PROFESSIONAL fishers along the South East are watching with interest as the Western Australian government introduces major changes to the state’s lobster fishery.
The WA government is not only proposing to increase the quota by almost a third, but also wants to retain the majority of proceeds from the increased catch for its own coffers.
The local Southern Zone lobster fishery is regarded as having a world-class quota management system with professionals receiving a wholesale price of $102 per kilogram at Beachport on Saturday.
One Southend fisherman told The South Eastern Times the bold interstate move would not be tolerated in South Australia.
A Port MacDonnell licence holder said a different type of lobster was caught in Western Australian waters, adding the move for greater government returns was being opposed by the state’s fishers.
He said the presence of more lobsters in the export market could have an impact on the returns for South Australian businesses.
The bold moves were announced last month by Western Australian fisheries minister Dave Kelly.
“This innovative plan will reap huge rewards for the industry and the broader Western Australian community,” Mr Kelly said.
“It has the potential to create up to 500 WA jobs, double the value of the industry and significantly increase the supply of lobsters into the local market.
“It aligns with the Western Rock Lobster Council’s vision to grow the industry’s gross value of production to more than $1b by 2028 and to help build a professional and resilient industry.”
Mr Kelly said existing operators in the industry fish about 80pc of the sustainable catch, leaving 20pc of the resource currently unfished.
“I appreciate the existing fishers would prefer to be granted free ownership of the additional 1700 tonnes of commercial lobster catch.
“However, this is a community-owned resource.
“Sharing the new tonnage – 315 to existing fishers and 1385 to the State Government on behalf of the Western Australian people – is a fair result.
“With this unfished potential and strong export demand for WA’s iconic lobsters, the time is right to ensure that present and future generations of Western Australians enjoy a share in the benefits from this iconic community-owned resource.”
“We are very pleased to be working alongside this dynamic industry to manage our world class lobster fishery and ensure future economic contribution of this community resource flows back to Western Australians.”
