House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-10-28 Daily Xml

Contents

Fishing Restrictions

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Leader of the Opposition) (14:12): My question is to the Premier. When did the government receive stock assessments showing declines of some fish stocks and will the government make this data available? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: On 23 October the government published a media release saying that stock assessments of the waters off the Gulf of St Vincent, Kangaroo Island and Spencer Gulf have shown declines of some species including calamari, garfish and King George whiting, particularly in the Gulf of St Vincent.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier, Minister for Defence and Space Industries) (14:12): The Leader of the Opposition is right. On the advice the government has received, the Gulf of St Vincent has been most adversely affected through the harmful algal bloom. In one respect that is not surprising by virtue of the fact that is where the bloom has persisted. We are very grateful for the fact that the bloom obviously hasn't been on the West Coast of the state, nor in the South-East. It has long been gone from parts of the Southern Fleurieu, which is a good thing, but it is the Gulf of St Vincent which has been the most adversely affected, which is consistent with what we would expect. The Spencer Gulf has also been affected, but the harshest effects are in the Gulf of St Vincent amongst all of the—

The Hon. V.A. Tarzia: Where's Arno Bay?

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Where's Arno Bay? Well, you should ask that as your next question. In terms of the species that are most affected: crab, King George whiting and garfish. Garfish, in particular, is a concern, but the species that has been most affected in any particular location, on all the advice we have received thus far, is undoubtedly calamari in the Gulf of St Vincent.