Community input to fisheries management

[Member]

Community input to fisheries management


Media Release - PIRSA

Friday 18 October 2013

Improving community involvement in recreational fisheries management and decision-making is the main aim of a new fisheries management project underway.

The project will build on South Australia’s co-management approach to recreational fisheries management by improving the process for community views and knowledge to be incorporated into fisheries management.

Fisheries Minister Gail Gago said enhancing the State’s co-management approach would support ongoing, meaningful engagement with the recreational fishing sector.

“Each year, an estimated 236,000 men, women and children participate in recreational fishing activities in South Australia,” Minister Gago said.

“This project will investigate the best model for involving them in fisheries management processes to promote a shared responsibility in caring for our aquatic resources.

“The results are expected to strongly influence recreational fishery management arrangements, including the development of partnerships to assist in collecting critical information to aid future management of key species.”

The project will be split into three stages, with stage one involving a review of existing co-management models for recreational fishing across Australia. In stage two, working groups comprising government and recreational fishing representatives will identify the best co-management model for South Australia.

The third stage of the project will include a case study that involves recreational fishers in collecting recreational data on Freshwater Catfish and other native fish species.

Keith Rowling, Program Leader Community Based Fisheries, with PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture, said the Freshwater Catfish case study is aimed at improving the current understanding of the stock status of River Murray Freshwater Catfish and may lead to a review of its protected status.

"River Murray Freshwater Catfish have been protected in South Australian waters since 1997, however in recent years fishers have called for the ban to be lifted suggesting an increase in incidental catches of Catfish," Mr Rowling said.

"The study will now involve fishers in collecting scientific data to better determine the stock status of Freshwater Catfish and include them in making recommendations about its protected status."

A number of recreational scientific fishing events are being held in coming months, for recreational fishers to participate in collecting recreational fishing data on Freshwater Catfish.

The events will be held in the following locations:
• Renmark – Saturday 30 November and Sunday 1 December 2013
• Blanchetown – Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December 2013
• Berri – Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 January 2014
• Murray Bridge – Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 January 2014

Fishers interested in participating in the fishing events are asked to register their interest at www.pir.sa.gov.au/catfish or on 8226 0900. Further information will be provided closer to the events.

The Freshwater Catfish case study component is supported by the Catfish Working Group which has been established to address issues related to the stock status of River Murray Freshwater Catfish. Members include representatives from PIRSA, the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, RecFish SA and the Renmark Paringa Council.

Beyond engagement; moving towards a co-management model for recreational fishing in South Australia is funded by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation on behalf of the Australian Government. The program is being coordinated by PIRSA together with RecFish SA.