House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-10-17 Daily Xml

Contents

MARINE PARKS

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (14:53): Madam Speaker, I have a supplementary question. Given the minister's answer, does he then concede that a reduced area available for quota fisheries will result in overfishing of that remaining water?

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:53): We as a government have always made sure that we've fulfilled our commitments. Our commitment has been to ensure that marine parks will have less than a 5 per cent economic impact on the state's fishing industry, and that is measured as impact on the statewide annual gross value of production.

What we have attempted to do is zone in such a way that we would minimise displacement. In fact, the first process was to avoid displacement and, secondly, then zone in such a way that, where there was displacement, there was activity that would be able to replace that currently being undertaken in a sanctuary zone; from there, there would be buyback. Finally, there would be compulsory acquisition which I hope we never get to.

We have met every commitment to date. Of course, part and parcel of this process is to ensure that there is fair and reasonable return for those fisheries that are impacted upon because, in the medium to long term, what we still know is that the benefits will be multiple. In fact, the benefits, as I said, will be felt not only by recreational anglers, which in its own way is as big an industry and as valuable an industry to South Australia as the commercial fishing industry, but they will also accrue to the commercial sector.