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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-11-28 Daily Xml
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Marine Scalefish Fishery

In reply to the Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) ().31 October 2023).

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries): I am advised:

In recent years, the Marine Scalefish Fishery (MSF) has undergone a period of significant change, with several reforms implemented in July 2021 by the previous government, including the introduction of quota management for the four priority species in the fishery, among several other changes. Commercial fishers operating in the West Coast Fishing Zone, itself created as part of the reforms, were part of and involved in these changes.

Consultation on the MSF reforms commenced with the release of staged information packages to all licence holders in the MSF on 23 June 2020 and 15 August 2020. The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) undertook a number of regional meetings across the state from 24 August to 9 September 2020 at which 210 industry members participated.

West Coast Port Meetings:

2019 included Ceduna and Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula; and

2020 included Port Lincoln, Streaky Bay and Ceduna.

In addition, two online surveys were implemented coinciding with the two information packages resulting in 157 responses. A further 69 written responses were also received.

As part of the former government's reform of the MSF, significant changes to its management were implemented on 1 July 2021, which included:

The move to a total allowable commercial catch and individual transferable quota (ITQ) management system for snapper, King George whiting, southern calamari and southern garfish;

Establishment of four fishing zones;

Establishment of an ITQ management system for snapper in all four fishing zones, and for King George whiting, southern calamari and southern garfish in the Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent Fishing Zones;

Establishment of a competitive quota management system for the management of King George whiting in the West Coast Fishing Zone;

Separation of the commercial vongole and sardine fisheries from the MSF;

The removal of 100 licences through a voluntary licence surrender program; and

Red tape reduction measures.

Red tape reduction measures introduced from 1 July 2021 included:

Removal of the requirement to be in attendance of longlines.

The addition of lift nets as a commercial gear type in the MSF.

Changes to allow for the holder of an MSF licence or their registered master to take less than 150 razorfish over a period of three days in the West Coast.

Removal of the regulation prescribing the mesh size in the pocket of a haul net.

Addition of permitted species to Schedule 1, of the Fisheries Management (Marine Scalefish Fishery) Regulations 2017 including Conger Eel, Knifejaw, Sergeant Baker, Silver Drummer, Blue Weed-Whiting, Rock Crab (permitted to take west of 135 degrees east, as per existing restrictions for fishing for Blue Crab, and per amendment to the Fisheries Management (General) Regulations 2021) and Spider Crab (permitted to take west of 135 degrees east, as per existing restrictions for fishing for Blue Crab, and as per amendment to the Fisheries Management (General) Regulations 2021).

Changes to the conditions of restricted fish processor registrations to enable restricted fish processors who are also MSF licence holders to sell their catch to any type of business.

Whilst the reforms that have been implemented are intended to increase the profitability of businesses involved in the fishery overall, this is expected to take several years to be fully realised. In late 2021, further meetings were held on the West Coast including at Port Lincoln, Streaky Bay and Ceduna.

King George whiting in the West Coast Fishing Zone was determined not to be managed under an ITQ system because it was considered that catch levels were well within the estimated recommended biological catch limit and there was a low risk of the stock being over-exploited.

So, far from being left out, the West Coast fishery was very much a part of the marine scalefish fishery reforms.

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