REGIONAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT STATEMENT 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 REGIONAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT STATEMENT 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 REGIONAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT STATEMENT 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. 3 | P a g e REGIONAL