Commercial fishing in NT protected areas

The Amateur Fishermen’s Association of the NT (AFANT) has expressed strong anger at the lack of transparency displayed by government around the new reef fish regulations and reef fish protection areas.

"It has come to the attention of AFANT that the majority of commercial fishermen are still allowed to fish and operate inside the newly implemented Reef Fish Protection Areas," said AFANT President Warren de With. "This was despite government's repeated assurances that all commercial and recreational fishermen were excluded from fishing these areas to aid in the protection and recovery of at-risk reef fish species."

In a press statement, AFANT went on to say that the Association and the other members of the Recreational Fishing Advisory Committee (RFAC) were instrumental in approving and implementing these reef fish regulations based on the advice and assurances provided by the government. At no stage during the discussions on this issue was AFANT or any other member of RFAC advised that commercial fishing, regardless of technique used or species targeted, was allowed to operate within these reef fish protection areas. The understanding was that all commercial fishing would be excluded and that this was supported by government.

"Despite AFANT dealing with the government in good faith, the government has done an underhand deal with the commercial fishing industry behind our backs. They have deliberately and continuously conducted a campaign to withhold vital information from the recreational fishermen of the Northern Territory," said de With.

"In deliberately withholding this information from the recreational fishing community the government has lost all trust and credibility and has once again shown their lack of understanding about the importance of clear, transparent and honest communication.

"AFANT calls on the government to immediately amend this legislation and remove all commercial fishing effort regardless of species or fishery from these Reef Fish Protection Zones as per their original communication and representations to AFANT and the RFAC," Mr de With concluded.