Minister standing firm as protests over WA’s demersal fish ban reach Roger Cook

WA’s fish fight is getting bitter and it now has the ear of the Premier, it can be revealed. Roger Cook has agreed to meet with the WA Fishing Industry Council next week, as critics of the demersal fishing ban in the west coast bioregion – from Augusta to Kalbarri – step up protest action. “It’s more communication than we’ve had to date,” WAFIC chief executive Melissa Haslam said. “We’re hoping that we can work constructively with Government, see if we can strike the right balance for the future.” She’s called the current $20 million compulsory buy-out of commercial licences neither fair or adequate. The West Australian can reveal only two fishers have accepted the interim payment on offer so far, ahead of a 9 March deadline. WAFIC met with Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis on Thursday and is pushing for the commercial ban on all species of demersal fishing to be reconsidered and for shark fishing to be exempt. “There’s a real public benefit to shark fishing,” Ms Haslam said. “They were sort of dragged into it, but there’s many reasons why they shouldn’t be. “Within a few short years, the shark numbers will increase and they will prey on demersals, and realistically, they will take more demersal than the fishermen were. So it’s really a backward step.” WAFIC described a meeting with Ms Jarvis on Thursday as “constructive”. “She gave us a good hearing,” Ms Haslam said Though the Minister didn’t appear to be considering any concessions and only promised to “provide regular updates” to the fishing industry. “There was no new data or information presented today to refute the science,” Ms Jarvis said. “I stand by my tough decision to take urgent action to protect these species for all Western Australians.” Meanwhile, a separate row has erupted between some commercial and recreational fishers. On Friday, SME Australia and Marine Futures Alliance founder Dean Logan called the 20-month pause on recreational fishing in the West Coast bioregion a “scientific and political nonsense” and the result of fierce lobbying. “This is a really mischievous strategy by the recreational fishing lobby to eradicate cottage-based fishermen,” Mr Logan said. “They’re like cheshire cats sitting in the background . . . and then we’ll just have it selfishly to ourselves, because it’ll be a recreational fishing haven. “It’s scientifically flawed when we don’t even know how many fish the recreational fishing industry catch.” He’s vowed to snub any Government meetings and warned that large marine park closures on the East Coast significantly impacted boating and tackle shops too. “Until Roger accepts that WA cottage based commercial fishers are the solution, we’ll not attend a single meeting,” Mr Logan said. “Our solution: triple the buy-out package, keep fishers fishing and work with small cottage based fishermen on developing a robust scientifically proven management regime.” Recfishwest has maintained the sweeping changes are “bloody tough”, but called it short-term pain for long-term gain. “The science isn’t perfect, but anyone who’s been fishing for 10 or 20 years knows dhufish stocks aren’t what they once were,” Recfishwest boss Andrew Rowland said. “Around 80 per cent of WA’s overall demersal catch is still taken by the commercial fishing sector for WA consumers. “Not everyone agrees with these decisions, and some fishers are understandably angry, but this reset is about protecting the fish and making sure recreational fishing has a future in WA.” A petition calling for an inquiry into WA fisheries now has more than 25,000 signatures ahead of a “reel rights” boat convoy in Fremantle on Sunday. The weekend ocean protest has been organised by the Coastal Collective that claims to be a “grassroots alliance” aiming to protect public access to the ocean.