Have a say on scalefish review

Tasmanians are invited to have their say on proposed changes to recreational and commercial scalefish fisheries, aimed at improving fishing practices and the sustainability of stocks.

For many Tasmanians their summer is synonymous with catching flathead while holidaying at the shack, and for others their livelihood is reliant on popular catches like banded morwong.

To ensure these recreational and commercial fisheries can continue for generations to come we must ensure that our scalefish fishing practices are based on the best available scientific advice.

The draft Scalefish Fishery Management Plan is proposing several changes to improve fishing practices and ensure the sustainability of our fish stock.

Research by the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies confirms that fishing pressure on sand flathead stocks in popular fishing locations is high, and female flathead are particularly vulnerable because of their faster growth and larger size.

The draft management plan proposes increasing the minimum size limit by two centimetres, to allow females to spawn for another year and to increase the return from each fish taken.

The draft proposals include:

• Increasing the minimum size limit of flathead from 30cm to 32cm and striped trumpeter from 50cm to 55cm;
• Introducing gillnet-free areas around a number of key penguin colonies;
• Further restricting the use of recreational gillnets at night to reduce wildlife interactions and improve compliance;
• Further restricting night netting times in Macquarie Harbour to reduce bycatch, including potential impacts on the protected Maugean skate;
• Prohibiting the use of recreational setlines at night and reducing the number of hooks from 30 to 15;
• Extending recreational fishing licence requirements to assist management, research and awareness for specialised scalefish activities and when fishing with electric reels; and
• Introducing daily bag limits for all key species.

Tasmanians can hear more at one of the upcoming information sessions to be held around the state during the 60-day consultation period.
I look forward to hearing the community’s feedback and encourage all those who are interested to have their say before the consultation period closes on August 21.

To find out about the proposed changes, the information sessions or to make an online submission go to: www.fishing.tas.gov.au/scalefish-review
Jeremy Rockliff, Minister for Primary Industries and Water