❓ The Minister for Fisheries outlines the WA government's support package for the rock lobster industry in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including extending the fishing season, adjusting catch limits, and increasing back-of-boat sales.
AnsweredQoN 177Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — ROCK LOBSTER INDUSTRY
177. Mr K.J.J. MICHEL to the Minister for Fisheries:
I refer to the state government's response to the
impact of COVID-19 on the Western Australian rock lobster industry. Can the
minister outline to the house what measures this government is putting in place
to provide more certainty and sales opportunities for Western Australian
commercial fisheries?
177. Mr K.J.J. MICHEL to the Minister for Fisheries:
I refer to the state government's response to the
impact of COVID-19 on the Western Australian rock lobster industry. Can the
minister outline to the house what measures this government is putting in place
to provide more certainty and sales opportunities for Western Australian
commercial fisheries?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the
question and for his keen interest in this area. No part of our economy has
been untouched by the coronavirus, or COVID-19 as we are calling it, and
the lobster industry was perhaps one of the first industries to be impacted. Effectively, it resulted in the
closure of the industry, as 95 per cent of the catch goes to the commercial sector and five per cent goes to the recreational sector. On 25 January this
year, the Geraldton Fishermen's Co-operative, which is the major
processor of lobster in Western Australia, announced a beach price of zero. Therefore, the boats did not go out; the fishing fleets
stayed home. Effectively, that ended commercial lobster fishing for the time being. Bear in mind that the lobster
season opened only on 15 January and about 40 per cent of its take occurs in the early part of the season to take
advantage of the higher prices because of the Chinese Lunar New Year . To date, only 650 tonnes of the 6 500 tonne total
allowable catch quota has been taken. That is a significant problem for
the industry. As a result, the industry came to me with a request to find ways
in which the government could support the industry to achieve the best possible
outcome. Obviously, we cannot turn the market back on, but we can set the
preconditions for success when the market eventually returns, and it will
return. With the support of my office, the Western Rock Lobster Council
developed a process to engage all its members and develop a list of possible options. After receiving 85 per cent
support from all licence holders who attended, the council wrote to me on 18 February with a range of options, including an extension of the fishing
season, a pro rata adjustment to the catch limits for this season and a mechanism
to allow for the back-of-boat domestic sale of lobsters. The industry views
these changes as crucial to do what we can to support the industry.
Working with the industry, my
office and my department established a consultation process and finalised an
appropriate response to the coronavirus. In short, I am delighted to advise the
house that we agreed on the following package: firstly, an increase in the
length of the current fishing season, which runs from 15 January 2020 to 14 January
2021, by five and a half months, taking it to 30 June next year. Secondly, we
agreed to an adjustment of the catch limits
of the extended season from 6 900 tonnes time 9 000 tonnes, in effect, bringing
forward the pro rata amount of next season. For clarity, it is not new
quota. Thirdly, we will expressly continue the existing temporary transfers of
entitlement through to 30 June 2021, so there are the owners of the entitlement
and the licence to fish it. Fourthly, for members who are interested, we agreed
to the normalisation of the season from 15 January 2022, including a truncated
6.5-month season from 1 July 2021 to January 2022, with a catch limit for that
period to be determined in consultation with the council during the second half
of this year. Fifthly, I am also delighted to have been able to achieve an
increase in back-of-boat sales of lobsters, including for promotional
arrangements for local businesses, to get broader access to the catch. The
expanded quota of 9 000 tonnes, as I said—I want to be very clear—represents
a proportion of the quota that would have been available in the future season
had things not needed to be changed and, as such, there are no concerns about
the sustainability of the resources of the biomass.
I commend the rock lobster council
for its hard work and getting agreement across its large member group right
across Western Australia. We look forward to working with the council on the
detail to achieve what is needed. This further demonstrates that the McGowan
government is completely committed to regional businesses in particular to make
sure that they are ready when we come out of the current crisis.
question and for his keen interest in this area. No part of our economy has
been untouched by the coronavirus, or COVID-19 as we are calling it, and
the lobster industry was perhaps one of the first industries to be impacted. Effectively, it resulted in the
closure of the industry, as 95 per cent of the catch goes to the commercial sector and five per cent goes to the recreational sector. On 25 January this
year, the Geraldton Fishermen's Co-operative, which is the major
processor of lobster in Western Australia, announced a beach price of zero. Therefore, the boats did not go out; the fishing fleets
stayed home. Effectively, that ended commercial lobster fishing for the time being. Bear in mind that the lobster
season opened only on 15 January and about 40 per cent of its take occurs in the early part of the season to take
advantage of the higher prices because of the Chinese Lunar New Year . To date, only 650 tonnes of the 6 500 tonne total
allowable catch quota has been taken. That is a significant problem for
the industry. As a result, the industry came to me with a request to find ways
in which the government could support the industry to achieve the best possible
outcome. Obviously, we cannot turn the market back on, but we can set the
preconditions for success when the market eventually returns, and it will
return. With the support of my office, the Western Rock Lobster Council
developed a process to engage all its members and develop a list of possible options. After receiving 85 per cent
support from all licence holders who attended, the council wrote to me on 18 February with a range of options, including an extension of the fishing
season, a pro rata adjustment to the catch limits for this season and a mechanism
to allow for the back-of-boat domestic sale of lobsters. The industry views
these changes as crucial to do what we can to support the industry.
Working with the industry, my
office and my department established a consultation process and finalised an
appropriate response to the coronavirus. In short, I am delighted to advise the
house that we agreed on the following package: firstly, an increase in the
length of the current fishing season, which runs from 15 January 2020 to 14 January
2021, by five and a half months, taking it to 30 June next year. Secondly, we
agreed to an adjustment of the catch limits
of the extended season from 6 900 tonnes time 9 000 tonnes, in effect, bringing
forward the pro rata amount of next season. For clarity, it is not new
quota. Thirdly, we will expressly continue the existing temporary transfers of
entitlement through to 30 June 2021, so there are the owners of the entitlement
and the licence to fish it. Fourthly, for members who are interested, we agreed
to the normalisation of the season from 15 January 2022, including a truncated
6.5-month season from 1 July 2021 to January 2022, with a catch limit for that
period to be determined in consultation with the council during the second half
of this year. Fifthly, I am also delighted to have been able to achieve an
increase in back-of-boat sales of lobsters, including for promotional
arrangements for local businesses, to get broader access to the catch. The
expanded quota of 9 000 tonnes, as I said—I want to be very clear—represents
a proportion of the quota that would have been available in the future season
had things not needed to be changed and, as such, there are no concerns about
the sustainability of the resources of the biomass.
I commend the rock lobster council
for its hard work and getting agreement across its large member group right
across Western Australia. We look forward to working with the council on the
detail to achieve what is needed. This further demonstrates that the McGowan
government is completely committed to regional businesses in particular to make
sure that they are ready when we come out of the current crisis.
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