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9 September 2004
The Hon. Ian Macdonald,
Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation,
Parliament House,
Canberra, ACT 2600
Dear Minister,
From recent media reports we have learnt that the world’s second largest fishing trawler MFV Veronica is currently on route from the Canary Islands to Australia.
We understand that this immense 106 metre long super trawler and floating fish factory with a crew of 50 can catch and process 5,000 tonnes of fish in a single fishing trip and is capable of staying at sea for up to six months.
Our information suggests that an Australian controlled joint venture company Veronica Seafish has chartered the Veronica to fish waters from the Great Australian Bight through to southern New South Wales for migratory fish species such as mackerel and redbait which they intend to process on board and turn into fishmeal for South Australia’s tuna farms.
The TFIC Board considered this very serious issue in Hobart on 6 September 2004 and strongly and unanimously opposed allowing this apparent unprecedented expansion of catching effort into the small pelagic fisheries in southern Australia.
AFMA has advised that there have been discussions and correspondence with the vessel operators but as yet no formal application has been made to deem the Veronica an Australian fishing vessel or to attach a fishing permit or licence. AMSA has apparently not yet been consulted on this issue.
Very little is known about the size and potential of the Southern Australia small pelagic fishery which is currently managed in a responsible manner given the high level of uncertainty and the lack of formal management plans.
But what we can conclude is that the impact of the Veronica on this wide ranging fishery and the marine ecology will probably be devastating. Such a powerful trawl vessel could catch the remaining TACC in all southern small pelagic fisheries this year very quickly in very large quantities and have the same devastating impact in the first few months of next year’s season with compounded disastrous consequences.
We understand the fishery management catch trigger limits were put in place to slow development at the same time as encouraging traditional Australian vessels to start to utilise the resource. It was certainly never intended that foreign super trawlers would for convenience sake become Australian flagged for a few months in order to devastate the Australian fishery and then move on to another part of the world and operate under another flag.
The broader impact on the marine ecosystem, on other fish stocks and the whole food chain are not able to be measured at this time but unintended bycatch would certainly have a dramatic and adverse impact on State and Commonwealth species which are traditionally managed in a sustainable manner.
The Veronica method of operation is not consistent with current Australian fishing practices and it should be noted that this super trawler is five times larger than a normal vessel in our trawl fisheries.
If Veronica is to be authorised for any fishing at all it is vital that there be 24 hour observer coverage on all factory decks and processing areas to ensure compliance with catch limits and the take of quota species.
Given the almost certain immense and adverse impact on the small pelagic fishery and the marine food chain generally we seek your personal and immediate intervention to stop this potential ecological disaster occurring.
Firstly a full environmental and social impact study must be carefully undertaken to assess the consequences of such a vessel. It may also be in Australia’s best interests for instance to rearrange the TACCs into monthly limits to ensure that traditional Australian operators are not locked out of these fisheries and that useful scientific research is obtained from a staggered fishery rather than the removal of a huge amount of fish over a short period.
Additionally we need a careful assessment of all scientific research information to establish if very heavy fishing pressure by a super trawler is an appropriate method of targeting what is a fragile resource with wide ranging implications.
In the meantime we strongly urge you to establish policies that continue to responsibly manage these fisheries on a conservative basis erring on the side of caution given the far reaching consequences of a super trawler such as the Veronica.
Yours sincerely,
R.K. LISTER
Chief Executive
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