A 10-year management plan for the Spencer Gulf Prawn Fishery to ensure sustainability and cutting red tape for industry has been signed off by the Marshall Liberal Government.
The plan maintains strict management to ensure sustainability of the Spencer Gulf Prawn fishery, but has also cut red tape to help drive industry efficiency into the future.
Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, David Basham said the management plan, developed with industry, which applies from 24 October 2020, ensures the sustainable future of the largest prawn fishery in South Australia.
"The Spencer Gulf Prawn Fishery is the largest in South Australia in terms of production and employment. This agreed management plan will further guarantee the future of this important industry," Minister Basham said.
"With Christmas and the festive season coming up, now is the time to buy your South Australian prawns. If you buy South Australian, you know the prawns are sustainable, and it's a guarantee they will taste delicious."
The Executive Officer of Spencer Gulf and West Coast Prawn Fishermen's Association, Simon Clark, welcomes the adoption of the new 10-year management plan.
"The plan ensures the long term future livelihoods of those families operating the fleet in addition to ensuring the sustainability of the prawn fishery and the health Spencer Gulf marine environment, ," Mr Clark said.
"A great outcome of the plan is the increased security and investment confidence for those families with a 10 year plan."
"The innovation presented in the new plan is the rationalisation of the three major stock assessments undertaken each season, whereby the cost and number of surveys has been reduced, without comprising the sustainability of this MSC certified fishery."
"Overall this gives our seafood producers certainty in their own future while ensuring South Australians who have enjoyed pur prawns for 50 years, will enjoy our prawns for another 50 years."
The Spencer Gulf prawn fishery had a Gross Value of Production (GVP) of $41.5m in 2018-19 and is an important employer for the Wallaroo and Port Lincoln regions.
The management plan is available online here
