WESTERN ROCK LOBSTER
INDUSTRY — POT LIMITS
649. Hon JIM CHOWN to the minister representing the Minister
for Fisheries:
(1) How did the
minister receive industry support for the temporary but significant reduction
on pot usage limits in the rock lobster industry?
(2) Why has a 200-pot limit been
imposed?
(3) How will this
restriction impact those fishers who have more than 200 pots and obviously
significant financial and employee commitments?
(4) Why have the
restrictions only been imposed on fishers as opposed to lobster pots owned by
investors and then leased to fishers?
Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN
replied:
I thank the member for the
question. I point out that as Minister for Regional Development, I represent
the Minister for Fisheries. This information has been provided to me by the
Minister for Fisheries.
(1) On 8 May 2020, the minister received a series of
recommendations from the Western Rock Lobster Council, the peak body that represents licence holders in
the west coast rock lobster managed fishery. These included addressing
the risks from potential increased pot usage in winter months during the
extended season.
(2) The restrictions
have been imposed to reduce the potential overall number of pots in the water
during winter months in order to reduce the likelihood of entanglements with
migrating humpback whales.
(3)–(4) These
measures address the number of physical pots in the water and do not affect the
amount of quota that a fisher is entitled to catch. These measures will be in
place for only a short time relative to the overall season length. Noting the
risk of increased whale interaction with fishing gear, the changes were
endorsed by the council, which I understand consulted broadly with its members.
These measures will be reviewed by the government and industry before the
commencement of the next season on 1 July 2021.