Tag Archives: Department of Primary Industries
Commercial lobster fishers want total catch cut to help save WA fishery
Commercial fishers in Western Australia’s $285 million lobster industry say warning bells are ringing for the sector’s future sustainability, despite reassurances from state government scientists that stocks are at healthy levels. The commercial lobster industry is concerned due to the number of baby lobster, known as puerulus, being found along the coast, along with falling catch rates and revised economic modelling. As a result, the industry has requested its total catch be dropped next season from the current limit of 7,300 tonnes to 6,800 tonnes. Cervantes based fisher Michael Thompson supported the catch reduction and said it could have gone lower. “Our puerulus since 2007 till today is 50 per cent lower than what we used to receive back to the coast to our collectors,” he said. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:02
NSW fisheries officers demand stab-proof vests and capsicum spray in order to do their job safely
Fisheries officers are calling for the right to use capsicum spray and wear stab-proof vests after run-ins with illegal poachers and criminal gangs. They are also refusing to carry out night inspections of trawlers without police assistance. Supervising fisheries officer Joe Wright knows too well the dangers of confronting a fisherman suspected of an illegal catch. Mr Wright is one of dozens of fisheries officers in New South Wales who have been threatened with assault while on the job, protecting oceans, rivers and estuaries. These officers are now demanding stab-proof vests and capsicum spray, amid fears workers are at risk of being hurt or even killed. The union representing the officers says they are unsafe and “operationally ineffective” when coming face-to-face with poachers and organised criminals. Photos, more, >>CLICK TI READ<< 17:18
Study of seismic testing used in offshore oil, gas and wind energy industries finds lobsters ‘concussed’
Seismic testing critical to Western Australia’s offshore oil, gas and energy industries is dazing, and potentially killing the state’s valuable western rock lobsters, a new study has found. The practice is essential to offshore oil and gas exploration and the construction of wind turbines, and involves firing powerful air guns, creating soundwaves that penetrate the ocean floor. But research by the WA government’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has found lobsters exposed to the testing are significantly impacted. Offshore crustaceans scientist Simon de Lestang studied the behaviour of lobsters after they were exposed to seismic testing conducted offshore, in shallow water south of Geraldton. >>click to read<< 11:05
Rock lobster industry rejects new WA deal that would increase supply for local consumers
The draft agreement was struck in February after the Government was forced to back down on its previous plan to take control of more than 17 per cent of the industry. But despite three months of negotiations the Government and the Western Rock Lobster Council (WRLC) could not agree on a mechanism to deliver up to 315 tonnes of additional lobster for the WA market. Two proposals to deliver the additional domestic supplies were developed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the WRLC, the Government said. ‘Government has destroyed all goodwill’: Nahan >click to read<15:21
NSW DPI is cracking down! Men in hot water after lobster catch
A fisherman and his deckhand are in hot water after being caught with dozens of expensive eastern rock lobsters while at a fast-food restaurant in Newcastle. The two men had been under surveillance for some time before authorities discovered 40 of the valuable crustaceans – most of them cooked – in their refrigerated truck on February 23. The vehicle and lobster were both seized.,, Offences attract up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $88,000, as well as penalties of up to 10 times the market value,,, >click to read<13:53
Their worst fears are now starting to be realized: Fishers forced out of business
Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Mick Veitch, met with fishers from the Great Lakes yesterday February 22 at the Wallis Lake Fishing Co-op to highlight the impact of the State government’s commercial fishing reforms. The reforms have forced a number of family run fishing businesses to exit the industry, while businesses association with the local fishing industry are under pressure. An Upper House committee last year heard directly from co-ops over the impacts of these reforms – and was warned over the viability of co-ops if the reforms proceeded. The worst fears are now starting to be realized. >click to read< 10:36 
Black market lobsters cost man $94k
A WA man has been fined and banned from lobster fishing for two years after selling hundreds of rock lobsters on the black market. Graham Thomas Davies from Yanchep has been ordered to pay a fine and costs of $94,409.35 after pleading guilty to multiple charges following an investigation by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Fisheries. “This outcome highlights how serious the court considers these offences,“ compliance manager Todd A’Vard said on Wednesday. The department says Davies sold more than 300 rock lobsters he had caught recreationally between November 2015 and March 2016. click here to read the story 12:51
Catch Shares – Fishing Family Devastated by NSW Government Fishery Reforms
Tears come to Donna Cook’s eyes as she describes the sale of her and her husband’s family fishing business; forced, they say, by the impact of the NSW Government’s fishing reforms. After five generations spanning more than 100 years of working the Macleay, the Cook family sold their Stuarts Point fishing business earlier this year to an investor. “We’ve always been a successful fishing family, we’ve bought a home and raised five kids,” Donna told the Argus. “But we lost 60 per cent of our income from the reforms. “We just couldn’t go on.” The State Government reasons that the reform will ensure economic viability and environmental sustainability for the sector. But Donna said the changes have crippled fishers from around the State, with many forced to sell out to wealthy investors and large scale fishing operations. Catch Shares! Read the story here 09:42
Williamtown toxic truth: Hunter River fishing bans lifted
The Hunter’s prawn trawlers went back to work this week for the first time since agreeing to an indefinite ban on working the Hunter River in November last year. The ban – dubbed a gentleman’s agreement – came as a result of contamination from the Williamtown RAAF Base. It followed state government bans on fishing in Fullerton Cove and the upper Tilligerry Creek, and was seen as necessary to protect the region’s seafood reputation. Then in October this year, to the surprise of a lot of fishers, the bans were lifted. The Department of Primary Industries issued a statement saying the public could “be confident that seafood for sale is safe to eat”, and the Newcastle Fishing Cooperative began accepting local produce again. “We were shocked,” Hewitt says on his trawler, named Junior. “We turned up to that meeting thinking, you know, they were going tell us whether or not they would buy our boats off us. “Then the first thing the DPI guy said was ‘full opening of the river from this date’. “Everyone just stayed quiet. It was unreal. Even all the crazy fishermen who I thought would abuse them just said nothing.” Nice photo gallery, Read the rest here 19:50
Commercial fishers ‘gutted’ by govt reforms
Commercial fishers gathered in Coffs Harbour from across the state in protest against fisheries reforms. More than 80 fishermen from Hawkesbury River to as far north as the Tweed rallied at the Jetty foreshores on Tuesday and Wednesday to garner public support to fight the reforms. Fishermen like Allan Bodycote, of the Clarence Valley, say the State Government’s Commercial Fisheries Business Adjustment Program will cripple their businesses because they will need to buy back their right to continue their current catch quotas. “We’ve got active fishers here who have been actively fishing up to 35 years in the game and come 2017, we believe we won’t have access to the shares to continue fishing because there is not enough shares to go around,” Mr Bodycote said. “We are buying our jobs back, how many times do you have to buy your job?” Read the rest here 17:04
Commercial fishermen create new peak body to fight fisheries reform in New South Wales
“It’s a group of fisherman, associations, pretty much anyone that draws their income out of the fishing industry. For a long time, there has been a need for the industry to have a voice,” Paul Sullivan said. “All the commercial fishermen, their backs are up against the wall. “We could lose our jobs, we could lose our houses. The pressure that we’ve had over the last 12 months is insane. “We were 4,000 fishermen strong. “We’re down to 1,100 now and this latest reform that the government wants to put through, they want to take another 500 out of the industry, which will just be devastating to the industry and infrastructure around the industry.” Read the rest here 07:30
