❓ Hon Giz Watson questions the Minister for Fisheries regarding the protection of Australian sea lions in the southern demersal gillnet fishery. The Minister acknowledges a lack of awareness but commits to reviewing the matter, expressing concern about the impact of exclusion zones on the fishing industry.
AnsweredQoN 970Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SOUTHERN
DEMERSAL GILLNET FISHERY — SEA LIONS
970. Hon GIZ WATSON to the Minister for Fisheries:
I refer to the changed requirements by the commonwealth in
the southern demersal gillnet fishery to address the death of sea lions in
gillnets.
(1) Is the minister aware that Australian sea lions are the
most endangered in the world?
(2) What changes are being implemented as a result of the
changed requirements?
(3) Will
exclusion zones be established around sea lion colonies, as has been done in
South Australia; and, if not, why not?
DEMERSAL GILLNET FISHERY — SEA LIONS
970. Hon GIZ WATSON to the Minister for Fisheries:
I refer to the changed requirements by the commonwealth in
the southern demersal gillnet fishery to address the death of sea lions in
gillnets.
(1) Is the minister aware that Australian sea lions are the
most endangered in the world?
(2) What changes are being implemented as a result of the
changed requirements?
(3) Will
exclusion zones be established around sea lion colonies, as has been done in
South Australia; and, if not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) Perhaps I should just say I
do not know. It is probably about as simple as that. I do not know that they
are the most endangered species. I am not completely aware of the commonwealth's
changed rules, but if it is a joint fishery, obviously there is a relationship
between the commonwealth and the state. As far as the last part of the
question, was it about some no-go zone?
Hon
Giz Watson : Exclusion
zones.
Hon
NORMAN MOORE : Exclusion
zones. I am happy to look at that, but I worry that vast amounts of the ocean
are being made into no-go zones for people because there are groups in the
community who just do not seem to like fishing. They just do not acknowledge
the fact that the fishing industry is very important to the nation and it is
very important to individual people because it provides a very healthy food and
we should be encouraging people to eat more fish, not less. The problem I find,
incidentally, with this movement by many groups to reduce the capacity of our
fisheries to catch fish is that as we close our fisheries in Australia, we
replace Australian seafood for Australian consumers with seafood from other
parts of the world, where there are significantly less sustainable fisheries
producing that product. It is just a total no-win situation as far as I am
concerned. I will take on board the question Hon Giz Watson has asked and see
whether anything needs to be done from the state's point of view.
do not know. It is probably about as simple as that. I do not know that they
are the most endangered species. I am not completely aware of the commonwealth's
changed rules, but if it is a joint fishery, obviously there is a relationship
between the commonwealth and the state. As far as the last part of the
question, was it about some no-go zone?
Hon
Giz Watson : Exclusion
zones.
Hon
NORMAN MOORE : Exclusion
zones. I am happy to look at that, but I worry that vast amounts of the ocean
are being made into no-go zones for people because there are groups in the
community who just do not seem to like fishing. They just do not acknowledge
the fact that the fishing industry is very important to the nation and it is
very important to individual people because it provides a very healthy food and
we should be encouraging people to eat more fish, not less. The problem I find,
incidentally, with this movement by many groups to reduce the capacity of our
fisheries to catch fish is that as we close our fisheries in Australia, we
replace Australian seafood for Australian consumers with seafood from other
parts of the world, where there are significantly less sustainable fisheries
producing that product. It is just a total no-win situation as far as I am
concerned. I will take on board the question Hon Giz Watson has asked and see
whether anything needs to be done from the state's point of view.
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