Mark Furner promises ‘fair balance’ in heated Spanish mackerel debate

As fishers and fish-and-chip shop retailers baulk at the prospect of new Spanish mackerel restrictions, there are hopes concentrated industry feedback could chart a new path forward.

Amid fears declining Spanish mackerel stocks could hit fishers and retailers in the hip pocket, the government hopes a renewed push for industry feedback could chart a new path forward.

Fisheries Minister Mark Furner, speaking in Mackay, said science and community engagement would guide his department on how to deal with low stock numbers but has stopped short of outlining a clear plan of attack.

“Let’s be clear here, there’s no decision being made in terms of what we’re going to do after the stock assessment was made,” he said.

“What we will do is once the survey process is complete – we’ll go out face-to-face and have engagements with fishers in relevant sectors of the state.”

Mr Furner said if action was not taken, it was possible the species would be “obliviated”.

“No doubt you can’t satisfy everyone but we’ll go as far as practical in terms of getting a fair balance of where we are now and progressing into the future.”

Fisheries Minister Mark Furner spoke by the Pioneer River in Mackay about Spanish mackerel stock. Picture: Duncan Evans

The stock assessment, conducted in 2021 on behalf of the government by a range of data specialists and scientists, pegs Spanish mackerel numbers at 17 per cent of the original ‘unfished’ level.

Some recreational and commercial fishers and fish-and-chip shop retailers have raised concerns that the need to replenish stock numbers could hit their businesses.

Whitsunday MP Amanda Camm has also cast doubt on the validity of the 17 per cent figure and said she believed the government’s assessment process was flawed and lacked transparency.

“There are holes in the entire process,” she said, arguing the science underpinning the figure was not sufficiently independent.

She also criticised the government’s internal Spanish mackerel working group for alleged ‘closed-door’ practices, which in her view suppressed open analysis and debate on the data.

She said the participants of the working group were asked to sign non-disclosure agreements which had chilled public criticism of the working group’s methods and analysis.

But a spokesman for Mr Furner said non-disclosure agreements were not a part of the working group.

Mr Furner said a wide range of views from working group members were reflected in the published communiques of the working group.

“Some confidentiality is necessary to protect commercial-in-confidence data of commercial fishers,” he said.

Mr Furner has also rejected Opposition arguments the science underpinning the stock assessment is flawed.

Speaking in parliament, Mr Furner said the assessment had been subject to an external peer review.

“I know some people are trying to argue the science of the stock assessment and peer review is flawed,” he said.

“Just to be clear, these reservations related to how resilient Spanish mackerel are.

“They did not relate to the validity of the input data of the stock assessment.

“The stock assessment and peer review were presented to the independent Sustainable Fisheries Expert Panel.

“The expert panel considered that the most responsible way forward is to accept the stock assessment base case as the most credible scenario.”

Speaking in Mackay, Mr Furner said science and community opinion would guide the government’s actions.

But when pushed on whether scientific opinion would outweigh community sentiment in guiding the government’s decisions, Mr Furner’s response suggested public education might be necessary.

“I think it’s a point where we need to make sure people understand the science behind this,” he said.

“It can be a complex matter, but once people have an understanding of what the science is in terms of stock assessments and making sure these species are prevailed, there will be a better understanding in terms of maintaining sustainability for the future.

“What I’ve heard on the ground at this stage is people understand there is a need for some change.

“What that change will be will be governed by the science, will be governed by the feedback we get from the community.

“Once we get that, we’ll be in a better position to make sure they understand where we are heading with the Spanish mackerel.”