- Fishing Futures Forum highlights shared responsibility of protecting Western Australia's demersal fish stocks
- Guiding principles for management determined by industry and community representatives
- Community survey open until end of the month
Representatives from across the fishing community including the commercial, charter, and recreation sectors - have attended the Fishing Futures Forum and endorsed that strong action is required to ensure there are healthy demersal fish stocks into the future.
Participants discussed the latest stock assessments and management options to secure the long-term sustainability of demersal fish in Western Australia.
The latest scientific stock assessments for WA's demersal species show depleted stock levels along much of the Western Australian coast.
The forum included a briefing on the science, case studies from other fisheries, and sessions dedicated to generating ideas for management into the future. Participants were also briefed on the early themes from the public have your say survey.
The need to ensure the sustainability of the demersal fish resource was identified as a priority with recognition of the need for strong action to recover fish stocks. Potential options raised to achieve this included improvements or changes to catch monitoring, potential catch limit reductions, and longer seasonal closures or full closures of unsustainable resources.
A report on the outcomes of the Fishing Futures Forum will be compiled by the independent facilitator.
The online Have Your Say survey will remain open for submissions until Friday, 31 October.
The report and results from the survey will be considered by government, and any outcomes or management changes are expected to be announced by the end of the year.
To review the latest demersal science, including stock assessments and recreational fisheries survey results, and have your say, visit: www.dpird.wa.gov.au/demersal-scalefish-resources .
The stock assessments for WA's demersal species have been independently reviewed by international expert and CSIRO scientist Professor Andr E. Punt.
As stated by Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis:
"The Fishing Futures Forum has confirmed that our fishing community is committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of WA's demersal fish stocks.
"I thank all those who attended for their contributions, the robust discussions, and for their strong representations on the views of their stakeholders.
"We know how valued these fish are in WA, and how important the fishing experience is to the community and our way of life.
"It has been encouraging to see the way the commercial, charter, and recreational sectors have responded to the latest stock assessments and the shared concern they have for the species they love.
"There remains an opportunity for Western Australians to have their say on the science and share their ideas on how we ensure there are demersal fish for the future.
"I urge everyone who cares about our demersal fish to have their say and engage in this process."
