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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-06-14 Daily Xml
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Question Time

FISHERIES

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:20): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries a question about our state's fisheries.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: We saw in this morning's Australian and we heard it announced in the last couple of days that the federal government is about to declare the world's largest system of marine parks, which will obviously have ramifications for a host of industries including oil and gas exploration and, of course, our important fisheries.

Members would be aware that last month I went to the Eyre Peninsula and I have also recently been to the South-East and met with lobster and scale fishers. I did not meet with the prawn fishers. Even though members here know I have a big interest in prawns, the prawn fisheries are up there in the gulf and not in commonwealth waters. Naturally, those fishers were quite concerned about the impact of the state marine parks and now they face the prospect of these national marine parks, with special zones for habitat protection, sanctuaries and special purpose zones. My questions to the minister are:

1. Has the minister discussed the impact of these parks with the federal minister for fisheries or the federal minister for the environment?

2. If so, when did these discussions take place?

3. What impact will these new zones have on South Australia's fisheries and the people who depend upon them for their livelihoods, and what will the economic impact on our state be?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (14:22): I thank the honourable member for his important question. Indeed, South Australia welcomes the plan for marine protected areas released today by the commonwealth government. They are certainly to be commended for their efforts. The commonwealth initiative aligns with our own efforts to develop marine parks in South Australian waters and is a significant step forward for—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: Can you answer the question? I am not fishing; I want a real answer.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Ridgway should be quiet and listen.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Thank you, Mr President. The commonwealth initiative aligns with our own efforts to develop marine parks in South Australian waters and is a significant step forward for marine conservation for our shores. There are several locations where the commonwealth marine reserves connect with South Australian marine parks, and we have worked together with the commonwealth to maximise opportunities for enhanced conservation outcomes, while also ensuring we minimise the impact on users in these locations. So, considerable work has been done with the commonwealth in relation to those matters.

The Great Australian Bight Marine Park is an excellent example of how significant conservation outcomes can be achieved through collaboration between state and commonwealth governments. The Great Australian Bight Marine Park, which covers both state and commonwealth waters, was established in 1996 by the former state Liberal government to protect the biological diversity of the Bight, while providing for ecologically sustainable use of the park's natural resources. It has been very successful in increasing the number of tourists to the area and continues to provide iconic recreational fishing opportunities. I have had the opportunity to visit the Bight and watch the whales. I have also been able to enjoy visiting Ceduna and surrounds and partaking in eating some of their fabulous fish caught locally.

The plan released by the commonwealth will improve the protection provided by both jurisdictions to the Great Australian Bight and other iconic locations at Kangaroo Island and Pearson Island. There are a number of commercial fishing industries that operate in both state and commonwealth waters. State and commonwealth officials will continue to work closely to assess those impacts on users and to ensure that the adjustment of commercial fishing across the two jurisdictions proceed as efficiently and as effectively as possible. That work will continue.

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