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Surf Casting and Angling Club of W.A. (Inc.)
Reply From the Minister for Fisheries to the Club's Letter on the West Coast Review. |
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Mr T Fuller
Secretary
The Surf Casting and Angling Club of WA
P0 Box 2032
MARMION WA 6020
Dear Mr Fuller
Thank you for your letter of 12 June concerning the review of recreational fishing management arrangements for the west coast.
I understand that many of the speculative media reports did not accurately reflect the contents of the Working Group report which will be published shortly. You may be assured however that when considering the final recommendations of the Working Group, I will also be noting the views raised in the various public submissions, along with views such as yours, which I have received independently of the Working Group process.
With the increasing pressures being placed upon our fish stocks, I believe future fisheries management must be based on an assessment of the level of risk of overexploitation of species. This risk assessment should incorporate a range of factors such as abundance, distribution, biology and the level of targeting by fishers. Clearly fish in high risk categories will require a higher level of management (in terms of research and controls required to contain the catch to sustainable levels) than those categorised as low risk.
A major benefit in shifting to a regionally based approach is being able to tailor management arrangements to suit the particular circumstances in each region. While I am keen to ensure consistency where possible between the regions in terms of management frameworks, at the same time I believe that differences in the abundance of fish stocks and the level of fishing pressure may require differences in bag limits. Pink snapper stocks in Shark Bay provide an obvious example.
It is important however that the purpose of these regional reviews of recreational fishing is clearly understood.
Specifically, the major aims of each regional review process are to: review the appropriateness of current controls given the significant growth in recreational fishing; ensure that effective controls are in place on the recreational fishery which contribute to sustainable management; and position recreational fishing so it can be incorporated into an integrated management framework in which resource sharing issues can be addressed.
Clearly, the impacts of other user groups on the fish stock, including the commercial industry, must be taken into account. In this regard you may be assured that the Government is committed to developing an integrated management framework for fisheries. An independent review committee, chaired by Justice Toohey, is currently preparing a report for Government on how these complex resource sharing issues can best be addressed.
Thank you for enclosing a copy of your submission to the Working Group and I will consider your club's views when examining future management arrangements for recreational fishing.
Yours sincerely
Kim Chance MLC
MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY AND FISHERIES
3 July 2001
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This page last updated 4 October 2001.
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