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Fishing Today August/September 2004 No. 17/4
TFIC News
by Bob Lister
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TFIC welcomes future petrol excise rebate
Now don’t get too excited. It is good news – for some – but so far into the future that there will possible be two Federal elections before it takes effect, and only then if the Federal Government of the day still believes it is good policy.
After years of campaigning by ASIC with strong support from TFIC and other State FICs the 38 cents per litre off-road diesel fuel rebate will eventually be extended to all petrol used in off-road seafood production. From July 2008 fifty percent of the excise rebate (excise credit) will apply for petrol rising to 100 percent from July 2012. The fuel excise credit arrangements will apply to all off-road use of petrol including outboard fuels (and LPG) as well as new eligible activities in fisheries including processing and refrigerating of fish onshore.
The expanded business credits for all off-road fuels will lower business costs and ultimately should lead to improved profitability as well as providing equity to all who participate in off-road activities. In this regard the fishing industry has been paying full price for petrol since 1957 when the excise rebate for diesel was first introduced and the correction of this anomaly will enhance the viability of many fishing and aquaculture businesses. In a Policy Statement released to all political parties in the lead up to the Federal Election ASIC has very appropriately sought to retain the full diesel excise rebate and accelerate the timetable for introducing the off-road petrol rebate with at least the part credit to be in place by 2006.
TFIC has always had the view that the fuel excise is in the main a tax to fund road infrastructure and as fishermen do not use the road for fishing operations then all fuel used in fishing vessels should be free of excise. This decision is therefore a major victory for our industry Australia wide and despite the time delay is very welcome. Businesses will be able to claim petrol excise credits through their Business Activity Statement.
On the same subject the price of petroleum fuels used in the fishing and aquaculture industry has been steadily rising as international crude oil prices have reached their highest level in 20 years at more than $US44 a barrel. The impact on our business activities has been severe and through ASIC we have raised this issue with the Federal Fisheries Minister Senator Ian Macdonald and the Shadow Minister Gavan O’Connor.
Also mentioned at the meetings was the costly delay by oil companies in passing on the benefits to consumers when the crude prices and $AUD fall. Both politicians were sympathetic to our concerns but claim the international pricing and financial policy is a matter for the oil companies to address. We will keep the pressure on.
But let us not forget that ASIC lobbied for us and achieved a restoration of the full 100% excise rebate for off-road diesel used in seafood production several years ago closing a gap that had emerged at up to 2.04 cents per litre. This success should also benefit off-road petrol users in our industry – eventually.
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Action needed now on serious marine environmental concerns at Georges Bay
The recent release of the detailed report by Dr Marcus Scammell into water environmental issues associated with Georges Bay at St Helens has created enormous Australia wide media interest. Dr Scammell produced this report for the St Helens Marine Farmers who have been concerned for many years about unexplained mortalities of shellfish (mainly commercial oysters and mussels) in Georges Bay. The shellfish losses have been accentuated following heavy rainfall events and the local floods in late January this year caused immense financial losses for most significantly Georges Bay marine farmers and also along the east coast of Tasmania.
The report hypothesises causal links of great concern to our industry and to the Tasmanian community if they are true or can be scientifically proven to be correct and puts at risk our clean green image as the producer of the finest quality primary produce. With unacceptable levels of water quality entering our inshore marine environment sectors of the Tasmanian seafood industry cannot be sustainable. Water quality and quantity are intrinsically linked and are vital to all the downstream activities of our marine industries and that includes aquaculture and the nursery areas and food sources for our commercial fish species.
In my opinion the report highlights the need for a cost effective, practical, environmentally responsible and safe monitoring program for our rivers, streams and storm water outflows. This program should be implemented proportional to the high environmental risks to gauge the effect of all catchment activities that present a danger to the estuarine and near coastal environments and indeed to the Tasmanian community as a whole.
We have called on the State Government to immediately implement programs to monitor catchment activities and the impact on water quality which is their responsibility under the State Policy on Water Quality Management. The clear objective must be to minimise downstream impacts and to put in place appropriate environmental management systems to ensure that our valuable water resources and the marine environment are given the highest level of protection.
I want to make it very clear that the Tasmanian Shellfish Quality Assurance Program managed by the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services is world best practice and ensures that oysters and mussels grown in and sold from Tasmania are always safe for human consumption.
According to the DHHS over 100 million serves of Tasmanian oysters and mussels have been consumed since 1985 without any confirmed case of illness resulting from freshly harvested oysters and mussels.
The report by Dr Marcus Scammell is available here.
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Vessel safety equipment discussed – update
Further to my article in the last issue of Fishing Today on the National Standard for Commercial Vessels Part C7A the TFIC Board has now discussed this issue with Colin Finch and Gwyn Alway from MAST.
We debated issues such as the launching of dinghies, the highly visible painting of dinghies, the installation of grab rails, EPIRB requirements, reflective tape for dinghies, hydrastatic releases, increased flare requirements and life jacket standards. We also pointed out the practical difficulties with some requirements and reached a general understanding on others.
After the meeting a TFIC statement of alternative options was sent to MAST and we are hopeful of reasonably acceptable outcomes for at least most requirements. The MAST Board is now considering the TFIC recommendations and legislation will be introduced in State Parliament by October 2004.
MAST will be advising vessel operators of the new standards and requirements with survey renewal notices and there will be a phase in period for all requirements. The main issues appear to be painting of dinghies and the installation of grab rails and of course we do not support the original requirements but realistically some compromise may eventually be necessary.
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Tasmanian new coastal waters forecast service
From July 2004 a nationally consistent coastal waters forecast format has been introduced by the Bureau of Meteorology. The changes include four day forecasts for each of nine coastal forecast zones around Tasmania.
Our State has around 4882 kms of coastline which is the fourth largest State coastline in Australia and most likely we have the most varied weather patterns and sea conditions day to day and from area to area. With this in mind the new format will be very useful for the fishing industry as it includes wind strength and direction as well as sea swell predictions for the full four day period enabling fishermen to plan ahead.
The new forecasts start with warnings and the general synoptic situation before moving to the zone by zone forecast. The forecasts are available on VHF and HF marine radios and phone services. The only downside is that the extended service means a longer report but the extra information available should make the wait worthwhile.
If you have any comments about the new service, good or bad, the Bureau of Meteorology can be contacted on 03 6221 2000.
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Seafood Safety Standard
As has been mentioned in Fishing Today on many occasions there is a national seafood primary production and processing safety standard being developed. Once this standard is approved it will become mandatory and enforceable.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FZANZ) and TFIC have held numerous industry stakeholder meetings in Tasmania over the past two years with Tasmania having three representatives on the Standards Development Committee (SDC) in Phil Walsh, Colin Dyke and Craig Midgeley who have all assisted in the development of the proposed standard.
FSANZ recently released their Draft Assessment Report for comment and held another round of stakeholder meetings around the country. Tasmania was no exception with FSANZ, TFIC and DPIWE co-hosting three meetings on June 7th (two in Hobart) and 8th (Launceston), enabling our industry members to be further engaged in the process.
As a result of significant Tasmanian industry input and constant TFIC involvement in the process it is believed that there will now be minimal impost to industry from this new standard particularly as most local seafood producers and processors are already operating with food safety plans as a normal part of their workplace.
DPIWE has decided (in contrast to the Victorian Primesafe requirements) that this is not an appropriate time for another layer of bureaucracy and will ensure that costs for regulating the new standard are kept as low as possible.
The draft is now being reassessed and when finalised will be presented for Ministerial approval to become legally enforceable.
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TFIC Board Issues
Your Directors again discussed a range of issues at their last Board meeting including:
- the TFIC Leadership Development Program,
- progress with MPAs in Tasmania and the SE Regional Marine Plan,
- the scallop season,
- National Seafood Standard,
- Natural Resource Management,
- an EMS Project Officer appointment,
- the Bass Strait Environmental Review Committee,
- marine waste disposal,
- giant kelp,
- ASIC Federal Election policy statement,
- National Food Industry Strategy,
- an ASIC meeting report and
- proposed safety equipment to be carried on commercial fishing vessels.
Our guests were Colin Finch and Gwyn Alway from MAST.
If you would like to know more about any of the above items please contact TFIC.
Don’t forget that you can access TFIC media releases, comments and submissions elsewhere on our website.
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