❓ Mrs Warr questions the Premier on the impact of the demersal fishing ban on fish prices and the justification for it. The Premier defends the ban as necessary for the long-term sustainability of fish stocks.
AnsweredQoN 4Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Demersal fishing ban4.Mrs Kirrilee Warrto
the Premier:I refer to reports
from fish wholesalers who say that fish prices have skyrocketed by more than
30% since the demersal fishing ban was put in place and the Premier's comments
earlier today that the ban "excites" people.(1) What analysis of the consequences of the
fishing ban, such as an increase in fish prices, took place prior to it being
introduced?(2) Why should Western Australians be
"excited" to pay more for all species of fish because of this
government's ban?
the Premier:I refer to reports
from fish wholesalers who say that fish prices have skyrocketed by more than
30% since the demersal fishing ban was put in place and the Premier's comments
earlier today that the ban "excites" people.(1) What analysis of the consequences of the
fishing ban, such as an increase in fish prices, took place prior to it being
introduced?(2) Why should Western Australians be
"excited" to pay more for all species of fish because of this
government's ban?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) The
latest stock assessment showed that we have to take urgent action to protect
demersal fish species forfuture generations. It is as simple as that.Mr Lachlan Hunterinterjected.The Speaker:Member for Central Wheatbelt, there is no
need for you to be interjecting. The Premier has just started his response.Mr Roger Cook:If members opposite are concerned about
fish supply today, they should be concerned about fish and fish supply
tomorrow. They have to consider the consequences. Not acting now means that we
will simply not have these fish at any price in the future.Mrs Kirrilee Warrinterjected.The Speaker:Member for Geraldton!Several members
interjected.Mr Roger Cook:That is why the Minister for Fisheries
and I announced last year that the west coast fishing region from Kalbarri to
Augusta would become an exclusive recreational fishing zone for snapper and dhufish—Mr Lachlan Hunterinterjected.The Speaker:Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am
calling you for the first time. I warned you to stop interjecting.Mr Roger Cook:—after a 20-month recovery
closure for boat-based recreational fishing.Mr Lachlan Hunterinterjected.The Speaker:Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am
calling you for a second time.Mr Roger Cook:The west coast region will be closed
permanently to commercial fishing for demersal fish from 1 January 2026, with a
compulsory buyback of commercial fishing licences, and recreational and
commercial fishing will remain open in all other regions under new management
plans.Point of orderMr Lachlan Hunter:I have a point of order on
relevance. The member for Geraldton asked about fish prices and the Premier has
not even gone close to touching on that.The Speaker:There is no point of order, member for
Central Wheatbelt. I will, I suppose, give a general warning to all in the
chamber that if you misuse the points of order, you will also get called for
doing that.Questions without notice resumedMr Roger Cook:The science on fish stocks in Western
Australia, which was tabled in Parliament and made available to the shadow
Minister for Fisheries back in September, made it very clear that we were going
to have to make tough decisions. In its submission to the government, the
commercial fishing sector said that any curtailment of fish take by commercial
fishers in the west coast region would make that fishery uncommercial. The
sector made it quite clear that that commercial fishery was on the brink and that
any curtailment of its fish take would push it over the edge. I have had really
constructive meetings with the commercial fishing sector about how we move
forward in what is a difficult situation for it.Mrs Kirrilee Warrinterjected.The Speaker:Member for Geraldton, you still have a
supplementary at this stage. If you keep interrupting, you will not.Mr Roger Cook:It is important that we do that to
ensure that we can minimise the impacts of these tough decisions as much as
possible, but we make no apology for the fact that we had to act. We were 17
years into a 20-year strategy to protect the demersal fish stocks in Western
Australia and it was showing grave signs that it was not working. That is what
the science taught us. We continue to make sure that we make decisions in the
interests of the environment and future fishers, such as our children and our
grandchildren, to make sure that these fish species are available into the
future.Mrs Kirrilee Warrinterjected.The Speaker:Member for Geraldton, please stop
interjecting.Mr Roger Cook:No-one likes to make these decisions,
but these are the sorts of things that—Mr Basil Zempilasinterjected.The Speaker:Leader of the Opposition!Mr Roger Cook:These are the sorts of decisions that
you have to take in order to protect commercial fishers right around the state,
the decisions that we have to take to protect recreational fishers and the
decisions that we have totake to protect charter
operations to make sure that we have these fish species available into the
future. As I said,we are following the science and we are following good
advice about how we protect these fish stocks. I know that many people from the
Bunbury region enjoyed fishing in the Great Southern over the summer holidays. I
acknowledge that this is a tough decision and that we need to continue to work
with the commercial fishing sector to minimise the harm.The member made some
observations around a word I used—"excited". This does excite
stakeholders, but not in a good way, because this affects their livelihoods. We
understand that. That is the reason we provided an ex gratia payment ahead of
the statutory requirements of the fisheries act to ensure that we got early
payments to these people as part of the compulsory buyback. We are now working
with them to understand, firstly, where we can avoid having to close off other
licences and, secondly, how we can continue to compensate them consistent with
that act.
Demersal fishing ban
4.Mrs Kirrilee Warrto
the Premier:
I refer to reports
from fish wholesalers who say that fish prices have skyrocketed by more than
30% since the demersal fishing ban was put in place and the Premier's comments
earlier today that the ban "excites" people.
(1) What analysis of the consequences of the
fishing ban, such as an increase in fish prices, took place prior to it being
introduced?
(2) Why should Western Australians be
"excited" to pay more for all species of fish because of this
government's ban?
Mr Roger Cook replied:
(1)–(2) The
latest stock assessment showed that we have to take urgent action to protect
demersal fish species forfuture generations. It is as simple as that.
Mr Lachlan Hunterinterjected.
The Speaker:Member for Central Wheatbelt, there is no
need for you to be interjecting. The Premier has just started his response.
Mr Roger Cook:If members opposite are concerned about
fish supply today, they should be concerned about fish and fish supply
tomorrow. They have to consider the consequences. Not acting now means that we
will simply not have these fish at any price in the future.
Mrs Kirrilee Warrinterjected.
The Speaker:Member for Geraldton!
Several members
interjected.
Mr Roger Cook:That is why the Minister for Fisheries
and I announced last year that the west coast fishing region from Kalbarri to
Augusta would become an exclusive recreational fishing zone for snapper and dhufish—
Mr Lachlan Hunterinterjected.
The Speaker:Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am
calling you for the first time. I warned you to stop interjecting.
Mr Roger Cook:—after a 20-month recovery
closure for boat-based recreational fishing.
Mr Lachlan Hunterinterjected.
The Speaker:Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am
calling you for a second time.
Mr Roger Cook:The west coast region will be closed
permanently to commercial fishing for demersal fish from 1 January 2026, with a
compulsory buyback of commercial fishing licences, and recreational and
commercial fishing will remain open in all other regions under new management
plans.
Point of order
Mr Lachlan Hunter:I have a point of order on
relevance. The member for Geraldton asked about fish prices and the Premier has
not even gone close to touching on that.
The Speaker:There is no point of order, member for
Central Wheatbelt. I will, I suppose, give a general warning to all in the
chamber that if you misuse the points of order, you will also get called for
doing that.
Questions without notice resumed
Mr Roger Cook:The science on fish stocks in Western
Australia, which was tabled in Parliament and made available to the shadow
Minister for Fisheries back in September, made it very clear that we were going
to have to make tough decisions. In its submission to the government, the
commercial fishing sector said that any curtailment of fish take by commercial
fishers in the west coast region would make that fishery uncommercial. The
sector made it quite clear that that commercial fishery was on the brink and that
any curtailment of its fish take would push it over the edge. I have had really
constructive meetings with the commercial fishing sector about how we move
forward in what is a difficult situation for it.
Mrs Kirrilee Warrinterjected.
The Speaker:Member for Geraldton, you still have a
supplementary at this stage. If you keep interrupting, you will not.
Mr Roger Cook:It is important that we do that to
ensure that we can minimise the impacts of these tough decisions as much as
possible, but we make no apology for the fact that we had to act. We were 17
years into a 20-year strategy to protect the demersal fish stocks in Western
Australia and it was showing grave signs that it was not working. That is what
the science taught us. We continue to make sure that we make decisions in the
interests of the environment and future fishers, such as our children and our
grandchildren, to make sure that these fish species are available into the
future.
Mrs Kirrilee Warrinterjected.
The Speaker:Member for Geraldton, please stop
interjecting.
Mr Roger Cook:No-one likes to make these decisions,
but these are the sorts of things that—
Mr Basil Zempilasinterjected.
The Speaker:Leader of the Opposition!
Mr Roger Cook:These are the sorts of decisions that
you have to take in order to protect commercial fishers right around the state,
the decisions that we have to take to protect recreational fishers and the
decisions that we have totake to protect charter
operations to make sure that we have these fish species available into the
future. As I said,we are following the science and we are following good
advice about how we protect these fish stocks. I know that many people from the
Bunbury region enjoyed fishing in the Great Southern over the summer holidays. I
acknowledge that this is a tough decision and that we need to continue to work
with the commercial fishing sector to minimise the harm.
The member made some
observations around a word I used—"excited". This does excite
stakeholders, but not in a good way, because this affects their livelihoods. We
understand that. That is the reason we provided an ex gratia payment ahead of
the statutory requirements of the fisheries act to ensure that we got early
payments to these people as part of the compulsory buyback. We are now working
with them to understand, firstly, where we can avoid having to close off other
licences and, secondly, how we can continue to compensate them consistent with
that act.
latest stock assessment showed that we have to take urgent action to protect
demersal fish species forfuture generations. It is as simple as that.Mr Lachlan Hunterinterjected.The Speaker:Member for Central Wheatbelt, there is no
need for you to be interjecting. The Premier has just started his response.Mr Roger Cook:If members opposite are concerned about
fish supply today, they should be concerned about fish and fish supply
tomorrow. They have to consider the consequences. Not acting now means that we
will simply not have these fish at any price in the future.Mrs Kirrilee Warrinterjected.The Speaker:Member for Geraldton!Several members
interjected.Mr Roger Cook:That is why the Minister for Fisheries
and I announced last year that the west coast fishing region from Kalbarri to
Augusta would become an exclusive recreational fishing zone for snapper and dhufish—Mr Lachlan Hunterinterjected.The Speaker:Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am
calling you for the first time. I warned you to stop interjecting.Mr Roger Cook:—after a 20-month recovery
closure for boat-based recreational fishing.Mr Lachlan Hunterinterjected.The Speaker:Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am
calling you for a second time.Mr Roger Cook:The west coast region will be closed
permanently to commercial fishing for demersal fish from 1 January 2026, with a
compulsory buyback of commercial fishing licences, and recreational and
commercial fishing will remain open in all other regions under new management
plans.Point of orderMr Lachlan Hunter:I have a point of order on
relevance. The member for Geraldton asked about fish prices and the Premier has
not even gone close to touching on that.The Speaker:There is no point of order, member for
Central Wheatbelt. I will, I suppose, give a general warning to all in the
chamber that if you misuse the points of order, you will also get called for
doing that.Questions without notice resumedMr Roger Cook:The science on fish stocks in Western
Australia, which was tabled in Parliament and made available to the shadow
Minister for Fisheries back in September, made it very clear that we were going
to have to make tough decisions. In its submission to the government, the
commercial fishing sector said that any curtailment of fish take by commercial
fishers in the west coast region would make that fishery uncommercial. The
sector made it quite clear that that commercial fishery was on the brink and that
any curtailment of its fish take would push it over the edge. I have had really
constructive meetings with the commercial fishing sector about how we move
forward in what is a difficult situation for it.Mrs Kirrilee Warrinterjected.The Speaker:Member for Geraldton, you still have a
supplementary at this stage. If you keep interrupting, you will not.Mr Roger Cook:It is important that we do that to
ensure that we can minimise the impacts of these tough decisions as much as
possible, but we make no apology for the fact that we had to act. We were 17
years into a 20-year strategy to protect the demersal fish stocks in Western
Australia and it was showing grave signs that it was not working. That is what
the science taught us. We continue to make sure that we make decisions in the
interests of the environment and future fishers, such as our children and our
grandchildren, to make sure that these fish species are available into the
future.Mrs Kirrilee Warrinterjected.The Speaker:Member for Geraldton, please stop
interjecting.Mr Roger Cook:No-one likes to make these decisions,
but these are the sorts of things that—Mr Basil Zempilasinterjected.The Speaker:Leader of the Opposition!Mr Roger Cook:These are the sorts of decisions that
you have to take in order to protect commercial fishers right around the state,
the decisions that we have to take to protect recreational fishers and the
decisions that we have totake to protect charter
operations to make sure that we have these fish species available into the
future. As I said,we are following the science and we are following good
advice about how we protect these fish stocks. I know that many people from the
Bunbury region enjoyed fishing in the Great Southern over the summer holidays. I
acknowledge that this is a tough decision and that we need to continue to work
with the commercial fishing sector to minimise the harm.The member made some
observations around a word I used—"excited". This does excite
stakeholders, but not in a good way, because this affects their livelihoods. We
understand that. That is the reason we provided an ex gratia payment ahead of
the statutory requirements of the fisheries act to ensure that we got early
payments to these people as part of the compulsory buyback. We are now working
with them to understand, firstly, where we can avoid having to close off other
licences and, secondly, how we can continue to compensate them consistent with
that act.
Demersal fishing ban
4.Mrs Kirrilee Warrto
the Premier:
I refer to reports
from fish wholesalers who say that fish prices have skyrocketed by more than
30% since the demersal fishing ban was put in place and the Premier's comments
earlier today that the ban "excites" people.
(1) What analysis of the consequences of the
fishing ban, such as an increase in fish prices, took place prior to it being
introduced?
(2) Why should Western Australians be
"excited" to pay more for all species of fish because of this
government's ban?
Mr Roger Cook replied:
(1)–(2) The
latest stock assessment showed that we have to take urgent action to protect
demersal fish species forfuture generations. It is as simple as that.
Mr Lachlan Hunterinterjected.
The Speaker:Member for Central Wheatbelt, there is no
need for you to be interjecting. The Premier has just started his response.
Mr Roger Cook:If members opposite are concerned about
fish supply today, they should be concerned about fish and fish supply
tomorrow. They have to consider the consequences. Not acting now means that we
will simply not have these fish at any price in the future.
Mrs Kirrilee Warrinterjected.
The Speaker:Member for Geraldton!
Several members
interjected.
Mr Roger Cook:That is why the Minister for Fisheries
and I announced last year that the west coast fishing region from Kalbarri to
Augusta would become an exclusive recreational fishing zone for snapper and dhufish—
Mr Lachlan Hunterinterjected.
The Speaker:Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am
calling you for the first time. I warned you to stop interjecting.
Mr Roger Cook:—after a 20-month recovery
closure for boat-based recreational fishing.
Mr Lachlan Hunterinterjected.
The Speaker:Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am
calling you for a second time.
Mr Roger Cook:The west coast region will be closed
permanently to commercial fishing for demersal fish from 1 January 2026, with a
compulsory buyback of commercial fishing licences, and recreational and
commercial fishing will remain open in all other regions under new management
plans.
Point of order
Mr Lachlan Hunter:I have a point of order on
relevance. The member for Geraldton asked about fish prices and the Premier has
not even gone close to touching on that.
The Speaker:There is no point of order, member for
Central Wheatbelt. I will, I suppose, give a general warning to all in the
chamber that if you misuse the points of order, you will also get called for
doing that.
Questions without notice resumed
Mr Roger Cook:The science on fish stocks in Western
Australia, which was tabled in Parliament and made available to the shadow
Minister for Fisheries back in September, made it very clear that we were going
to have to make tough decisions. In its submission to the government, the
commercial fishing sector said that any curtailment of fish take by commercial
fishers in the west coast region would make that fishery uncommercial. The
sector made it quite clear that that commercial fishery was on the brink and that
any curtailment of its fish take would push it over the edge. I have had really
constructive meetings with the commercial fishing sector about how we move
forward in what is a difficult situation for it.
Mrs Kirrilee Warrinterjected.
The Speaker:Member for Geraldton, you still have a
supplementary at this stage. If you keep interrupting, you will not.
Mr Roger Cook:It is important that we do that to
ensure that we can minimise the impacts of these tough decisions as much as
possible, but we make no apology for the fact that we had to act. We were 17
years into a 20-year strategy to protect the demersal fish stocks in Western
Australia and it was showing grave signs that it was not working. That is what
the science taught us. We continue to make sure that we make decisions in the
interests of the environment and future fishers, such as our children and our
grandchildren, to make sure that these fish species are available into the
future.
Mrs Kirrilee Warrinterjected.
The Speaker:Member for Geraldton, please stop
interjecting.
Mr Roger Cook:No-one likes to make these decisions,
but these are the sorts of things that—
Mr Basil Zempilasinterjected.
The Speaker:Leader of the Opposition!
Mr Roger Cook:These are the sorts of decisions that
you have to take in order to protect commercial fishers right around the state,
the decisions that we have to take to protect recreational fishers and the
decisions that we have totake to protect charter
operations to make sure that we have these fish species available into the
future. As I said,we are following the science and we are following good
advice about how we protect these fish stocks. I know that many people from the
Bunbury region enjoyed fishing in the Great Southern over the summer holidays. I
acknowledge that this is a tough decision and that we need to continue to work
with the commercial fishing sector to minimise the harm.
The member made some
observations around a word I used—"excited". This does excite
stakeholders, but not in a good way, because this affects their livelihoods. We
understand that. That is the reason we provided an ex gratia payment ahead of
the statutory requirements of the fisheries act to ensure that we got early
payments to these people as part of the compulsory buyback. We are now working
with them to understand, firstly, where we can avoid having to close off other
licences and, secondly, how we can continue to compensate them consistent with
that act.
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