Southern Fish Trawl
by RFA of NSW 1 Apr 2022 21:12 UTC
The management of the Southern Fish Trawl fishery off the NSW coast has been a disaster from the start, with sequential over-fishing of key species leading to severely damaged fish resources.
Despite several substantial buy outs in the mid-90s and the mid-2000s, the decline has continued. Dr Kevin Rowling provided a succinct assessment of the failings of AFMA management at the Fish Biology Conference in 2016.
The RFA keeps asking why would any competent authority allow AFMA (Commonwealth) to expand its failed management into sensitive inshore waters and how could NSW manage the inevitable conflict between Commonwealth trawlers and NSW commercial and recreational fishers inside three miles in the future?
The fish trawl restricted fishery within three miles, that extends south of Barrenjoey, should be closed for the following reasons:
- The catch (at an arguable 1.59%) is an insignificant component of the CFT and will not significantly affect fresh fish supplies
- The removal of fish trawling inside 3 miles would be environmentally beneficial
- Closure would be cost effective in the long term
- Increased fish trawling effort from CFT that was previously excluded inside 3 miles will damage inshore fish stocks of non-CFT species
- Fish trawl management off NSW by AFMA has not satisfied the objects of their FMA 1991 and expansion into NSW waters will not satisfy the objects of our FMA 1994.
Recreational angling representatives have been approached by representatives of the 22 of the 23 commercial fishing operators in the Southern Fish Trawl to establish a pathway to allow the recreational sector to acquire these access rights with dignified exit strategy. The Southern Fish Trawl operators have offered the permanent removal of fish and seine trawl from all NSW State waters between Barrenjoey Point and the NSW/Vic border and out to 3 nautical miles. They want to surrender any Southern Fish Trawl holdings from their fishing businesses and the RFA is supportive of any negotiations that would make this happen.
Recreational angler's support the supply of fresh locally caught fish to consumers of NSW and have been assured by the Southern Fish Trawl operators that this will not change, many have current Commonwealth Trawl endorsements that will allow them to fish in Commonwealth waters and maintain supply locally.
Recreational anglers are not seeking the removal of the current Ocean Trap and Line Commercial Fishers that operate in NSW state waters and by removing this fish trawl effort it will allow habitat to regenerate, fish stocks to replenish, spawn and provide more fish for all of us in the longer term.
Unlike just about any other buyout of commercial effort, industry has approached the recreational anglers to work together to achieve a common goal to develop and maintain a fishery for everyone in NSW to enjoy. The only people not supporting this are NSW Fisheries...we are all wondering why.