Concern over damage being caused by NZ trawler fleet in Tassie waters
A Tasmanian Liberal Senator has responded to concerns about Kiwi trawlers operating in Tassie waters were causing environmental damage deep below the surface. FULL STORY >>
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TASMANIAN Liberal Senator Jonathon Duniam says New Zealand trawlers approved to fish in Tasmanian waters will be strictly monitored for compliance with catch limits and other rules.
It comes after conservationists raised concerns the NZ vessels were plundering sea mounts in Tasmanian waters for vulnerable populations or orange roughy.
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority has approved the applications of two Australian companies to deem a total of four NZ-flagged freezer trawlers as Australian, to fish in Australian waters off Tasmania for limited periods between June and September this year.
All boats are said to be less than 79m in length.
Senator Duniam, the Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries, said the vessels would be monitored.
“AFMA has approved two Australian companies’ applications to deem the New Zealand-flagged vessels as Australian, which supports Tasmanian jobs as the boats access local ports and suppliers for boat provisioning, repairs, engineering and use port facilities and freight services,’’ he said.
“The vessels have been approved by AFMA to be used by Australian companies in previous years, where they abided by, and will continue to be controlled by, strictly enforced, sustainable catch limits, bycatch mitigation strategies, a pre-fishing inspection and an AFMA observer on-board.”
Australian Marine Conservation Society sustainable seafood manager Adrian Meder has argued said the federal government had effectively given the green light for the trawlers to cause disastrous damage to deep sea coral reefs.
Senator Duniam said Tasmania was the “engine-room” of Australia’s seafood industry.
EARLIER:
New Zealand trawlers are plundering the sea mounts in Tasmanian waters for vulnerable populations of orange roughy, conservationists say.
The Australian Marine Conservation Society sustainable seafood manager Adrian Meder
said the federal government has effectively given the green light for the trawlers to cause disastrous damage to deep sea coral reefs.
“It’s 2021, and our government thinks Australians want to allow a fishery that we know destroys coral reefs to operate in Australia,” he said.
“Not only that, we’re going to invite vessels from the scandal-plagued New Zealand deep sea trawler fleet to do it for us, allowing them to do all the damage and take away most of the profits.”
“In recent years the New Zealand deepwater trawl fleet has been caught dumping thousands of tons of unwanted catch, had multiple vessels seized for fishing illegally in protected areas, and have breached international regulations, destroying coral reefs on the high seas between New Zealand and Australia.”
Populations of the orange roughy crashed due to overfishing in the 1970s and 1980s but have slowly recovered. The deep sea fish, which can live for more than 200 years, aggregate around undersea canyons and mountains.
State waters extend to three nautical miles offshore. Australias exclusive economic zone extends to 200 nautical miles form the coast.
The type of fishing currently being conducted was likely the most destructive fishery still allowed to operate in Australia, Mr Meder said.
“Earlier this year, this fishery failed even the undemanding Marine Stewardship Council’s test of sustainability, failing to secure their eco-certification.
“That means they won’t even be able to sell any fish they catch for the premium that certification attracts.
“They’ll be hoovering up almost two thousand tons of our orange roughy and selling most of it offshore for bottom dollar.”
Tasmanian Liberal senator Jonathon Duniam is the Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries. His office was contacted for comment.
Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said the Greens had confirmed last year that big foreign-owned industrial trawlers were operating of the coast of Tasmania, catching quota in Commonwealth waters.
“The 66-million-dollar question is what returns are the Tasmanian and Australian people getting from foreign fishing fleets and corporate quota owners fishing off the coast of Tasmania?
“Are these operations impacting local state water fisheries?
“Are the fish on these industrial vessels being landed and processed in Tassie? Are there any flow-on benefits like direct employment to local communities?
“I question whether we have the answers, but I reckon it’s highly unlikely.
He said the Greens have initiated a Senate Inquiry into fishing quota management which would look into the matter.
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