of the committee, the presiding member, the Hon. Steph Key MP; the Hon. Robert Brokenshire MLC; the Hon. Mr Dawkins MLC; Mr Jon Gee MP; Mr Peter Treloar MP; and gold medal fisher Mr Paul Caica MP, for their contribution. All members have worked cooperatively on this report. Finally, I thank parliamentary staff for their assistance. I commend the report to the council.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (20:01): I briefly rise to support the motion of the Hon. Mr Gazzola. I think his words were extraordinarily relevant when he talked about this being a valuable snapshot of the situation. In relation to this particular industry, I would guess that of the members of the committee I would be one of the least knowledgeable about fishing, but I think we all learned that there are some issues there and, as the Hon. Mr Gazzola said, it is the strong view that a future Natural Resources Committee, after the election, should strongly consider a fulsome inquiry into this matter. With those words, I am very happy to commend the report.

Motion carried.