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Agency Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA) - Fisheries and Aquaculture Division 1. Title of the initiative day) have been applied to key recreationally Implementing the outcomes of a review of important species in South Australia since the recreational fishing management mid-1970s. Boat limits, which limit the harvest arrangements with respect to size, bag and per boat trip (usually 3 times the bag limit), boat limits and King George Whiting in South were introduced in 1994. Size limits, applied to Australia. both commercial and recreational sectors, 2. Issue to be addressed have been in place for many more years. There are approximately 277,000 recreational Where possible, size limits are chosen to allow fish at least one spawning period in which to fishers in South Australia.1 The recreational fishing sector is an important contributor to the reproduce before become susceptible to the State’s economy as well as being a major fishery. recreational pursuit of South Australians, and King George Whiting is an iconic species in interstate and international visitors. It is South Australia, and is one of the most essential fish stocks targeted by the targeted species by recreational and recreational fishing sector are sustainable in commercial fishers. Recent scientific research the long-term and shared in an equitable way if has classified King George Whiting stocks in the sector is to continue to provide social and the Spencer Gulf and Gulf St economic benefits to the State. Vincent/Kangaroo Island as ‘transitional- A Draft Management Plan for Recreational depleting’. A transitional-depleting stock is a Fishing in South Australia was prepared by deteriorating stock, where biomass is not yet PIRSA and released for public consultation. recruitment overfished, but fishing pressure is The introduction of a management plan for the too high and moving the stock in the direction recreational fishing sector will guide provide of becoming recruitment overfished. clear objectives and strategies for the fishery Accordingly, management strategies are over the next ten years. required to prevent further declines in the status of these fish stocks. To support the draft management plan, a Review of Size, Bag and Boat Limits in South A separate management paper, the Australia’s Recreational Fishing Sector, Marine Management Options for King George Whiting in South Australia and Freshwater (Size, Bag and Boat Limit (KGW Management Paper) Review) was also released for consultation. In was prepared to propose a series of preparing this review, advice was sought from management options to return stocks in key fisheries scientists, fisheries managers, regions to a ‘sustainable’ status. Fisheries Officers, RecFish SA, recreational In South Australia, access shares to aquatic fishers and the Conservation Council of SA. resources are formally allocated to the recreational, commercial and Aboriginal Recreational daily bag and boat limits are important management tools used to protect traditional fishing sectors, consistent with the Fisheries Management Act and maintain fish stocks as they limit the provisions of the 2007 aggregate harvest of the recreational fishing and the Government’s Allocation Policy. sector. Personal bag limits (the number of fish Initial resource shares have been allocated in of each species one person can harvest in one fishery management plans consistent with
1 Giri, K and Hall, K, South Australian Recreational Fishing Series No.62, Victorian Government, Department of Economic Survey 2013/14, July 2015, Fisheries Victoria Internal Report Development Jobs, Transport and Resources. 1 | P a g e
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catch shares, informed by the 2007/08 The following stakeholders were informed of recreational fishing survey and commercial the commencement of the consultation catch information at that time, to recognise process and invited to provide feedback: existing resource users. Nominal allocations Australian Fisheries Management have been made to the Aboriginal traditional Authority sector to allow for resolution of native title Conservation Council of SA claims. These allocations are designed to give Department of Environment, Water all sectors certainty of continued access to the and Natural Resources resource. Local Government Association In addition to sustainability drivers, Marine Fishers Association management arrangements proposed in the RecFish SA recreational review are also designed to return Saint Vincent Gulf Prawn Boat fishing sectors to their allocated proportion of Owners’ Association the resource, consistent with the requirements Seafood Processors and Exporters of the Fisheries Management Act 2007. Council South Australian Rock Lobster 3. Region(s) impacted by the proposal Advisory Council Recreational fishing occurs across the State’s South Australian Sardine Industry coastal waters and accordingly, the changes Association proposed to size, bag and boat limits may SA Native Title Services impact all coastal regions. Whilst King George South Australian Northern Zone Rock Whiting is caught in many regions across the Lobster Fishermen’s Association State, the proposed changes are SA Tourism Commission predominantly aimed at improving stock status South-East Professional Fishermen’s in Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent /Kangaroo Association Island. Southern Fishermen’s Association 4. Stakeholders Affected by the proposed Spencer Gulf and West Coast Prawn initiative Fishermen’s Association Recreational fishers Surveyed Charter Boat Owners and Charter Boat Fishery Operators Association RecFish SA Wild Catch Fisheries SA Commercial fishers with access to take King George Whiting, 6. Consultation predominantly the Marine Scalefish The draft management plan and Size, Bag and Fishery Boat Limit Review were developed through a Tourism industry steering committee which included Seafood consumers Government, recreational fishing 5. Stakeholders Consulted representatives and an independent social South Australian community, scientist. Prior to the release of the documents particularly those with an interest in a targeted stakeholder workshop on the recreational fishing proposed fisheries management changes was Recreational fishing sector held. The purpose of this workshop was to Commercial fishing industry ‘ground-truth’ and consider early feedback on Relevant government agencies the proposals with industry representatives before they were released for community 2 | P a g e
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consideration. Participants included persons to appear to be heard and inspect representatives from RecFish SA, the written submissions. Conservation Council of SA, recreational 7. Summary of Impacts and Analysis fishing groups and recreational fishing ‘opinion The proposal is consistent with the leaders’. legislated ecologically sustainable PIRSA undertook a three month public development objectives of the Fisheries consultation process commencing on Management Act 2007. PIRSA has 30 January 2016 and ending on 29 April 2016. attempted to strike a balance between A public notice to inform interested persons of ecological, economic and social the three documents released for consultation considerations, informed by the best appeared in The Advertiser on 11 February available data, scientific advice and the 2016. In addition, public notices also appeared feedback received through the in the following regional publications: consultation process. Port Lincoln Times; 7.1 Environmental Factors Whyalla News; The implementation of new management South Eastern Times; arrangements by PIRSA is critical in Yorke Peninsula Country; ensuring the sustainability of recreational Murray Pioneer; fishing in South Australia. No negative The Islander; environmental impacts are likely to occur Victor Harbor Times; and as a result of implementing the proposal. West Coast Sentinel. A number of recommendations to reduce PIRSA hosted 12 public meetings across South size, bag and boat limits have been made Australia on the following dates: due to concerns regarding the sustainability of stocks of key species Port Lincoln, 16 February 2016 including Garfish, Snapper, Australian Ceduna, 17 February 2016 Herring and King George Whiting. Whyalla, 18 February 2016 Wallaroo, 23 February 2016 A precautionary approach to management Glenelg, 24 February 2016 has generally been adopted for the Renmark, 25 February 2016 species in which limits are proposed to be implemented for the first time. Millicent, 1 March 2016 Victor Harbor, 2 March 2016 If proposed changes to size, bag and boat Kangaroo Island, 3 March 2016 limits are not made, negative Port Augusta, 5 April 2016 environmental impacts may occur across Yorketown, 6 April 2016 the fishery, in both regional and Port Noarlunga, 13 April 2016. metropolitan areas, if future levels of fishing pressure are unsustainable. To assist the commercial sector understand and provide feedback on the The proposed reduction to the state-wide proposals, information sessions were also daily bag and boat limits for King George held in Port Lincoln, Yorketown and Whiting aims to reduce the overall state- Adelaide during March and April 2016. wide recreational catch of this species improve the sustainability of the A public hearing was conducted by PIRSA recreational harvest and manage it within on 11 May 2016 to enable interested the recreational sector’s allocated share.
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Additional restrictions on the take of large 7.2 Economic Factors fish aim to reduce the impact of fishing on Positive economic impacts are likely to the spawning biomass and promote stock occur through ensuring the long-term recovery. sustainability of species targeted by The proposed increase to the legal recreational fishers in South Australia, minimum size limit of King George Whiting particularly in regional areas. aims to allow more juvenile fish to ‘run the A number of the proposed changes to gauntlet’ from the upper gulfs to reach the size, bag and boat limits have been key spawning areas in deeper water near amended to address issues raised by lower Yorke Peninsula in the southern stakeholders during the public consultation gulfs, and reproductively contribute to the process. In some cases, the proposed population. changes will impact individual fishers, in The proposed spawning spatial closure will that they will restrict the size or number of prevent recreational and commercial fish they are permitted to take. No fishers from taking this species around significant negative economic impacts southern Spencer Gulf, southern Gulf St have been identified as a result of the Vincent and northern Kangaroo Island Size, Bag and Boat Limit Review that during May. It aims to reduce fishing would impact regions, communities or the pressure on the spawning biomass in broader recreational fishery. known marine areas and protect it from If the proposed changes are not made to fishing during a part of the spawning size, bag and boat limits then the potential period, to improve recruitment and ecological, economic and social impacts production to promote stock recovery. across the fishery, particularly in regional The spawning spatial closure would be areas, are likely to larger if the sector is reviewed following the outcomes of a not sustainable or shared in an equitable three-year scientific research project way in the long-term. undertaken by SARDI Aquatic Sciences The proposed arrangements for King commencing in July 2016 to improve George Whiting aim to maintain quality understanding of key King George Whiting recreational fishing opportunities and spawning areas in the southern gulf ensure the continued supply of systems of South Australia. commercially harvested, premium SA If changes are not made to the seafood, to ensure seafood and management arrangements for King recreational fishing-related tourism and George Whiting at this time, it is highly associated business activities are able to likely the status of regional King George continue in South Australia. Whiting stocks will continue to decline. Stakeholder concerns were raised about Further stock declines would cause long the potential negative economic impacts of term ecological, economic and social restrictions on King George Whiting fishing impacts on recreational and commercial activities in coastal regions around the fishers and their associated industries, state. Feedback received from the KGW including tourism, and would require more Management Paper indicated the fishery severe restrictions to be implemented had regional characteristics, such as through fisheries legislation in future years weather, seasonality of fishing to address unsustainable fishing activities. opportunities and size of fish, which 4 | P a g e
REGIONAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT STATEMENT needed to be considered when proposal to apply a spawning spatial implementing new management closure to the key biologically important arrangements. This feedback has been area for the fishery during May instead. carefully considered in developing the This is expected to have a similar level of proposed arrangements to avoid ecological benefit with reduced social and disproportionate impacts on any particular economic impacts. region. In previous processes when PIRSA have PIRSA has aimed to minimise potential implemented spawning spatial closures for economic impacts by proposing a suite of Snapper in five locations in the Gulfs, the management arrangements that take into economic impact to local tourism and account the community concerns with business has been low. This is because some of the options discussed during the tourists will still visit areas for other review. This includes continuing to allow reasons, and if fishing will target other the harvest of large fish at a reduced level, species in the area regardless of the and maintaining fishing opportunities in restrictions to the access of individual April to account for the important Easter species. and April school holiday periods. Negative economic impacts are likely to While the reduced bag and boat limits on result from further declines in the status of large fish (>40 cm) are unlikely to key King George Whiting stocks if changes disadvantage fishers in the South East, are not made to the management impacts are likely to occur in the lower arrangements at this time. Yorke Peninsula where higher numbers of 7.3 Social Factors larger, sexually mature fish are often targeted by recreational, charter and The benefits of the proposed changes commercial fishers; this impact will be less include positive social impacts through the that if an upper size limit was long-term sustainability of recreational implemented. fishing in South Australia. In addition to sustainability, these proposals also aim to The proposed spawning spatial closure will share access to fish species more prevent recreational, charter and equitably across the recreational fishing commercial fishers from taking King sector. A key principle of the review was to George Whiting in areas of southern promote the principle of a ‘fair day’s Spencer Gulf, southern Gulf St Vincent fishing’ and limit recreational fishers to a and northern Kangaroo Island during May. reasonable amount of fish to catch and A state-wide seasonal closure and spatial process/consume during a day’s fishing. closures were both considered as management options to protect fish during The proposed limits have been designed their critical reproductive spawning period to be simple, reasonable and enforceable. from March to May, or during the peak Stakeholder comments identified that the month of April. Concerns were raised proposed increase to the minimum legal regarding the potential social and size limit would impact recreational fishers economic impacts of a restriction on King in the upper gulfs where juvenile fish are George Whiting fishing in this region targeted. While this is acknowledged, during the school holiday period and available information indicates that King Easter long weekend, which usually occur George Whiting below 32 cm do not in April. PIRSA has therefore modified the 5 | P a g e
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constitute a significant part of the amended to address issues raised by recreational catch in the upper gulfs. stakeholders during the public consultation Recreational and commercial fishers on process. For example, although it has the West Coast raised concerned that if biological merit, a maximum size limit on consistent management arrangements Whaler Sharks has not been proposed given were not implemented across the state, concerns about fisher safety if required to shifting fishing effort into their region from measure large sharks. other areas may have negative sustainability and social implications on Stakeholders generally showed concern for the local fish stocks and fishing opportunities. sustainability status of King George Whiting The proposed state-wide implementation populations and supported the need for of reduced bag and boat limits aims to management action. Feedback received from minimise this risk. the KGW Management Paper indicated the fishery had regional characteristics, such as 7.4 Equity Factors weather, seasonality of fishing opportunities The proposed increase to the legal and size of fish, which needed to be minimum size of King George Whiting and considered when implementing new the spawning spatial closure will apply to management arrangements. This feedback both the recreational and commercial has been carefully considered in developing fishing sectors. the proposed arrangements to avoid disproportionate impacts on any particular The proposed changes to recreational bag region. and boat limits aim to apply equitably within the recreational fishing sector. In addition to managing South Australia’s Other mitigation strategies are identified in the fisheries resources in an ecologically ‘Summary of Impacts and Analysis’ above. sustainable way, they aim to ensure recreational fishing is an activity which can 9. Coordination be shared equitably and enjoyed by South The following Government agencies were Australians for current and future consulted in relation to this issue: generations. Department of Planning, Transport
and Infrastructure; Implementing the proposed outcomes of the recreational fishing review and King Department of State Development; George Whiting review aim to maintain the Department of Environment, Water allocations of the key species consistent and Natural Resources; with the Fisheries Management Act 2007 Attorney-General’s Department – and the Government’s Allocation Policy. Crown Solicitor’s Office; South Australian Tourism 8. Mitigation Commission; Generally the stakeholder submissions to the Australian Government Department of review demonstrated support for and the Environment; understanding of the need for changes to be Australian Government Department of made to the existing arrangements. Agriculture and Water Resources; and Australian Fisheries Management Most of the changes identified in the Size, Bag Authority. and Boat Limit Review received a high level of 10. Local Government support. A number of the proposals have been 6 | P a g e
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The Local Government Association was with positives and negatives which were outlined in informed and invited to provide feedback on the paper and further investigated during the the proposals. Feedback was received from extensive public consultation process. While each two local councils: District Council of Tumby management option has impacts due to the Bay and District Council of Lower Eyre additional constraints imposed, without suitable Peninsula. Local council representatives management actions the result will likely be further attended a number of the public meetings. decline in the stocks that support the fishery. The proposed changes aim to strike a balance 11. Preferred Options between providing adequate protection for King The proposed changes to size limits and George Whiting stocks and equitably sharing the recreational bag and boat limits are largely resource between fishing sectors, while minimising consistent with the arrangements initially impacts on fishers, seafood consumers and proposed in the Size, Bag and Boat Review. associated regional communities. As a result of the public consultation process, a number of the proposals were modified, 12. Agency Contact Details including for the following species: Australian Herring Fisheries and Aquaculture Division Wrasse Primary Industries and Regions SA - PIRSA Whaler Sharks Level 14, 25 Grenfell Street, Adelaide, 5000, South Bloodworms Australia | GPO Box 1625, Adelaide, SA, 5001 | Scallop DX 210 The KGW Management Paper identified that a Ph (08) 8226 0900 number of management options are available to manage the King George Whiting fishery, each
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