Illegal Fishing Activity

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:18): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Will the minister inform the chamber about recent fisheries patrols that have detected illegal fishing activity?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:18): I thank the honourable member for his question. As the warm weather approaches each year we see many of the estimated 360,000 recreational fishers in South Australia head for their nearest jetty, boat ramp or beach and go fishing or crabbing as well as a range of other marine activities.

It is a much loved part of our way of life and a fantastic activity for our wellbeing and staying active. That is why the state government has supported programs to increase the numbers of recreational fishers, particularly women and children, so that they too can experience the benefits fishing provides.

It probably goes without saying that the vast majority of South Australians do the right thing when they go fishing or crabbing, with sustainability being so important to all fishing sectors, particularly the recreational fishing community. Unfortunately, as I have outlined in the chamber before, there are some who take no notice of the rules, disregarding the vast amount of information available to the public on bag and boat limits and sustainable fishing practices. When our fisheries officers eventually catch up with them, as they so often do, they pay a heavy price for their poor decisions.

Over the recent long weekend at the start of the month, fisheries officers patrolled our northern beaches that are so popular for crabbing in the warmer months. Over 500 checks were conducted, and while most of those checks found people to be doing the right thing there were still, unfortunately, far too many who did the wrong thing, taking more than the bag limit, and in some cases significantly so, as well as taking undersized crabs.

Seventy-eight notices were issued over the October long weekend, with 28 of those resulting in expiation notices totalling nearly $17,000 worth of fines issued and over 1,200 crabs seized from individuals who were offending. In one particularly disturbing incident a group of three were found with 389 crabs, 344 of which were undersized. The bag limit is 20 legal sized crabs per person. The largest on-the-spot fines were over $1,400, which serves as an important reminder of how seriously this kind of offending is taken. Though some offenders may not see it that way the reality is that it is offending; it is breaking the law.

Our fisheries officers do a fantastic job in educating the public and, where required, enforcing the law to protect our marine resources. As South Australians we are fortunate that we can enjoy our state's incredible fishing opportunities the length and breadth of our coastline, and as I mentioned a moment ago the vast majority do so in a sustainable and legal way. What these examples show, though, is that there are still too many who are willing to take the risk in breaking the law, thinking they won't get caught. I would certainly encourage those people to consider and reconsider before they do so again. It can be a very expensive day out if you are caught doing the wrong thing, and our fisheries officers may well be waiting as you come back to shore.

Sustainability for our fishing sector has to be paramount. The marine environment is one that has to be preserved, and as a common community resource the importance of making fish available, both for commercial sectors and the recreational sector, whilst maintaining sustainability is key.