The parliamentary inquiry into the management of Western Australia’s fisheries has now closed, with conservation groups calling for the impacts of subsea mining and climate change to be a serious consideration in the long-term management of fish stocks.
Conservation Council of WA (CCWA) Executive Director Matt Roberts said the inquiry was established following the demersal fishing ban in the West Coast bioregion last December.
He said a number of conservation groups had lodged submissions to the inquiry calling for better managed fisheries that take into account the wide range of pressures impacting marine ecosystems.
“The committee will report the impacts of the demersal fishing ban in WA, as well as sustainable fisheries management, seismic blasting, and other contemporary challenges facing fish stocks,” Mr Roberts said.
"Sustainably managed fisheries are critical to the health of our oceans, our food security, tourism and seafood industries, culture, climate and our precious wildlife.
"Contemporary challenges like seismic blasting and climate change are rapidly transforming our oceans, impacting fish stocks, reducing habitat, simplifying food webs, shifting the geographical range of species, and changing marine community dynamics.
"We hope this inquiry will shed light on all the cumulative impacts affecting our marine ecosystem and result in better fisheries management and long-term environmental planning in our oceans.
“The ban on demersal fishing is affecting many WA fishing families, but was a necessary and important step in protecting species recovery into the future.
“However, it is not the only measure needed, and the government’s commitment to a sustainable fisheries future would be seriously undermined by approvals for seismic blasting to explore for new gas reserves in key spawning areas.
"A recent landmark study in the Bass Strait by Marine Environment Research verified the direct impact seismic blasting can have on local fishing populations. The report found that, across local fish stocks, catch rates were reduced by 75-99%.
“It is unfair that WA fishers are expected to uphold measures such as reduced limit catches, respect Marine Protected Areas and stop fishing entirely, when fossil fuel companies are permitted to carry out seismic blasting, causing devastating impacts to fisheries and whole marine food webs.”
Surfers for Climate CEO Josh Kirkman said WA's fish stocks were already under pressure from a warming ocean.
“Renewable energy, including offshore wind in the Indian Ocean, is part of the effort to keep that at bay, not a threat to add to the list. The real and measurable harm to fish stocks in this inquiry's remit is seismic blasting for oil and gas, and that's where the Committee's attention should go,” Mr Kirkman said.
Australian Marine Conservation Society's Sustainable Seafood Program Manager Adrian Meder said, “despite evidence showing too much fishing pressure for 20 years, successive governments have failed to take responsibility and do all the work needed to recover our demersal fish stocks”.
“They passed the consequences to us and future generations but this is an opportunity to step up at last and build more abundant and resilient fish populations for our future,” Mr Meder said.
ENDS
CCWA Media contact: John Cooke - 0433 679 780
AMCS contact: Adrian Meder - 0414 814 981
Surfers for Climate contact: Josh Kirkman - 0421 594 487