COALITION’S PLAN FOR REAL ACTION TO SUPPORT FISHERIES
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Coalition recognises the important role fishing plays to hundreds of coastal and river communities
in bringing enjoyment to millions of Australians and to the national economy.
The commercial fishing sector has a value of more than $2.1 billion, making it the sixth largest primary
producing sector. In addition, it is estimated that 3.5 million Australians participate in recreational
fishing, spending over $3 billion each year in charter hire, fishing and boating equipment, travel,
accommodation and bait.
The Coalition has a real action plan to combat illegal fishing, provide certainty for commercial and
recreational fishers, support important research in aquaculture and promote recreational fishing.
The Coalition will:
1. Appoint a Minister with direct responsibility for Fisheries
The Coalition will re-establish separate ministerial responsibilities for fisheries, giving greater
focus and representation for Australia’s commercial and recreational fishing sectors.
2. Assist the fisheries industry to adapt to climate change
The Coalition will provide $5 million to assess the potential impact of changing ocean
environments on the sustainability of fisheries and help individual businesses respond to this
challenge.
3. Increase research and development for the fishing sector
The Coalition will increase matching contribution of $1 for every $1 raised by industry to $1.25.
It will also fund grants of up to $50,000 for specialised research, mentoring or further study for
scientists concerned with the fisheries sector.
4. Establish an Aquaculture Industry Development Fund
This $10 million fund will invest in industry or sector-wide projects that support the sustainable
growth of aquaculture in Australia.
5. Promote a sustainable Australian seafood industry
The Coalition will provide $3 million to industry bodies to promote a sustainable Australian
seafood.
6. Consider the Hawke Review of the EPBC Act with specific focus on fisheries and sea issues
The Coalition will review the EPBC Act ensuring its suitability for marine issues.
7. Assist commercial and recreational organisations play a role in developing national
maritime safety standards
The Coalition will provide up to $100,000 to assist relevant commercial and recreational
organisations meet the costs of active participation in these deliberations.
8. Promote the environmental, health and social benefits of recreational fishing
The Coalition will provide $1.2 million for grants of up to $20,000 to recreational fishing clubs
and organisations to promote the benefits of recreational fishing.
9. Conduct recreational fishing surveys every five years
The Coalition will collect data on the social and economic impact of recreational fishing as well
as obtain catch data to help assess stock levels.
10. Form a Recreational Fishing Ministerial Advisory Council
The Coalition will form an Advisory Council comprising the Minister for Fisheries and the
Minister for the Environment along with representatives of the recreational fishing sector.
11. Support a national peak body for recreational fishing and its participation in national
consultations on the establishment of marine parks
The Coalition will provide $500,000 to a national peak body for recreational fishing and
investigate longer term funding options.
12. Immediately put on hold the Marine Bioregional Planning process to allow for its
restructure
The Coalition will immediately restructure the process to address concerns over Labor’s
mismanagement of declaring Marine Protected Areas.
13. Provide a fair and balanced Displaced Effort Policy
The Coalition will place responsibility for the displacement policy with a Ministerial panel
jointly chaired by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Minister for
Environment Protection, Heritage and Arts.
14. Base Marine Protected Areas on science
The Coalition will require peer reviewed scientific evidence of threats to marine biodiversity be
made available to all stakeholders, including affected communities and industries, before any
decision is made on future Marine Protected Areas (particularly any no-take zone).
15. Establish sensible and balanced Marine Park boundaries and develop management plans
in consultation with industry
The Coalition will consult closely with those people and industries that use the marine
environment, including the recreational and commercial fishing sectors, to determine Marine
Protected Area management plans in accordance with relevant legislation and other regulatory
frameworks.
16. Commit to fighting illegal foreign fishing
The Coalition is committed to maintaining all resources currently devoted to patrolling
Australia’s fishing zones.
HOW LABOR HAS FAILED
Labor has failed to consult with both the commercial fishing industry and recreational fishers on major
changes affecting them.
Labor has stripped the national peak body, Recfish of its funding.
Labor banned the fishing of mako and porbeagle sharks and then back-flipped following a national
grassroots political campaign by recreational fishers. It banned the fishing of thresher sharks.
Labor failed to tackle illegal foreign fishing in Australia’s fishing zones, slashing funding for Southern
Ocean patrols.
Labor threatened massive new no-take marine parks around Australia and it has allowed fringe
environmental groups to unilaterally influence policy.
Labor has used the process for declaring Marine Protected Areas to tell stakeholders what will happen.
It is a process that has been borrowed from the disastrous implementation of state marine parks in
New South Wales.
Labor’s failure to properly consult threatens jobs and the livelihood of many small businesses in
coastal communities.
Labor’s Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has taken a hands-off approach to the Marine
Protected Areas process and failed to represent the interests of the commercial and recreational
fishing sectors.
Labor has failed to meet its own timeframes for declaring Marine Protected Areas. Timeframes have
been altered due to Labor’s failure to adequately consult within unrealistic schedules that were
politically, rather than practically, motivated.
Labor has also failed to rule out large no-take zones within Marine Protected Areas currently being
established across Australia. The fear of no-take zones has caused great uncertainty for businesses
directly and indirectly reliant on access to fishing resources.
Labor has also caused great uncertainty amongst stakeholders who will be adversely impacted by
potential loss of access to resources within declared marine parks.
THE COALITION’S REAL ACTION PLAN FOR COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FISHING
The Coalition understands the importance of the fisheries industry plays in securing Australia’s food
base, in generating valuable export income and in creating regional jobs and economic activity.
Recreational fishing provides millions of Australians with a healthy and satisfying weekend and
holiday activity.
The Coalition will:
1. Appoint a Minister for Fisheries
Upon coming to Government, Labor immediately scrapped the position of a separate Fisheries
Minister which existed under the former Coalition Government. Responsibility is now held by
the Minister for Agriculture.
The Coalition will re-establish separate ministerial responsibilities for fisheries, giving greater
focus and representation for Australia’s commercial and recreational fishing sectors.
2. Provide $5 million to assist the fisheries industry adapt to climate change
The Coalition will provide $2 million to assess the potential impact of changing ocean
environments on the sustainability of fisheries, for targeted training activities and individually
tailored adjustment advice. It will be similar to assistance similar to that provided to farmers
under the Australia’s Farming Future programme.
Training grants of up to $5500 will be available to eligible fishing business operators for advice
and training from recognised professional advisers and registered training organisations. The
grant may be used to pay for activities such as financial assessment, planning and legal advice
related to adapting to changes in climate.
A total of $3 million will be made available to fishing research bodies to undertake
assessments of fisheries and to develop strategies for business adaption to climate change.
3. Increase research and development for the fishing sector
Commencing from 1 July 2011, the Coalition will increase the Commonwealth’s contribution to
research and development through the Fishing Research & Development Corporation (FR DC)
from a matching contribution of $1 for each $1 raised by industry to $1.25. This will result in an
additional 25% R&D funding from a Coalition Government for the fishing sector over the next
three years.
A Coalition Government will also encourage our scientists and researchers to remain in
Australia. Grants of up to $50,000 for specialised research, mentoring or further study for
scientists concerned with the fisheries sector will be available through a $5 million four year
pilot programme for primary industry researchers.
4. Establish a Aquaculture Industry Development Fund
This $10 million fund will invest (over five years) in industry or sector-wide projects that support
the sustainable growth of aquaculture in Australia. Investment from the Fund will be overseen by
an Advisory Board including representatives from the National Aquaculture Council.
The Fund will also include support for the development of a framework for standardisation of
environmental assessments across local, State and Federal jurisdictions.
The Fund will include ongoing support for the National Aquaculture Council of $100,000
annually for three years. In addition, a Coalition Government will ensure an officer within
the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is specifically dedicated as secretariat
support for the development of the Strategy as well as providing enhanced support on
aquaculture policy.
5. Promote a Sustainable Seafood Industry
The Coalition will provide $3 million over four years to industry bodies to promote a
sustainable Australian seafood industry.
A portion of this funding will be targeted at obtaining third party certification for sustainable
seafood including Ecolabelling certification.
6. Consider the Hawke Review of the EPBC Act to give specific focus on fisheries and sea
issues
The Hawke Review of the EPBC Act was completed and handed to the Federal Labor
Government in October 2009 with the final report being released in December by the Federal
Minister for the Environment. The Government has yet to release its response to the Hawke
Review.
The Coalition is aware that in its current form the EPBC Act was designed and modelled on
terrestrial assessments and the Act is therefore unsuitable and inadequate for marine issues.
There is also a need to provide greater recognition of Australia’s world-leading fisheries
management regimes.
7. Assist commercial and recreational organisations play a role in developing national
maritime safety standards
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is currently working with Federal and State
jurisdictions, through COA G, to develop national maritime safety standards.
Both the recreational and commercial fishing sectors are responsibly committed to the
development and implementation of such standards. A Coalition Government will provide up to
$100,000 to relevant to meet the costs of their active participation in these deliberations.
8. Promote the environmental, health and social benefits of recreational fishing
The Coalition will provide $1.2 million over four years for a Promotion of Recreational Fishing
Grants programme.
Grants of up to $20,000 will be provided to recreational fishing clubs and organisations to help
promote the environmental, health and social benefits of recreational fishing. Examples of
promotional activities might include family fishing days or clean-up of local fishing spots.
This funding will be provided from within existing departmental allocations.
9. Conduct recreational fishing surveys every five years
In conjunction with the Fishing Research & Development Corporation (FR DC) and Recfish, the
Coalition will collect data on the social and economic impact of recreational fishing as well as
obtain catch data to help assess stock levels.
The information will be made available to both policy makers and recreational fishing clubs
and representative organisations.
10. Form a Recreational Fishing Ministerial Advisory Council
A Coalition Government will form a Recreational Fishing Ministerial Advisory Council including
the Minister for Fisheries and the Minister for the Environment along with representatives of
the recreational fishing sector.
11. Support a national peak body for recreational fishing and its participation in national
consultations on the establishment of marine parks
The Coalition will provide $500,000 to a national peak body for recreational fishing over three
years.
The Coalition will also work with recreational fishing stakeholders to investigate long term
funding options for the national peak body which should play a role as a key adviser to
government departments and agencies on the needs of the recreational fishing sector.
12. Immediately put on hold the marine bioregional planning process to allow for its
restructure
The Coalition will take immediate action to restructure the Marine Bioregional Planning
Process to address major community and industry concerns with Labor’s mismanagement of
the process.
During this restructure, a Bioregional Advisory Panel will be appointed for each of the four
marine bioregions. These Advisory Panels will provide advice on potential Marine Protected
Areas and the design of management plans (including consideration of no-take zones). The
Bioregional Advisory Panels will also consult with the community and fishing industry on the
restructure of the Marine Bioregional Planning Process.
While continuing a rigorous scientific assessment process, a Coalition Government will
suspend consideration of currently published ‘Areas for Further Assessment’ and will refer the
design and locations of proposed boundaries for proposed Marine Protected Areas and no-take
zones to the Bioregional Advisory Panels.
Consideration will be given to staging the assessment and consultation process across the
four marine bioregions currently under assessment. This will ensure that stakeholders with
an interest in multiple marine bioregions are given reasonable opportunity to contribute to
consultative processes.
13. Provide a fair and balanced displaced effort policy
The Coalition will establish a Ministerial Panel tasked with oversight of the design,
development and consultation of the displacement policy. The Panel will be jointly chaired
by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Minister for Environment
Protection, Heritage and Arts.
The Coalition’s displacement policy will be developed through the four Bioregional Advisory
Panels, in consultation and negotiation with affected commercial and recreational industry
representatives (including charter operators and onshore related businesses). The displaced
effort policy will be informed by socio-economic modelling of the reach of the fishing sector
into the community.
The consultation will examine options to reduce the negative economic impacts that would
flow from implementation of the draft plan.
As a last resort, if such consultation and negotiation does not reduce impacts below levels that
are reasonably compensable, then compensation, structural adjustment or other appropriate
measures will be delivered before any constraints on fishing are implemented.
14. Base marine protected areas on science
The Coalition will require peer-reviewed scientific evidence of threats to marine biodiversity to
be made available to all stakeholders, including affected communities and industries, before
any decision is made on future Marine Protected Areas.
The Coalition will work cooperatively with all impacted communities and industries through
the Bioregional Advisory Panels to develop socio-economic impact statements for each
proposed Marine Protected Area.
15. Establish sensible and balanced marine park boundaries and develop management plans
in consultation with industry
In establishing Marine Protected Areas, the Coalition will consult closely with those people and
industries that use the marine environment, including the recreational and commercial fishing
sectors, to determine Marine Protected Area management plans in accordance with relevant
legislation and other regulatory frameworks.
World-leading and highly rigorous fisheries management regimes are already in place in
Australian waters. Significant weight will be given to these existing and effective fisheries
management plans when considering assessed areas.
16. Commit to fighting illegal foreign fishing
The Coalition is committed to maintaining all resources currently devoted to patrolling
Australia’s fishing zones.
It will ensure that resources devoted to patrolling illegal foreign fishing are not diverted to
other activities including acting as a floating hotel for asylum seekers. This includes ensuring
the Oceanic Viking and/or its replacement is provided with sufficient funding to devote an
adequate level of patrol days in Southern waters every financial year.
The Coalition will work closely and cooperatively with industry to ensure our patrol resources
are located in the right zones at the right times.
posted 18 August 2010