Darren Cheeseman (Corangamite, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak in favour of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Declared Fishing Activities) Bill 2012. This is in response to the super- trawler, the vessel that was once known as the Magiris and now referred to as the Abel Tasman, seeking to fish in Australian waters.

To put some facts on the table with respect to this particular vessel, it is 120 metres long, and it weighs close to some 10,000 tonnes. At 600 metres the super-trawler's fishing net is 97 metres longer than the arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It has the capacity to store 6,000 tonnes of fish and can process 250 tonnes of fish a day. The company, Seafish Tasmania, has sought to fish 18,500 tonnes of blue mackerel, jack mackerel and redbait in the Commonwealth small pelagic fishery. This is, as I understand, about the half the quota allowed for these fisheries.

Once news broke that this particular vessel was seeking to come to Australian waters to fish in the small pelagic fishery Australians, quite rightly, became deeply concerned with the prospect of this particular vessel.

It became clear that the Margiris had, rightly or wrongly, developed a reputation elsewhere that had led to damage being done to fisheries in Europe and in Africa, and Australians became concerned. They became concerned from two perspectives. Recreational fishers were concerned that this vessel, with its capacity, would take substantial volumes of these species in areas where larger fish would pursue these smaller species as food. I became aware that tuna fishermen in Victoria were concerned that the Margiris had the potential to take a huge volume of these small species, which of course tuna target. Also, many Australians interested in marine conservation were concerned about the potential for bycatch—turtles, seals, dolphins and the like—being caught up and drowned in large numbers. This issue was raised with me.

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, the responsible piece of legislation that sets out governance around these matters, is some 20 years old, and it was written at a time when it was not envisaged that these super-trawlers would come to Australia. It is quite appropriate for us to take the opportunity to look at the laws and ensure that they do reflect the views of modern Australia. As a consequence, the government has taken the necessary steps.

It became quite clear through the course of the public discourse on this matter that we were not clear on the science, we were not clear on the possible impact that a super-trawler—the second-largest fishing vessel on this planet—would have on Australia's fishery. We were clear, the science had been done, with respect to smaller vessels—the more traditional fishing vessels that are based in Australia.—but we have not seen a super-trawler in Australian waters, and we are unsure of the consequences. Quite rightly, we need to go away and review the science to try to determine what the impact of super-trawling in Australia might be. It is very important that we undertake that research.

My electorate of Corangamite is nestled between Geelong and south-west Victoria. We have many communities that enjoy recreational fishing. There is the port of Queenscliff, of course, which is a historic fishing port. The Department of Primary Industries in Victoria has a marine management centre there, a research institute, with a lot of marine scientists providing advice to the Victorian government about the Victorian fishery. With the state government cuts I understand some 15 scientists from there will unfortunately be losing their jobs.

But we have other fishing communities and ports. We have Apollo Bay, home to crayfisherman and recreational fishers, and many other communities that enjoy recreational fishing.

I would particularly like to take the opportunity to acknowledge Garry Kerr, who is a rec fisherman and owns a fishing tackle shop in Anglesea, for his representations to me on this issue. He was particularly concerned about the consequences of a supertrawler and what it might mean for the tuna that he likes to target himself and that many of the clients of his fishing tackle shop like to tackle.

So I think the approach adopted by the government is the right one. I think the concern raised by the community from a broad and diverse perspective, from recreational fisherman on one hand through to environmentalists and conservationists on the other, very much demonstrates that the legislative arrangements and the science that is in place at this stage are not adequate to give confidence and comfort to the environment minister, to the fisheries minister and indeed to the Australian community as to the consequence of supertrawlers and—what they might mean for our fishery and what they might mean in terms of bycatch—seals, dolphins, penguins or the like.

It is true that Australia has a world-class reputation for fisheries management. I think it is true to say that we have some of the best-managed fisheries on this planet. If we look at examples overseas, whether in Europe, North America, South America or Africa, we can find many examples where fisheries have not been appropriately managed, which has led to very substantial localised depletion. Because we wish to exploit our fisheries in Australia—as we should—but also have proper oversight and proper management plans, based on science, we will be able to continue to manage our fisheries in a way that can provide a commercial return, that can feed our society and that can provide an export market for us in a way that is sustainable. The Margirisor the Abel Tasman, or any other name the vessel may go by—very much calls into question the potential viability of this fishery. We do not know the consequences. Until the science is undertaken, as a precautionary measure we should not allow this particular vessel, or vessels of this size and scope, to continue to fish.

It is quite extraordinary that the recreational fishermen and the environment groups are at one on this. They have not historically been close. Often, in fact, they have been at loggerheads. I think when you have such diverse groups with diverse views coming together and lobbying members of parliament across the parliamentary spectrum, it is clear that the government needs to act—and indeed we did act.

But it is also very disappointing that politics are being played by the Liberal Party on this, and by the National party.

It is very clear that they do support super-trawler fishing in Australian waters, without the science being undertaken. Indeed, if they were in government, it is true and fair to say that this particular vessel—and other vessels of this nature—would be able to fish in Australian waters without the science being undertaken. Not only would this do great harm and damage to the fishery and create concern amongst environmentalists and conservationists but also, importantly, it would harm recreational fishermen who enjoy getting out on the water and targeting species such as tuna and the like. We will deal with those in due course.

The steps undertaken by both the ministers with respect to vessels of this nature are the right approach. It is the approach that I support and that Labor backbenchers have been lobbying for. I look forward to seeing this legislation pass. I am sure the Liberal Party and the Nationals will vote this down. I am confident that will happen. We will get to see their true colours on this matter. I am sure—

Mr Ewen Jones interjecting—

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