rajawolf
24-11-2005, 12:51 AM
Source: ABC
The seafood industry has welcomed the Federal Government's offer to buy out commercial licences to try and reduce overfishing.
The funding package includes $150 million to buy back licences and $70 million in grants for businesses and communities to cope with job losses.
The Federal Government says stocks in 17 Australian fisheries have declined.
Fisheries Minister Ian Macdonald expects about half of the 1,200 commercial fishers to retire.
"Many of them will grab at this lifeline being offered to them and get out with some dignity," he said.
The chairman of the Australian Seafood Industry Council, Bob Pennington, says it is a good offer but it is up to individual operators to decide.
"If the package is or at least the finance on offer is correct and adequate, then I'm quite sure that there will be a number who are quite prepared to accept the offer and sell out their licence," Mr Pennington said.
He says it is a good outcome for businesses that are not sustainable, but younger operators will have a different view.
"There will be a reduction in the total allowable catch in the fisheries," he said.
No pressure
The package is being extended to a number of fisheries, most of them in the east coast, but also within the northern prawn fishery.
South-east Trawl Fishing Industry Association spokesman Fritz Drenkhahn says operators are under no pressure to retire.
"The option is theirs - we're not forcing anyone to do anything," he said.
Scientist Dr Ian Knuckey says it is a sign of positive change.
"People are committing to the future sustainability of fishing and they're the people we want in there in the long-term," he said.
Peter Frankin from the Commonwealth Fisheries Association says sections of the seafood industry have been lobbying for the package.
"The pressures within industry have been building for a couple of years," he said.
The seafood industry has welcomed the Federal Government's offer to buy out commercial licences to try and reduce overfishing.
The funding package includes $150 million to buy back licences and $70 million in grants for businesses and communities to cope with job losses.
The Federal Government says stocks in 17 Australian fisheries have declined.
Fisheries Minister Ian Macdonald expects about half of the 1,200 commercial fishers to retire.
"Many of them will grab at this lifeline being offered to them and get out with some dignity," he said.
The chairman of the Australian Seafood Industry Council, Bob Pennington, says it is a good offer but it is up to individual operators to decide.
"If the package is or at least the finance on offer is correct and adequate, then I'm quite sure that there will be a number who are quite prepared to accept the offer and sell out their licence," Mr Pennington said.
He says it is a good outcome for businesses that are not sustainable, but younger operators will have a different view.
"There will be a reduction in the total allowable catch in the fisheries," he said.
No pressure
The package is being extended to a number of fisheries, most of them in the east coast, but also within the northern prawn fishery.
South-east Trawl Fishing Industry Association spokesman Fritz Drenkhahn says operators are under no pressure to retire.
"The option is theirs - we're not forcing anyone to do anything," he said.
Scientist Dr Ian Knuckey says it is a sign of positive change.
"People are committing to the future sustainability of fishing and they're the people we want in there in the long-term," he said.
Peter Frankin from the Commonwealth Fisheries Association says sections of the seafood industry have been lobbying for the package.
"The pressures within industry have been building for a couple of years," he said.