5 December 2003
Mr Simon FitzGerald,
Chairman,
Marine and Safety Tasmania,
GPO Box 607,
HOBART, Tas 7001
Dear Simon,
The TFIC Board met in Hobart on 1 December 2003 and expressed concern about several aspects affecting our commercial fishing industry contained in the MAST Annual Report 2002/2003.
Comments regarding barway systems in the second last paragraph of your Chairman’s Report does not leave us with any confidence that this difficult issue is being managed effectively.
The specific questions we would like answered are:-
1. What Minister and agency is responsible for the 11 or so barway systems around Tasmania?
2. How often are studies carried out to regularly monitor the safety aspects at the entrance to major rivers and harbours and are these details available to our industry and the public?
3. If a difficulty is apparent (ie siltation) what procedures are in place to identify remedial action and to obtain the necessary funding to correct the problem if MAST does not have the resources?
We are also alarmed at the Strategic Priority 2 where MAST proposes to transfer the ownership and management of selected marine facilities that have limited boating use.
Additionally Strategic Priority 3 identifies 17 primarily commercial marine structures and that 10 of these facilities will require substantial repairs in the next 10 years at costs which are beyond the current annual appropriation to MAST.
We wish to make it very clear that TFIC views all currently used marine facilities as essential to service our diversified fishing fleet right around Tasmania.
Marine facilities should only be divested after very extensive public and fishing industry consultation and even then only if the facilities have no future requirements by potential users.
If the issue is funding to carry out repairs then MAST should request Treasury appropriations and as necessary Infrastructure Funding to ensure that all marine facilities are retained and properly maintained.
To have an approved policy of MAST divesting problem assets and issues that will require considerable funding in the future is not a responsible approach when considered from our view point.
We respectfully ask that MAST acknowledge their responsibilities and ensure the retention and structured maintenance of all existing marine facilities.
Yours sincerely,
R.K. LISTER
Chief Executive