Legislative Council Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1) 55 1 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Snapper Restocking Program Snapper Restocking Program The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI Legislative Council Snapper Restocking Program The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:24): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question to the Minister for Primary Industries on the topic of snapper spawning at the South Australian Aquatic Sciences Centre. Leave granted. The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI Legislative Council The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: On Tuesday in this place, the Hon. Frank Pangallo asked the minister a question regarding whether there were any setbacks with the snapper restocking program at the South Australian Aquatic Sciences Centre, and in the minister's reply she said, 'The specifics I am happy to take on notice and bring back a response to this place.' My questions to the state fisheries minister are: 1.	Has she since received advice regarding the success or otherwise of the snapper spawning program? 2.	Has she sought advice, in any formal or informal briefing, on the matter since Tuesday? 3.	If so, what was that response? 4.	If not, why not, given the ongoing effects of the algal bloom and the importance of the snapper restocking program? The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN Legislative Council Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister for Forest Industries The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:25): I thank the honourable member for her question. As I said on Tuesday, I took the question on notice and would bring back a response to the chamber. That continues to be my intention. It is worth noting, however— Members interjecting: The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN Legislative Council Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister for Forest Industries The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: Do those opposite want to hear an answer, or do they only want to hear their own voices? Members interjecting: The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN Legislative Council Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister for Forest Industries The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: What I was trying to say was that it is also important to note, however, that the snapper fingerling program is just one part of the snapper science program that has been put in place to address the depleted stocks of snapper. The Hon. N.J. Centofanti Legislative Council The Hon. N.J. Centofanti: Oh! The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN Legislative Council Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister for Forest Industries The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: We hear from the Leader of the Opposition a sound of great surprise. Clearly she doesn't listen to any of the information that is provided in this place. When we announced the $5 million in terms of snapper science back probably roughly three years ago now, probably a little bit more than three years ago, the production of from memory 900,000 fingerlings was a proportion of that, but of course there was a lot of other information and science that was involved, including looking at the various other ways of assessing the biomass. Acoustic monitoring was part of it. Obviously that work has been underway. There was also research around whether the western coast snapper stocks were part of the Spencer Gulf fishery or indeed a separate fishery from Western Australia. The $5 million science program is very, very significant and has a number of different parts to it. We had already released—I am going on memory—I think it was about 450,000 fingerlings previously. As I mentioned on Tuesday, I'm happy to have a further update, which I will bring to the chamber.