WEST COAST DEMERSAL FISHERY
150. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Fisheries:
I refer to the
recently announced government decision to reduce the total catch for demersal
species on the west coast by 50 per cent.
(1)
Will uniform bag limits be applied
throughout the entire west coast fishery and across all demersal fish species?
(2)
Will charter boat operators and professional licence holders be consulted prior
to the imposition of bag limits or specified catch reductions?
(3)
Will the government provide compensation to
those operators and licence holders affected by this decision?
Hon KYLE MCGINN replied:
I thank the member for some notice
of this question. The following information has been provided to me by the
Minister for Fisheries.
(1)–(3) Consultation has commenced with the Western Australian Fishing
Industry Council, Recfishwest and Marine Tourism WA in respect of the need to
reduce the catch of demersal species on the west coast bioregion to meet stock
recovery requirements. No specific management proposals are currently under
consideration. When the proposals have been developed, they will be released
for public consultation. There is no specific mechanism or formal requirement
to compensate when addressing the sustainability of Western Australian fish
resources.