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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2016-06-21 Daily Xml
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Recreational Fishing

The Hon. J.S. LEE (14:57): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation a question about habitat enhancement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: The state government committed $600,000 in 2014 for the implementation of a habitat enhancement or artificial reef development to support recreational fishing opportunities in South Australia. A public consultation meeting was held more than a year ago to discuss a potential location for the reef, with follow-up town hall meetings in December 2015. An options discussion paper was then released, with three potential areas put forward; namely, southern metropolitan Adelaide, the north-western Gulf St Vincent and the north-eastern Gulf St Vincent.

Concerns have been raised as to what format the artificial reef will now take on, and there has been no time frame set as to when a reef will be constructed. Recreational fishers are concerned that, after more than two years since the promise, there is still no reef to be seen. When this promise was announced, the minister said:

This is an opportunity to enhance habitat for recreationally-important fish species and provide new fishing experiences, as well as improve the health and [diversity] of our unique marine environment.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: Point of order: the honourable member's ability to get her question over is being interrupted by the minister. Why doesn't he wait until she finishes?

The PRESIDENT: I must say, it wouldn't be any more difficult than the Hon. Mr Hunter trying to deliver his answer amongst the noise. It's really up to the members here to show a certain amount—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! It is up to members to respect the rights of any person in this chamber to ask a question, or answer a question, and do it without any interjections. The Hon. Ms Lee, you may continue.

The Hon. J.M. Gazzola: Start again.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: That's okay. I will just finish with the last sentence. When the promise was announced by the minister in 2014, he said:

This is an opportunity to enhance habitat for recreationally-important fish species and provide new fishing experiences, as well as improve the health and [diversity] of our unique marine environment.

My questions to the minister are:

1. When will the location for the artificial reef be announced, and when will construction on the reef begin?

2. Why has the state government not fulfilled its 2014 promises?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (14:59): I thank the honourable member for her most important and fantastic questions. As we know, fishing is a favourite pastime for many South Australians. This government has committed $3.25 million over three financial years from 2014-15 onwards to help increase opportunities for recreational fishing in our state, including $750,000 per year for three years for a recreational fishing grants program, $600,000 for an artificial reef trial, and $200,000 per year for two years to provide fishing access at up to five offline reservoirs across the state.

The government's Recreational Fishing Grants Program will directly benefit the recreational fishing experience in and around South Australia's 19 marine parks, increase the number of people fishing in South Australia, and improve sustainable recreational fishing practices. The South Australian recreational fishing community seems to have embraced the grants program, submitting 82 applications worth over $2 million in the first call in 2015, I am advised.

Following assessment, 48 projects worth nearly $750,000 received support, including recreational fishing infrastructure projects, fish stocking and habitat enhancement projects, as well as education projects including the 'Come and try fishing days' project. The second round of the grants program was open from 16 January 2016 to 14 March 2016. I am advised that 70 applications were submitted in the second round, seeking over $2 million for projects that will benefit recreational fishing in our state.

I am also advised that $600,000 has been allocated for the artificial reef project, with the aim of enhancing South Australia's recreational fisheries habitat and increasing our state's recreational fishing and tourism opportunities. Healthy fish habitats support South Australia's fisheries by providing environments where fish can feed, shelter, reproduce and grow. I am advised that two rounds of community consultation have helped inform the design and location of the artificial reef project. The feedback indicated there was community support for a project which would enhance fish habitats through a native oyster bed restoration program.

In response to this feedback, the project will incorporate the restoration of shellfish reefs to improve the health of the marine environment and to create a new fishing destination, which will benefit recreational fishing, as well as regional jobs. I am advised that shellfish reefs have declined significantly in South Australia over the past 150 years, but this project has the potential to increase shellfish numbers, resulting in an improved habitat, allowing fish to grow and reproduce.

I am advised similar projects in Western Australia and Victoria have had promising results and have improved our understanding of oyster survival and potential restoration methods. Primary Industries and Regions SA is leading this project, in partnership with DEWNR, through an independently chaired working group including PIRSA, DEWNR, Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, the Environmental Protection Authority, the South Australian Research and Development Institute, the South Australian Tourism Commission, RecFish SA, University of Adelaide, and The Nature Conservancy.

Indeed, it is a very exciting program. It is a decision that was taken by the advisory committee in terms of location. It is a decision taken on the basis of consultation with the local community. If the honourable member, in asking her question, does not understand, this government is not about us as ministers standing up and making decisions in an arbitrary fashion. It is about going out and consulting with our communities, and talking to those communities about what they want to see in terms of government service delivery and then delivering it. That, per force, takes time, but it is time we are prepared to spend because we think involving your local community gets you better outcomes.

The PRESIDENT: Supplementary, the Hon. Ms Lee.

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