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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-05-16 Daily Xml
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FISHERIES

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (14:40): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries a question about the work of PIRSA Fisheries.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS: Lake Eyre Basin has long been known as a stunning and sought-after tourist destination, especially in times of flood; however, there are other industries that seek to enjoy this wonderful part of our country. Can the minister tell the chamber about recent measures taken to better understand and manage fishing in the Lake Eyre Basin?

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) (14:40): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. As members would be aware, Lake Eyre Basin covers a vast area across Central Australia and crosses the borders of South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. Lake Eyre is the lowest point of the basin and the terminating point of the system's major arid zone rivers.

I was very fortunate to fly over Lake Eyre earlier this year and see it in its full glory and have a close look at this unique natural environment. The area is full of potential, with principal human activities around the basin including pastoralism, tourism, mining exploration and production. During larger floods, various fish and aquatic fauna are transported along the main channels and deep water holes. This makes Lake Eyre fisheries quite unique compared with any other fishery in South Australia, largely due to the fact that Lake Hope and Red Lake tend to only fill after the type of large-scale flooding that occurs approximately once every 10 years in the Cooper Creek system.

It is one of the largest internally draining river systems in the world, and its natural environment is relatively undisturbed. It certainly includes sites of cultural significance that support our wonderful wetlands, such as the Ramsar-listed Coongie Lakes. In June 2010, the previous minister for agriculture, food and fisheries requested that a fishery management plan be prepared by Primary Industries and the Fisheries Council of South Australia, and I am very pleased to inform members that a draft of this great body of work has now been completed.

The draft management plan is to apply to each of the three fisheries that operate in South Australia: the commercial, recreational and Aboriginal fishing sectors. There is currently one licensed commercial fisher operating in the Lake Eyre Basin, and the licence holder is permitted to take golden perch and Welch's grunter. The recreational fishery is not licensed, but it is subject to a range of regulatory restrictions, such as bag and boat limits, size limits, restriction on the types of gear that may be used, temporal and spatial closures, and the complete protection of some species.

The 2007-08 study and anecdotal evidence indicated that over 400 fishers undertake recreational fishing each year, with the main targets being the Lake Eyre golden perch, yabbies and other species, including catfish and grunters. The draft management plan will now go out for three months of public consultation, and I am sure the public will be pleased with the results. Management has been focused on the conservation of key species and guides the implementation of the YY Indigenous Land Use Agreement.

The basin is a significant fishing resource of particular importance to the cultural and spiritual lives of local Indigenous groups, and this has been carefully considered in the consultation around the draft plan. Traditional stories and historical records of European and other explorers and settlers provide a record of widespread use of aquatic resources and the use of a range of technologies in harvesting them.

The indigenous land use agreement with the YY includes the appropriate allocation of shares of aquatic resources to each fishing sector, conservation NGOs' interest in the Coongie Lakes and Lake Eyre basin and the development and integration of future ILUAs. There is also a risk assessment that has been undertaken to recognise ecologically sustainable development of the fishery.

The assessment highlights the critical importance of permanent waterholes and the introduction of pest species to the health of the aquatic ecosystem, while also identifying strategies to address them. I commend the work produced by the cooperation between PIRSA and the Fisheries Council of South Australia. I appreciate their role in the sustainability of this wonderful, iconic piece of South Australia.

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