Recreational Fishing Licences

The Hon. C. BONAROS (15:20): Supplementary: do those measures that the minister referred to include consideration by this government of a recreational fishing licence regime?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:20): I thank the honourable member for her supplementary question and also for her ongoing interest in this sector. What I said at the forum was that the government has not been presented with a proposal to have a recreational fishing licence and that we would not be implementing a recreational fishing licence unless it was called for by the majority of recreational fishers, and indeed it would not be happening in this term of government in any case.

I did, however, explain that we are always keen to hear from recreational fishers about their views. Indeed, at that forum a number of people put forward views both in favour of and against the concept of a recreational fishing licence. I am aware that it's something that does exist in other jurisdictions, particularly in Victoria, and has been considered by many to be successful there, but there are also concerns that it's not necessarily going to achieve the outcomes that some would like.

So I think it's an active discussion. I encourage those who are interested in the topic to also engage with RecFish SA so that those types of discussions can continue. Certainly, it's not something that the government is considering actively at this time.