Commercial Fishing Sector

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (14:56): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Will the minister inform the chamber about the Malinauskas Labor government's strong record of achievement in working with the commercial fishing sector?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:56): I thank the honourable member for his question. Since our election three years ago, the Malinauskas Labor government has worked alongside the commercial fishing sector with the aim of maintaining our sustainable fisheries, which, as we know, support hundreds of jobs and businesses, particularly in regional and coastal South Australia.

One of our first actions in government in 2022 was providing 50 per cent fee relief to rock lobster licence holders for 2022-23. In meeting this election commitment early on in our term of government, we recognised the enormous difficulty that had been placed on the sector by the loss of the Chinese market under the former federal Coalition government. The Malinauskas government has worked closely with the sector throughout the difficult times, looking to help the industry create efficiencies with longer fishing seasons and more flexibility to capitalise on improved market conditions at various times of the year.

The state government worked closely with our federal colleagues, including federal trade minister Farrell, who calmly and methodically worked with our Chinese counterparts towards the announcement late last year that South Australian rock lobster would once again be exported to China. Since that time, we have already seen $33.5 million in exports of rock lobster to China. It is so pleasing to see the sector able to capitalise on the strong demand for its world-class product.

We have worked with the marine scale fishery as it has continued its transition to a quota fishery, a change that was commenced under those opposite. While it has been a difficult transition and has been very difficult for a lot of individual fishers, we have supported the fishery through a range of fee reductions and a focus on reducing red tape, which is starting to make some positive progress.

A difficult but necessary decision that impacted the MSF as well as the rec sector was the extended snapper closure in most waters across the state after stocks were shown to have not recovered to a level where fishing could occur. Though of course disappointing, the state government stepped up with an $8.8 million package, with $2.4 million to support MSF licence holders who had snapper quota; a significant $5 million science program, which is informing decisions to come over the next 18 months; as well as a $1.2 million breeding program that has already seen hundreds of thousands of snapper fingerlings released into waters across the state.

In 2022, the state government provided $300,000 towards the formation of Seafood Industry South Australia (SISA), the industry led and driven peak body for all seafood sectors across the state and a unified and powerful voice for industry.

Since its formation, SISA has been heavily involved in ongoing cost recovery reform and I have been pleased with the positive feedback from industry about this process so far. SISA have, amongst a wide range of activities, also been active in promoting South Australia's commercial fishing sectors, and it was incredibly pleasing to attend their awards night last year as it highlighted the very best of South Australian seafood businesses—the kind of recognition that had unfortunately been missing, particularly following COVID.

Separate to commercial fishing, it is also worth mentioning that early in the term we further protected Australian giant cuttlefish in their breeding aggregation in the waters off Whyalla and the Upper Spencer Gulf, which has become such a tourist drawcard for the region. The species is now protected in the waters of the Upper Spencer Gulf after the former Marshall government allowed the protection to lapse.

We have seen incredible investment throughout the region on tourism experiences to meet the demand over the past few years, underpinned by the confidence that the species is being protected and that has given confidence to the community. I look forward to continuing to work with the commercial sectors as they continue to provide our state, nation and the world premium produce from our fisheries.