Seafood Industry of Victoria


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PRECIOUS RESOURCE

Fish are a renewable resource. This means that fish stocks can be replenished. However, being a natural resource, the time taken to replenish such stocks is influenced by their capacity to reproduce and grow. Fish stocks are subject to various environmental influences such as water quality and food availability, which may affect size quite independently of fishing activity. However, there are limits and fish supplies must be managed correctly to avoid being overfished. Caring for our natural resources should be important to all of us. Tree planting to conserve soil and to maintain water quality is just one example of looking after the resources that look after us.

In October 1987, the term 'sustainable development' developed from a report titled "Our Common Future" released by the World Commission on Environment and Development. This report defines sustainable development as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Indeed, sustainable development has become official policy of world governments, Australia included, with the maintenance of ecological integrity a cornerstone to its success. Put simply, it is about looking after plant and animal habitats, maintaining biodiversity, improving degraded ecosystems and it is about sustaining human life.

One of the challenges of ensuring fisheries resources are used sustainably is that no-one can own fish.

While the farmer on the land has been granted the ability to manage the land however he or she wishes, the fisher does not have such a specific right. Fishers are granted access to use the resource but not exclusively. Fish, like other marine resources are common property and management of this resource needs to take this into account.

TEAM EFFORT

Governments have the responsibility for managing fisheries resources on behalf of the community. They do this by controlling the activities of people that impact on fish and fisheries habitats.

The Victorian government believes that stakeholders should also be involved in management. By government and stakeholders working together in a co-management arrangement, they can help deliver an economically and ecologically viable industry that provides fresh seafood and employment to the community.

MANAGEMENT TOOLS

To achieve sustainability, management tools are used that balance the harvesting levels with the regeneration capacity of the species and other effects of fishing activities on the environment.

Management tools are broadly classified as being input or output controls. Input controls include limiting the number of licenses issued, the size and types of gear that can be used, and temporal and spatial restrictions on fishing grounds. Output controls include management tools that restrict the size and quantity of fish that may be taken. This includes important measures such as quotas, daily bag limits and minimum legal sizes.

Commercial fishers are just one group who use fisheries resources. Other groups include recreational fishers, indigenous fishers, aquaculture enterprises and marine natural history enthusiasts. Everyone is responsible for sustainability.

RESPONSIBLE FISHING PRACTICES

The fishing industry is taking action to show that they have responsible fishing practices.

Shark fishers initiated the closure of inshore Victorian coastal waters to a distance of three nautical miles (5.4 kilometres ) to targeted shark fishing as a measure to protect young pups and breeding adults.

A group of Bay and Inlet fishers have formed an association ( Victorian Bays and Inlets Fishermen's Association) that is working to develop an Environmental Management System (EMS) for their fishery. This EMS will provide a systematic approach to recognizing, assessing and mitigating environmental risks facing the fishery. To progress this project, VBIFA sought and received funding to employ respected fisheries scientist, Dr Pascale Baelde , to develop and implement the EMS .

Fishers in Corner Inlet use four-stroke outboard motors instead of two-stroke motors as these engines are more fuel-efficient, produce less emissions and leave no oil residue on the water. This measure was implemented as part of an environmental management plan overseen by the Corner Inlet Fisheries Habitat Association.

Commercial fishers support fishery related research. An industry supported study by the Marine and Freshwater Resources Institute found that 90% of fish captured and released from haul seine nets survive. The study confirms that Victorian bay and inlet fishers are using correct handling techniques such as bunting up in waist deep water and using dip nets to release discards unharmed to the water immediately.

The Rock Lobster Fishery has implemented a code of practice for reducing whale entanglements. This code outlines the voluntary measures taken by Rock Lobster fishers to reduce the risk of migrating whales becoming entangled in their pot ropes. This is a proactive response to ensure the fishery can continue to share the environment with increasing numbers of whales migrating along the coast.

At the behest of abalone fishers a total allowable catch (TAC) divided into individual transferable quotas (ITQ) was introduced in 1988. A conservative 1440 tonne TAC was set for conservation of stocks. The single biggest threat now to the fishery is illegal harvesting. More recently the industry negotiated a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government to address the serial depletion of abalone stocks at easily accessible sites.

Fishers catching wrasse raised concerns about increasing harvest levels in 1996. As a result a workshop was initiated that introduced specific management measures such as access licences and size limits to protect wrasse stocks.

During 1993 an arrangement was set up to give each Victorian eel fisher specific access to a maximum of three specific waters (rivers, lakes etc) based on their fishing history. This access provides fishers with more control over re-stocking and harvesting of eels ensuring sustainability.

The Australian seafood industry has a code of conduct that sets out principles and standards of behaviour for responsible practices to ensure effective conservation, management and development of living aquatic resources, with due respect for the ecosystem and biodiversity. The code is part of a series of initiatives by industry to ensure it operates in an ecologically sustainable manner. Many Victorian fisheries sectors have adopted aspects of this code into their own codes of practice specific for their fishery or region. These codes promote an understanding within the community of commercial fishing activities and provide a means for industry to address issues that may not be easily or practically regulated.