Goolwa Pipis

The Hon. R.B. MARTIN (15:22): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Will the minister please inform the chamber about the importance of the Goolwa pipi recreational fishery and about any good news that recreational fishers might expect to hear about the species?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:23): I thank the honourable member for his question. Goolwa pipi is hugely popular, traditionally known as fantastic bait for some of our key fish species but increasingly becoming recognised as a tasty addition to many dishes. Many families enjoy time together, collecting pipi on Goolwa Beach and other nearby beaches as an experience unique to the south coast of South Australia.

The Goolwa pipi onsite recreational fishing survey, held during the 2020-21 season, showed that an estimated 67.7 tonnes of Goolwa pipi were taken, or around 4.26 million individual pipi—an increase of 24 per cent in the total number of pipi caught, compared to the 2013-14 survey figures, which shows the ever-increasing popularity of the species.

Formal sector allocations of pipi in South Australia are set at 73 per cent commercial and 26 per cent for the recreational sector, with 1 per cent set aside for the Aboriginal traditional fishing sector. Unlike any other fishery, the sector allocations are divided up on the share of area where fishing sectors can access pipi, rather than on a share of the sustainable yield. This means that the recreational sector exclusively accesses around 19 kilometres of beach, stretching from near Port Elliot to the Murray Mouth. I am advised the recreational and commercial sectors also share about 45 kilometres of the beach, from 28 Mile Crossing to Kingston South East.

The current bag limit for Goolwa pipi has been 300 per person, with a vehicle limit, which is three or more persons, of 900 and a possession limit of 1,200. After discussions with RecFish SA, who raised the importance of Goolwa pipi to the recreational sector and requested consideration of an increase in bag limits, PIRSA sought advice from SARDI as to whether any increase to the pipi bag limit would be sustainable. Scientific advice was received from SARDI that indicated an increase of 10 per cent would be possible, with low risk to the biological sustainability of the recreational stock of Goolwa pipi.

With this advice, I have approved the 10 per cent increase in bag limits for Goolwa pipi, meaning that the many families, friends and fishers who gather on the beach between November and May each year to collect cockles can now benefit from the increased limits, which is particularly important given many people do so to lower the cost of their fishing bait as well as some collecting for their own consumption.

The new bag limits that will be in place for the next recreational fishing season, from 1 November 2024, are as follows: 330 per person per day, up from the previous 300; 990 per vehicle carrying three or more persons, up from the previous 900; and a 1,320 possession limit, the prescribed quantity, increased from 1,200. It is another example of RecFish SA and the state government working together to get positive outcomes for our state's approximately 360,000 recreational fishers.