Fair go for SA fishers

In an open letter to the South Australian Electoral Parties, Keep Australia Fishing, the national advocacy organisation representing the rights of Australia’s five million recreational fishers, has asked SA’s political leaders to stop moves that will see recreational fishers locked out of large areas without scientific rationale or compensation.

State Spokesman for Keep Australia Fishing, Shannon Poulton, said: "South Australia’s recreational fishers face being locked out of more than six per cent of SA’s waters and to date, the SA Government has not provided any credible scientific justification as to why it is doing this.

"Recreational fishers are the first to support good conservation measures, including appropriate protection of breeding and nursery sites for key fish species. But what makes the Government’s lock out decision smell, is that they will still allow oil and gas exploration, commercial shark burleying, large-scale tourist operations and diving in these areas,

"If these areas are so environmentally sensitive that they warrant mum, dad and the kids being locked out, then how are these other activities still allowed to occur?

"However you look at it, this is bad public policy that does nothing in regards to supporting or implementing meaningful marine conservation measures.

"By moving to ban recreational fishers, the current Government is also sending a clear message that SA is not a recreational fishing friendly state.

"Nationally, recreational fishers spend over $10 billion a year to go fishing. In SA, this equates to around $720 million a year. On this basis, the impact of locking recreational fishers out of six percent of our waters is equivalent to about $43 million a year -- money that goes to support local businesses and jobs that will be gone forever.

"Keep Australia Fishing is asking for both sides of politics to stop the lock outs and base any future decisions on marine conservation on genuine science and consultation. With over 200,000 South Australian’s wetting a line every year, SA deserves the election of a government that understands and supports recreational fishers and the tremendous social and economic benefits they bring to communities in this state." Poulton said.