FISHERIES —
KOOMBANA BAY, LESCHENAULT PENINSULA AND BUNBURY BEACHES
596. Hon
COLIN de GRUSSA to the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister
for Fisheries:
I refer to the current fishing
activities for shore and in-shore netting of fish in the localities of Koombana
Bay, the western shore of the Leschenault Peninsula and Bunbury beaches.
(1) Can the minister provide details of the most
recent studies undertaken by the Department of Primary Industries and
Regional Development to assess the impact of net fishing activities in the
aforementioned localities?
(2) Further to
(1), will the minister please table all relevant studies, inclusive of their
findings and recommendations?
Hon KYLE
McGINN replied:
I thank the member for some notice
of the question. The following answer has been provided to me by the Minister
for Fisheries.
(1) The
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has not undertaken
any recent studies specifically focused on the impact of net fishing at the
aforementioned localities. Ongoing assessments of the state of Western Australia's
fish resources and the fisheries they support are undertaken, with the findings
published annually in the Status reports of the fisheries and aquatic
resources of Western Australia. The Status reports of the fisheries and
aquatic resources of Western Australia 2020/21 reported that 98 per
cent of the state's fish stocks were assessed as not being at risk or
vulnerable through exploitation—fishing. The report also classifies the
west coast nearshore and estuarine finfish resource, to which the
aforementioned localities relate, as sustainable—adequate.
The department also undertakes
recreational fishing surveys of WA fishers, including netting, on a regular basis. The last statewide recreational fishing
survey was published in 2018. The publication of the 2020–21 findings
is imminent.
(2) I table the following
information.
[See paper 1464.]