Vessel Monitoring Systems

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:30): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Primary Industries on the topic of vessel monitoring systems.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: In April last year, I asked the minister a question regarding vessel monitoring systems and their potential to be imposed on the marine scale fishing sector in South Australia. The minister in her response said:

I am advised that at a commonwealth level VMS has been a useful tool in giving compliance teams the ability to monitor vessels digitally, leading to efficiencies that can potentially flow through the cost-recovery process. VMS implementation in our state has the potential to reduce the compliance effort required to monitor the commercial fisheries by giving PIRSA a proven tool to be able to monitor vessels more efficiently.

The minister also said:

I understand that PIRSA has recently undertaken a consultation process with each of the commercial fishing sectors where it is proposed that VMS will be introduced. Once I have received and considered the advice from PIRSA on its proposal I will be able to speak further on this matter.

Over the past few months the opposition has received overwhelming feedback from the commercial fishing sector, particularly that of the marine scale fishing sector, that they are completely against the use of VMS, particularly given that they have been informed by the department that the use of VMS will not result in reduction in the licence fee structure to indicate a flow through into the cost-recovery process. My questions to the minister are:

1. Given the minister has now received and considered the advice from PIRSA on VMS, including the consultation feedback from the fishers, does she continue to support her department's bid for VMS and, if so, why?

2. Will the minister rule out increases in costs for fishers for ongoing maintenance and repairs of VMS devices?

3. Why won't the department cover ongoing maintenance and replacement of VMS devices, given that they are being mandated by her government?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:32): I thank the honourable member for her question. After considering feedback from industry, along with all other relevant information, I determined that it was appropriate that the following South Australian fisheries implement a vessel monitoring system (VMS) as part of their spatial monitoring and compliance programs: the blue swimmer crab fishery; Gulf St Vincent, Spencer Gulf and West Coast prawn fisheries; western and central zone abalone fisheries; and the marine scalefish fishery. The southern zone rock lobster fishery has been granted a two-year timeframe to implement equivalent technology offering the same real-time, offshore, at-sea monitoring capacity.

PIRSA is now working on the rollout of VMS for the applicable fisheries. It's worth noting that VMS is already in use across a number of South Australian fisheries including northern zone rock lobster, southern zone abalone, sardine and giant crab. I am advised that it has proven to be a useful and successful tool in these sectors. I am further advised that at a commonwealth level VMS is considered a useful tool in giving compliance teams the ability to monitor vessels digitally, leading to efficiencies that can potentially flow through to their process.

The implementation cost of the VMS units will be covered by a grant from the commonwealth's Parks Australia, meaning there will be no upfront costs to industry to implement VMS. Ongoing costs with regard to the VMS monitoring program will be reviewed directly against efficiencies observed within the fisheries compliance program. The vessel monitoring system program will be delivered on a cost-neutral basis for fishers. The cost-neutral status of this implementation is inclusive of hardware and installation.

I understand that PIRSA has now released a proposed VMS implementation plan and is engaging with the relevant executive officers to ensure a smooth transition onto the vessel monitoring system. I understand PIRSA has also developed and distributed a 'frequently asked questions' guide to executive officers to assist fishers with any questions they may have regarding the implementation and ongoing management of the program. All fisheries within the scope of the VMS implementation plan are intended to be fitted with a VMS and active prior to 30 June 2025.