Minister Blasts Commercial Fishing Lobby Group

Ministerial Press Release...

January 30, 2002

Commercial fishing lobby group, ProFish, is misleading the public the Fisheries Minister, Eddie Obeid, said today.

"The NSW Government will be preparing an environmental impact statement for every significant fishery in NSW, including recreational fishing," Mr Obeid said.

Data from the National Recreational Fishing Survey - which will be available shortly - will be used as the basis for a thorough statewide assessment of recreational fishing practices.

"We are also moving to protect 29 locations in our estuaries from commercial fishing," said Mr Obeid.

"ProFish is arguing that commercial fishing should continue in all areas until the environmental impact statement on recreational fishing has been completed."

"This is a red herring to delay necessary changes to commercial fishing."

"Our fish stocks and marine habitats are community owned. No group has an unconditional right to commercially harvest our fisheries resource without scrutiny by the community," he added.

Mr Obeid said there has been an extensive community consultation process about protecting some areas from commercial fishing - involving the distribution of 50,000 discussion papers and 62 community meetings.

"Local communities have identified 29 areas which should be protected from commercial fishing," he said.

"Commercial fishing in these areas will be bought out by the end of this year - with commercial fishers receiving fair compensation for their licences."

"Recreational fishing in any of these 29 locations can only take place in accordance with our State's strict recreational bag limits. There are stringent controls on the kind of recreational fishing equipment than can be used," said Mr Obeid.

Commercial fishing in the areas to be protected accounts for only 0.8% of the State's seafood supply.

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