Fisheries Congress off

In the latest outrage in the long-running controversy over the proposed closure of the Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre of Excellence, it has been revealed that the closure has resulted in Business Events and the Australian Society for Fish Biology being forced to withdraw Sydney’s winning bid to host the 2016 World Fisheries Congress.

According to testimony provided by Australian Society for Fish Biology president Professor Browyn Gillanders to the Upper House Inquiry into the Cronulla Fisheries Closure "the Australian Society for Fish Biology had a bid in to host the world fisheries congress. Originally it was going to be through Sydney and it would have almost certainly won had it gone through Sydney…In about December last year it became apparent that there may not be certainty over the remaining staff being at Cronulla and the ability to host that and we were forced to withdraw it."

The World Fisheries Congress is an extremely prestigious event held every four years with HRH The Prince of Wales delivering the keynote address for the 2012 Congress recently held in Edinburgh. It has been estimated that the Congress would have been worth around $3 million to NSW.

"It brings together upwards of 1,000 international fisheries scientists from around the world. It would bring in significant income in terms of people, if it was Sydney, for example, coming into Sydney but also the flow-on benefits of tourism, for example. It is something that was in Brisbane in 1996 and we were keen to get it back to Australia in 2016. It has only ever once been in the Southern Hemisphere.” Gillanders said.

It is to protest this loss and the loss of the world class facilities and expertise at Cronulla that staff and supports of the Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre will be joining the “Not Happy Barry” rally today at 12pm in Martin Place.

The Closure of Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre is being recognised at this rally as one of the 12 environmental decisions NSW is most unhappy about.