Have your say about the ocean trawl fishery

[nsw_fisheries]

http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/gen/news/fb_04aug02_have.htm

"This document has been posted for information and to encourage discussion among yourselves. For more information from DPI on the issue, please visit our web site on www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au"

[Tuna_Pie]

te text

Have your say about the state's ocean trawl fishery
2 August, 2004
Ocean trawl fishers in NSW are today being urged to participate in public discussions on a draft plan for the future of their industry in NSW, which will be released this week.

The Draft Management Plan for the ocean trawl industry will help ensure the fishery is environmentally sustainable and can continue to support more than a thousand jobs along the coast.

The draft management strategy for the ocean trawl fishery is a major step forward for the industry, which operates from most major NSW ports.

The plan contains a range of proposals aimed at developing a more secure, profitable and sustainable industry which in turn will mean more job and export security.

Up to 1,300 people are directly employed within the ocean trawl fishery and it supports an additional 600 jobs in related business, including fuel, ice, fishing gear, vessel maintenance, fish handling and transport.

We need to ensure we continue to support this very important industry, but in a way that also protects our valuable marine environment.

Anyone with an interest in the industry is encouraged to read the draft plan, and the associated Environmental Impact Statement, and to lodge submissions.

The proposed initiatives for the ocean trawl fishery include:

Mapping the areas that are trawled and protecting of sensitive habitat areas such as reefs where small fish are abundant. This helps to ensure the sustainability of the industry and improve the quality of catches;
Improving the effectiveness of Bycatch Reduction Devices to reduce the capture of small or unwanted fish. This is a major issue with trawl fisheries worldwide and the NSW Department of Primary Industries is at the forefront of the development of effective solutions;
Working with industry to develop trawl gear to allow the sustainable harvesting of school whiting – one of the State’s most valuable trawl resources – while minimising the incidental catches of other small fish.

Department of Primary Industries Director of Fisheries Management, Dr Nick Rayns, said the ocean trawl fishery produces about 4,000 tonnes of catch each year and generates an estimated $100 million annually in through-chain value.

“Major species caught include fish such as school whiting, silver trevally, tiger flathead, fiddler shark, sand flathead, john dory and redfish, and eastern king prawns, school prawns, Balmain bugs, southern calamari, cuttlefish and octopus,” Dr Rayns said.

“NSW ocean trawling supplies a large quantity of fresh local seafood to the Sydney Fish Market, and also supplies regional fish processing and export facilities.

“This draft strategy has been carefully prepared following extensive consultation with trawl fishers, industry representatives and other stakeholder groups.

“It’s now up to the community to have its say about the proposed changes and the issues arising from the environmental impact statement (EIS).

“As part of the consultation process, a full copy of the EIS is being sent to ocean trawl fishers.”

The EIS will be on public display from 7 August to 10 September 2004 and is available for inspection at all previous coastal NSW Fisheries offices, now incorporated within the NSW Department of Primary Industries and on the Department’s website
:)