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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-02-19 Daily Xml
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MARINE PARKS

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (15:24): I rise today to speak about something which I have spoken about often in this place, and which many other speakers have spoken about, and that is the issue of marine parks, and it has been highlighted again quite recently with a taxpayer-funded advertisement. The funding was in excess of $1 million, and the idea was for the government to remind people of the importance of marine parks. Unfortunately, it illustrates a young man crabbing off the end of the Port Noarlunga jetty, and of course that is within a sanctuary zone and crabbing is, in fact, banned from the end of that jetty. How unfortunate for the government, particularly given that it was taxpayer funded.

I think what it demonstrates, more than anything, is how out of touch this government is with the realities of its sanctuary zone implementation. It is embarrassing and it beggars belief the lengths this government will go to to sell its policy. It highlights, in many ways, all that is wrong with the sanctuary zone policy. We have heard from the government that it is not a fishing managing tool. Of course it is.

Ten of the 19 marine parks in this state are located around the coastline of Eyre Peninsula so I have more than just a passing interest in this. PIRSA has been responsible over many years for the management of fisheries in this state, both wild catch fisheries and aquaculture zones. It has done a remarkably good job at fishery management. It has been responsible and effective in working with the industry and reaching quotas and licence arrangements for the various fisheries throughout the state.

In fact, I was speaking with a fishing friend of mine who has been involved with a number of the wild catch industries over the years, including tuna, rock lobster and pilchards, and in his 40 plus years in the wild catch industry, he said to me the other day, he has never seen this state's oceans look so healthy and be so productive. So, all credit to the industry and all credit to PIRSA in this case for the management it has rolled out. Of course, all of a sudden DEWNR has decided to become involved with fishery management through its sanctuary zone implementation.

The oceans and fisheries have never looked so healthy, but the government has decided that it is going to implement sanctuary zones that have an impact and a cost to industry, tourism, coastal communities and, ultimately, taxpayers, because it will be the taxpayers who will pay for this. It will be the taxpayers who will pay for the administration of the sanctuary zones. It will be the taxpayers who stump up the cash for the buyback of fishing licences and it will be taxpayers who will pay for the compensation for fishers who are no longer able to fish what are often their most productive grounds.

We hear from the government almost every day about the importance of jobs, particularly to rural and regional communities. There is no doubt that the implementation of sanctuary zones will have a direct impact on industry: the fishing industry, the tourism sector industry and also those communities. It will spell the end for some fishing families, there is no doubt about that. It puts at great risk those family businesses that are involved in the processing of fish. They are a big part of my coastal communities and they are very concerned about this.

It seems that this government is intent on shutting this state down. There are many examples of 'shut the gate' conservation, both on land and on sea. I think the days of that are long gone. I do believe in active management but I also believe in a productive landscape and the responsibility we have to maintain that productive landscape, which we have been able to do. Obviously, mistakes have been made in the past but we have learned to manage a delicate environment and maintain its productivity.

I feel for those fishermen, fishing families and coastal communities who are about to feel (by October of next year) the impact of the implementation of these sanctuary zones and what it might mean for their communities and businesses. There is no doubt that you have not heard the last on this from me, or from other members on this side. I believe it is still a live issue and we will continue to lobby on behalf of our constituents.

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