PROFESSIONAL fishermen across the South East are ready to hit the water once again this weekend with the 2017/18 rock lobster fishing season commencing on Sunday.
For the eighth consecutive year, the total allowable catch for the Southern Zone Rock Lobster Fishery of South Australia has been set at 1245.7 tonnes.
The season will once again run from October 1 to May 31.
South Eastern Professional Fishermen’s Association executive officer Nathan Kimber said in the last seven seasons the quota had been taken in full.
“SEPFA expects demand for the product will remain relatively high in the 2017/18 season,” Mr Kimber said.
Port MacDonnell fisherman Gordon Lewis no longer works on his boats, however he is still excited about the start of the fishing season.
“I got off the boat two years ago only because my three boys have taken over now,” Mr Lewis said.
“They are their own bosses, I’m just the banker I think, but I’m certainly still in the background helping out where I can.”
Around 165 vessels are expected to take to the ocean to set pots for the first time on Sunday, however weather could delay the start of the season for some fishermen.
“We have looked at the weather for Sunday and unfortunately it looks like there will be a five or six metre swell already,” Mr Lewis said.
While fishermen like to get out on the water as soon as they can, Mr Lewis said one of the benefits of the quota is that they no longer have to take risks when the weather presents challenges.
“Before the quota came in, we used to fish a lot of rough weather, but since the quota came in, it has taken a lot of the stress out of it,” he said.
“You don’t have to fish those rough days because once you’ve caught your quota, it’s over.”
Advances in technology have also helped protect fishermen from wild seas.
“Willyweather and Buoyweather apps have changed the fishing landscape as back in the day we never had any of that and we used to lose a lot of gear because we didn’t know to shift off the beach or other things like that,” Mr Lewis said.
“These days you can look up the weather a week out and get a good idea about the size of the swell and whether the wind is going to kick.”
While Mr Lewis has had success in the industry for 40 years, he said even off the boat he was still learning new things about the game.
“I don’t know if there is any such thing as a good fisherman, but there’s probably lucky fishermen,” he said.
“A good fisherman catches their quota if they can and there are some years we haven’t caught it, but fortunately for us the last few years have been good.”
With excitement building prior to the start of the season, Mr Kimber said the industry will once again provide an economic boost for the region and provide jobs to many people across the state.
“The rock lobster industry in SA generates around $300m in economic activity for the state each year, much of which directly supports the regional and coastal communities in the South East and Limestone Coast,” Mr Kimber said.
“Further, the fishery in the Southern Zone generates around 1300 full-time equivalent jobs for South Australia.”
Whether they first hit the seas Sunday or early next week, Mr Lewis is anticipating another successful rock lobster season for his three sons.
“We only had to fish five to six months of the season last year and there were a number of undersize lobster around, so we are hopeful it will be another great season,” he said.
