Monday on Tasmanian Times: Do We Have A Trawler for You!
Peter Whish-Wilson pic by Thomas Moore
The Australian Greens have fresh concerns that Seafish Tasmania Pty Ltd is actively pursuing angles - including using large industrial factory vessels - to access their disputed Small Pelagic Fishery (SPF) quota while environmental uncertainties are meant to be under expert review. Recent media reports indicate that the Labor Premier of Tasmania is backing the Seafish plan to bring an alternate factory freezer trawler to our Tasmanian and Australian waters.
Last week I sought legal advice on Minister Tony Burke’s super trawler ban in relation to the definition of a ‘specified vessel’ under the Final (Small Pelagic Fishery) Declaration 2012. I was informed that it allows any industrial factory freezer trawler to apply to operate in the Australian SPF regardless of its capacity and impact on fisheries and ecosystems, provided it’s under 130m – only marginally shorter than the super trawler FV Abel Tasman, formerly the Margiris.
On Monday in the Senate [LINK VIDEO - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyJ4ZCzD5EE ] I then asked if this loophole was intentional, and if not, what measures Minister Burke was taking to rectify it. I also asked if the Minister, or his Department, had met with Seafish in regards to any proposed new factory freezer trawlers.
Yesterday I also wrote a letter to Minister Burke seeking clarification around this potential loophole and later spoke to him directly about my concerns, and to seek assurances that his Final (Small Pelagic Fishery) Declaration 2012 will not allow another factory freezer trawler, with the same or similar capacity to the FV Abel Tasman to operate within the Australian SPF.
It is now my understanding that current Legislation was only for the super trawler Abel Tasman (or a vessel very similar to it) and any new super trawler – even one with greater factory and storage capacity - could make a new application to come and fish in Australian waters immediately, given it’s only marginally shorter in length. In order to stop any new factory freezer trawler, the Minister would have to make a new Declaration and this would need to be agreed to by the Minister for Fisheries, The Hon. Joe Ludwig.
Clearly if this was to occur, all those who spoke out against this type of fishing activity in Commonwealth waters, and all those who assumed super trawlers would be banned from Australian waters for the next 2 years, would be back to square one! Essentially, the same process that Australia has been through over the last five months would have to occur all over again.
This is no idle threat, we are confident following an ABC radio interview with Seafish Pty Ltd director Gerry Geen last week that moves are underway to bring a new large factory freezer trawler to our Commonwealth fisheries.
It is my belief considerable uncertainty now exists for recreational fishers, environment groups, and the community who fought so hard to stop super trawlers [ LINK RALLY VIDEO - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emUQHRk-iHc ] from operating in Australian waters, especially considering super trawler risks are yet to be evaluated by the expert panel.
The Greens want to see responsible, future-focused outcomes in our Australian fisheries for both industry and communities, and the ecological values that they depend on in the long-term. We will be holding both Minister Burke and Minster Ludwig to account on this issue every step of the way.
If you are concerned about this issue please take action and share this message widely amongst your friends and family using the tools below - and join me on Facebook and Twitter and let me know what you think.
Senate QwoN video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyJ4ZCzD5EE
Rally Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emUQHRk-iHc
Show Comments
Comments (4)
I raised this matter with the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities on 21 November.
Tony Burke’s office advised that the only vessels that can operate in the fishery are those that have approval, and if currently approved vessels were to try and fish the quota then that would presumably be OK with the Australian Fisheries Management Authority. But any new vessel or new set-up, for example a 90m freezer vessel, would require AFMA approval and that wouldn’t necessarily be forthcoming. Moreover many if not all of the vessels being suggested as replacements for the Margiris would be at risk of being banned by the Minister under the current legislation.
I would add that there is also the matter of the relevant quota which is, I believe, not worth the paper it’s written on because it was the product of a flawed process. At my request the Commonwealth Ombudsman is investigating this issue and I remain hopeful the quota will ultimately be overturned.
Honestly, is it too much to ask to not have our elected officials take the piss with us.
Obviously if we protested the Margiris (now supposedly the Abel Tasman), then we meant all factory processing trawlers, not just one of a particular size and name.
It seems blatantly cynical to leave this loop-hole open counting on the short attention span and limited lobbying staying power of the general public.
I am tiring of Burkes constant handballing, buck passing and inability to take resposibility and get something sewn up and water tight. Either he can’t do it, has no power or needs to refer to someone else?
Sounds as useless as the proverbial on a bull. Oh my kingdom for a minister who actually has a real concern for the environment and is not just a disinterested talking head of a token department that must be placated when another mining (mining in the sense of unsustainable resource exploitation) industry wants more.
Thank you Peter for raising and clarifying the haze that has hung around this issue. Burke is in a weird position. After declaring all those terrific marine parks, which is excellent, but in so doing he has enraged commercial fisherman. If he disingenuously allows a 130m or less supertrawler through he will have blown all the work he did in stopping the Margiris—and enrage commercial fisherman for the second time—except one super fisherman of course, Gerry Geen.
The issue is not of course the size of the trawler but on what the science mow says about the impact of a catch of 18,000 tonnes on fish and general populations. He must await the new assessments of this damage before allowing factory ships to operate in Australian waters. If he does, as you say Peter, it will be on for one and all. Again.
In today’s Advocate there is an article about Daniel Pauly warning us that Australia will be targeted by super trawlers; basically because they have stuffed up other fisheries. I could not find this article online so cannot provide a link. Professor Pauly has stated that over fishing “...had already removed about half the world’s table fish population and about 13 per cent of the biomass in the oceans.” The article went on to discuss super trawlers saying that “...such vessels quickly exhausted their capacity to maintain high catch rates so were always on the lookout for new fishing grounds.”