Fishing Today August/September 2003 V16/4
TFIC News
By Bob Lister
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Draft South-east Regional Marine Plan now released
The Minister for the Environment and Heritage and Chairman of the National Oceans Ministerial Board the Hon. Dr David Kemp recently released the long anticipated Draft South-east Regional Marine Plan as part of Australia’s Ocean Policy.
This document prepared by the National Oceans Office has been over three years in the making and has taken a large slice of the more than $50m. the Federal Government has spent on the Oceans Policy since 1998.
Some aspects of the plan are to be commended such as measuring the health of our oceans and the industries and communities that depend on marine resources and improving co-ordination across jurisdictions that link terrestrial, coastal and marine environments.
The downside however is this ever increasing desire to develop a comprehensive, adequate and representative system of marine protected areas and which ever way you look at it the impact on our industry members and particularly those that fish outside 3nm could be very considerable indeed.
TFIC is now working with the Australian Seafood Industry Council and other industry bodies in three States to prepare a suitable and co-ordinated response to the plan.
If we are able to balance environment protection with expanded industry and investment confidence it would be a good outcome.
Certainly what is needed is fully funded adjustment assistance and a suitable mechanism for this to occur. Without that basic issue being addressed it would be very difficult to support the general thrust of the plan because of the potential negative impact on members sustainable fishing businesses.
It is still early days in the Commonwealth Government move towards integrated management of ocean resources but I for one am still very concerned about setting aside even more large areas of ocean waters for little or no apparent benefit.
We will never the less continue to participate in the process and to lobby for the best deal for our members.
Copies of the plan can be obtained from TFIC or by phoning the National Oceans Office on 03 6221 5000.
Responses to the draft plan are invited by 17 October 2003 and can be mailed to the National Oceans Office, G.P.O. Box 2139, Hobart, Tas. 7001.
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MPAs in State waters still being considered
At the time of writing this article the Resource Planning and Development Commission (RPDC) has yet to finalise their recommendations for proposed MPAs in State waters.
The two areas under review are of course Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour and the Kent Group of Islands and the RPDC is scheduled to hand their recommendations to Minister Bryan Green for his consideration very shortly.
In all TFIC lodged four written statements and appeared before the RPDC three times and our submissions are available here.
When the RPDC recommendations are available all TFIC members may be assured that we will carefully consider the detail and will be addressing all concerns direct with the Minister.
If you would like any information at any time on this important issue please give me a call at TFIC.
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'Stick it up' to eliminate marine debris
Included in this issue of Fishing Today are two bright stickers again highlighting the message 'Stow it don’t throw it'.
In keeping with TFIC’s policy of protecting and minimising any impact on the marine environment we ask that you display a sticker on your vessel or even on your vehicle to indicate your support.
I know most members are well aware of the need to bring their garbage back to shore and we all appreciate the concentrated effort over the last few years to comply with these reasonable standards.
Discarded fishing gear and rubbish can kill fish, whales, dolphins and seabirds and it certainly devalues our coastline and beaches.
So, join the movement towards protection of our oceans by proudly displaying the stickers and by encouraging others also to do the right thing!
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Set sail for Seafood Directions
It is still not too late to attend Seafood Directions – Beyond Sustainability: Taking the Lead to be held in Perth, W.A. on 17 – 18 September 2003.
A Rock Lobster Congress will also be held in conjunction with this event on 16 September 2003 as will a Women’s Industry Network Seafood Community Conference.
Seafood Directions is an initiative of the Australian Seafood Industry Council (ASIC) of which TFIC is a member.
Registration brochures for all events are available from the TFIC offices.
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Want to join TFIC’s email broadcast system?
Just a reminder that TFIC has an email broadcast system set up to keep members informed with very selective, timely and generally relevant seafood industry information.
We don’t transmit on any regular basis but when we do it is worth reading.
If you are not already on our broadcast system and want to be included send us an email to tfic@tfic.com.au
We would also like an indication of your area of interest, i.e. Tasmania wild fishing, Tasmania aquaculture, Tasmania fish processing, Commonwealth fishing or all of the above so that we can keep our flow of information relevant to your needs.
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Moving forward with seafood projects
Often if you have a good idea assistance funding can be generated from various sources to enable the idea to become reality.
A case in point is the Food Innovation Grants program where project recipients can obtain grants up to $1.5m over three years on a matching funding basis.
Seafood Projects that would be attractive are at the high value end of the food chain and particularly where there is a potential for growth with an export objective.
If you want to take your good idea towards commercialisation by sharing the risks this is worth considering.
Call 1300 130 360 or visit the website www.nfis.com.au
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Emphasis on Fishing and Aquaculture growth is welcome
A new body to be called the Australian Fisheries and Seafood Forum is to be created to advise Commonwealth Ministers on new and emerging fishing industry matters.
The forum will not duplicate or replace the AFMA consultative arrangements but rather will assist in realising the great potential for the seafood industry.
This new concept is part of the Federal Government’s recent policy statement titled Looking to the future: A review of Commonwealth Fisheries Policy.
Immediate objectives include reform in areas such as Offshore Constitutional Settlement arrangements and improvements to make AFMA more effective.
I think most industry people would agree that there is often a big difference between the theory of good fisheries management and practical realities so perhaps this is a new step worth supporting.
Another idea worthy of effort would be to encourage greater co-operation between the various jurisdictions to achieve sensible fishery management arrangements rather than the sometimes ad hoc and independent decisions which cause us all a lot of grief.
The Federal government’s support of the National Aquaculture Policy Statement will also commit industry and governments to work together to achieve environmental, social and economic growth and hopefully the long term sustainable development of the aquaculture industry.
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Restructuring assistance is a moral responsibility
I represent our Tasmanian industry on a large number of committees covering a wide range of species and issues.
For instance I am on four State Fishery Advisory Committees (FACs) and participate in a great number of meetings where other industry members do not attend or are often very few in number.
One issue of continuing concern to me is the lack of what I call moral responsibility from people in authority to offer compensation to industry members when changes are proposed and made directly or indirectly to people’s entitlements.
For instance if a licence or permit is changed or withdrawn or if areas of productive waters are removed from a fishery the livelihood of some people can be adversely impacted.
This is particularly so if the impact is regionalised or if the change dramatically affects a particular person or family or a small group of people.
A relevant case in point is the current Shark Quota Independent Review Panel. This panel has been brought about by an Administrative Appeals Tribunal decision and a subsequent unsuccessful appeal in the Federal Court.
Now I don’t have any argument with AFMA about their decision to appoint a new panel to review the shark quota allocation or the process that they have elected to adopt under the circumstances.
What I do have concerns about is that this panel could dramatically change the whole southern shark quota allocations thereby seriously impacting on many hard working fishermen who have always done the right thing.
And the panel’s Terms of Reference makes no mention of financial compensation or restructuring assistance for people whose livelihoods may be turned upside down by a decision well beyond their control.
There are also no guidelines on exceptional circumstances such as when a fisherman was ill or incapacitated during a catch history period.
All this is very disturbing at a time when in my view a compassionate, realistic and fair approach is needed.
In many cases restructuring assistance may not cost a whole lot of money but it would enable some people to reorganise or even leave a fishery with a level of dignity and respect intact.
I therefore urge all industry members to hammer home the message of a need for restructuring assistance every time a change in their entitlement is even being considered by people in authority.
We all deserve to be treated fairly and with a level of compassion. Anything less than that is definitely unacceptable.
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TFIC Board deliberations
At our most recent TFIC Board meeting held at Macquarie No. 1 Wharf in Hobart your Directors again considered a raft of issues including developments on the National Standard for Commercial Vessels, proposed MPAs in State and Commonwealth waters, MAST issues including maintenance of marine facilities, giant crab/trawl interaction, east coast tuna management, slipway guidelines and impacts, waste disposal, TSQAP, the scallop season, environmental management systems and a whole lot more.
Our guests were Colin Finch, Charles Weston and Peter Hopkins from MAST and a general meeting followed enabling southern Tasmanian industry members to bring forward issues of concern.