Fishing Today 16/3 June/July 2003
TFIC News
By Bob Lister
New TFIC President comes on board
At the first meeting of the new TFIC Board an election of office bearers has resulted in the following significant appointments:
TFIC President – Steve Gasparinatos
TFIC Vice President – Neil Stump
TFIC Treasurer – Sandra Phythian
Steve was originally President of TFIC from 1993 to 1996 and has again taken on this challenging and sometimes downright difficult role.
We also extend our grateful thanks to Neville Perryman who elected to retire from the President position after one term but still remains on the Board.
If you see any of our Directors on a wharf somewhere and you have any matter of concern please let them know or alternatively give me a call at TFIC. We are here to protect and promote our members’ best interests and are of course very willing to assist at any time.
Support is available during challenging times
It’s a tough world out there – and a changed world.
What with the SARS outbreak, the war in Iraq, terrorism threats, the depressed Japanese economy and the rising Australian dollar etc. export sales of Tasmanian seafood have slowed and things are generally not what they used to be.
I know that times are tough for many TFIC members associated with export fisheries in particular and at least some are very worried about their personal circumstances and future in the industry.
If you are in these circumstances and need some outside help to sort through your current difficulties there is an organisation you can call on.
Rural Support Tasmania is a confidential and free service providing information and support for the farming and fishing/aquaculture communities.
On request a Counsellor can visit you at home to assist with financial issues and options as well as helping you identify eligibility for Centrelink entitlements etc.
Support is readily available and they are very happy to assist anyone with a need.
Contacts are:
- Southern Tasmania – Leigh Noye, ‘phone 03 6272 5992 or 0407 519 245
- Northern Tasmania (including King and Flinders Islands) – Richard Burbury, ‘phone 03 6334 2768 or 0419 138 963.
Urgent Medicine Recall of TRAVACALM tablets
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has issued an Urgent Medicine Recall for TRAVACALM tablets and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority has issued a Marine Notice on the same subject.
The product is being recalled (along with many other PAN Pharmaceuticals products) following reports of excess side effects related to the active ingredient.
The recall is Class 1 meaning that the defect is potentially life threatening or could cause a serious risk to health. Symptoms include blurred vision, dizziness, disorientation, agitation, hallucinations and loss of balance.
The TRAVACALM tablets are all in blister packs of 10 tablets and the recalled products are -
TRAVACALM ORIGINAL TABLETS - Batch Nos. 77164, 78586 and 79954
TRAVACALM HO TABLETS - Batch Nos. 77163, 79376
TRAVACALM NATURAL TABLETS - Batch Nos. 78585, 82249.
AMSA has requested that vessel operators check medical cabinets to remove the recalled product, and check records and liferafts to remove any suspect tablets as soon as possible.
Further information can be obtained from Sonya Sparre, Key Pharmaceuticals phone 02 9736 3811 or Bhu Dev, AMSA phone 02 6279 5955.
Disposal of bait boxes at sea prohibited
In March 2002 we wrote to all TFIC members advising that it was illegal to dispose of garbage at sea at least out to 12 nautical miles from shore.
During that same month we applied for an exemption under the Pollution of Waters by Oil and Noxious Substances Act 1987 to enable fishermen to readily dispose of degradable cardboard bait boxes at sea.
Briefly we sought an approval to declare bait boxes not to be garbage within the meaning of the Act.
Thirteen months later in April 2003 our request for exemption has been refused by the DPIWE Director of Environmental Management.
Our letter to TFIC members in March 2002 is therefore still valid but it may be appropriate to restate the rules and penalties relating to disposal of garbage at sea.
Under Section 25F of the above State legislation no garbage shall be disposed of in State waters out to 3nm from baselines.
Under Annex V of the International Convention for the Protection of Pollution from Ships (known as MARPOL 73/78) "garbage" is defined as "all kinds of victual, domestic and operational waste excluding fresh fish and parts thereof, generated during the normal operation of the ship and liable to be disposed of continuously or periodically".
The maximum penalty for contravention of Section 25F of the Pollution of Waters by Oil and Noxious Substances Act 1987 is $250,000 for a natural person or $1,000,000 for a body corporate. Fines can be imposed on both the master and the owner of the vessel.
Outside of 3nm the MARPOL convention prohibits discharge of paper products, food wastes, metal, glass and similar refuse in waters less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land.
Discharge of plastics including plastic linings and bait box straps (as well as synthetic ropes, synthetic fishing nets, plastic garbage bags etc.) are totally prohibited in all waters out to 200 nm.
As a TFIC project we are currently identifying the industry waste disposal needs at various landing points throughout Tasmania and will shortly be negotiating with local authorities to improve the land based facilities for rubbish disposal.
Whilst this is definitely a longer term project it may over time provide a solution to the proper disposal of bait boxes.
In the meantime fishermen must fold and compact cardboard bait boxes at sea and dispose of them appropriately on land.
Remember – Stow it don’t throw it!
South East Regional MPAs under consideration
The latest position from the National Oceans Office and Environment Australia is that a draft plan for the South East Regional Marine area will be submitted to the National Oceans Ministerial Board in late June.
The NOO will be seeking consent from the five Federal Ministers to release another paper for public comment which will include the process to move from Broad Areas of Interest to candidate MPAs in south east Australia.
After public comment has been received and assessed NOO propose to then seek approval of a finalised document from Ministers Kemp, Anderson, Macdonald, McGauran and Macfarlane by the end of this year.
I can’t see much joy in this whole process for the fishing industry based in Tasmania or Victoria but we will continue to be part of the process to ensure that our members’ interests are protected and that any adverse impacts are minimised.
At the same time ASIC has received a grant of $120,000 plus GST from Environment Australia to assist with industry liaison across the three southern States. ASIC intends to appoint a communications/liaison officer to develop a whole of industry response to the Broad Areas of Interest and eventual candidate MPAs.
Individual fishermen can expect an opportunity to participate in this process most probably via commodity group meetings so that we can cover all interests and needs and submit this summarised detail as part of our response.
This whole of industry involvement could take 12 months or more but will most likely provide a much better consolidated response to the NOO than could individual peak bodies and commodity groups given that there are three States and many State and Commonwealth fisheries involved.
New State MPAs now in hands of RPDC
The Resource Planning and Development Commission is currently considering submissions from a wide range of interest groups on the proposed MPA options at Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour and the Kent Group of Islands.
Submitters have been given the opportunity to present their views direct to the RPDC in mid June and following those presentations the RPDC will provide recommendations to the Minister for Primary Industries, Water and Environment for his consideration prior to him seeking State Cabinet approval to declare the new MPAs.
Thank you to all those industry members who assisted in finalising the latest TFIC submission which is available on our web site or we can post you a copy on request.
Slipways – your input needed
Following extensive consultation with key stakeholders DPIWE has just released a document called "Draft Environmental Management Guidelines for Operational Best Practice at Slipways and other Boat Repair and Maintenance Facilities".
The guidelines are aimed at protecting the environmental quality of our coastal marine and estuarine environments as well as ensuring the environmental sustainability of the Tasmanian boat repair and maintenance industry.
Copies of the 56 page draft report are available from Carolyn Knight on 03 6336 2873 and the public consultation period closes on 11 July 2003.
I am sure we would all like to minimise the level of pollutants into the marine environment but we also need to retain slipway facilities without dramatic increases in service fees.
Anyone that owns or uses slipways should obtain a copy of the draft report and provide comments by the due date so that your views can be taken into consideration.
Slipways are vital to a sustainable fishing industry in this State so this is not a time to sit back and leave it to someone else.
For background information check out www.tfic.com.au and link to our page from the website directory. This includes details of the Tasmanian Slipway Management Framework Project, the original TFIC submission on this important issue and links to the new guidelines document.
Tasmania’s Marine Farming industry threatened
Tasmania’s $140m aquaculture industry has been placed under direct threat by a decision of the Sorell Council to commence a legal challenge to the approval process for marine farming in Southern Pittwater.
The announcement by Sorell Council Mayor Carmel Torenius at a public meeting recently that her Council would be making this legal challenge has sent shockwaves through the entire marine farming industry.
Our sustainable aquaculture industry is worth $140m to Tasmania and directly employs around 750 people on water operations.
Over 450 people are directly employed in the shellfish industry that is worth around $20 million to Tasmania and many hundreds of other people are also employed in processing, marketing and the retail sector as a result of the marine farming industry.
Additionally hundreds of other Tasmanian businesses are reliant upon the marine farming industry in net production, boat sales and other associated equipment and services.
The decision by the Sorell Council is cause for great concern across the entire industry.
If by some chance their challenge succeeds it would throw open the entire marine farming planning process and the certainty that industry currently has as a result of the marine farming planning system will no longer exist.
A successful legal challenge would jeopardise a sustainable industry worth millions of dollars to Tasmania and the very significant flow-on benefits to regional communities.
The decision by the State Government to approve marine farming in Southern Pittwater will create an additional 30 jobs and greatly increase the value and benefits of the oyster industry to the Sorell region.
Misplaced emotive issues aside I cannot understand why the Sorell Council would challenge a decision that will inject significant economic growth into the local community as well as creating increased employment that will enable the local region to build a reputation as a producer of fine foods and wine.
Telstra Mobile Satellite Subsidies
It would appear that TFIC’s lobbying for an extension of the Satellite Phone Subsidy Scheme (SPSS) on a national level is producing some results.
The subsidy is currently available to land-based primary producers in remote regions but specifically excludes maritime or aviation applications. This quite substantial subsidy is worth up to 50% of the retail cost of a satellite phone to a maximum of $1100 (including GST).
Communications to the TFIC office from Senators Ian Macdonald, Guy Barnett and Kerry O'Brien have all been very positive. They included copies of letters from Senator Richard Alston, Federal Minister for Communications, who has been considering the TFIC request for additional subsidies for maritime primary producers.
Apparently the 2000 Telecommunications Service Inquiry (TSI) 'identified some deficiencies in the coverage of mobile telephony in regional Australia', so the issues have been explored further.
In November 2002, the Report of the Independent Regional Telecommunications Inquiry (RTI) was released. The RTI report provides a comprehensive assessment of these very issues and is available on-line at www.telinquiry.gov.au/rti-report.html should you wish to read it. Part of the RTI assessed the effectiveness of Government programs including the satellite phone subsidy, with Recommendation 3.2 as follows:
'The Government should consider extending the scope of its satellite phone subsidy scheme to cover all users with an appropriate need for a satellite service, and provide sufficient funds to meet full demand for the scheme.'
With this recommendation being a positive move for Tasmanian seafood primary producers, we await further developments.
New TFIC Board issues
At the first meeting of the new TFIC Board a range of issues were addressed including new Director administrative matters, commitment to a Directors’ Code of Conduct, a review of our Articles of Association and policies, TFIC representation on committees and Directors declared their industry interests.
Directors also considered our audited 2002 annual accounts, the National Standard for Commercial Vessels, MPAs in Tasmania and those being promoted by Environment Australia and in the South East Regional Marine Plan, seafood promotions, giant crab/trawl interactions, East Coast Tuna management, slipways, TSQAP, scallop season issues including promotion options, the effect of SARS, Seafood Safety Standards, Environmental Management Systems and a whole lot more.
Our guests were David Chaffey, Tony Wurf and Brian Leahy.
The 17th TFIC Annual General Meeting was held in the TFIC offices at 2 p.m. on 28 April 2003 and members can obtain a copy of our 2002 Annual Report on request.