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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 1118 asked in the Legislative Council on 26 September 2019 by Hon Jim Chown

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

FISHERIES — LOCAL LOBSTER PROGRAM

1118. Hon JIM CHOWN to the minister representing the Minister for Fisheries:

Yesterday in answer to question without notice 1085, the minister stated —

The local lobster program is an annual program that takes place over the summer season to Easter each year.

(1) Did the local lobster program operate between 15 January 2018 and 22 March 2018?

(2) Yesterday, the minister also answered —

There is no suggestion that the program would be cancelled �

In the program currently in operation, has the minister informed the Western Rock Lobster Council that there will be an LLP in the future?

(3) The minister also stated, in reply to question without notice 1085 —

The review found it was too inaccessible to the local public and local restaurants �

Where in the report does it make such a statement?

(4) Will the minister table the local lobster review report?

(5) Continuing with the minister's reply to question without notice 1085, the minister stated —

On two occasions this year we reached agreement � on this significant increase to local supply.

Could the minister please state what those two agreements were, and table the agreements?

Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:

Come in spinner! I thank the member for the question. The Minister for Fisheries has provided the following answer.

(1) A local lobster program was in place from 3 December 2017 to 14 January 2018, and then from 23 March 2018 to 15 May 2018.

(2) The most recent local lobster program finished on 30 April 2019. The program runs over the summer and Easter period every year, and has done so since 2016. The program will recommence in December 2019.

(3) The review found that significant amounts of lobster under the first three phases of the local lobster program were retained by commercial fishermen for their own consumption. The majority of lobsters were sold from a fisher's boat or home. Restauranteurs identified issues with continuity of supply and the requirement to deal with multiple suppliers.

(4) Yes. I table the local lobster review report. The report is the final report of the department; however, it is formatted to accommodate feedback from the Western Rock Lobster Council. However, no feedback was provided by the Western Rock Lobster Council, despite the report being provided to it on 28 November 2018.

(5) On 8 February 2019, the government and the Western Rock Lobster Council reached agreement to significantly increase local supply. Over the subsequent months, the government and the Western Rock Lobster Council negotiated and agreed on two proposals to deliver this increased supply. The Western Rock Lobster Council withdrew its support for both proposals following consultation with its members. I table the two agreements.

[See paper 3225.]