By NOEL MURPHY
GEELONG and Bellarine fishermen are facing extinction under State Government plans they say will deny consumers quality fish, boost the black markets and pose a health threat as overseas stocks flood the market.
Corio Bay fishermen yesterday lashed out, with the backing of Seafood Industry Victoria, at plans to cut all commercial net fishing, warning of wide job losses and accusing government of ignoring the industry’s concerns.
Portarlington fisherman Peter Jenkins said the commercial cull was “purely and solely a vote-grabbing exercise” that would kill off an historic and fully sustainable “squeaky clean” industry.
“If we take our fish out of the equation you’ve got to fill it with something and that’s overseas crap,” Mr Jenkins said.
“We have sustainable fisheries here. I don’t know why they’d do this – it’s not as if fish stocks are in trouble, they couldn’t be healthier.
“Recreational (angling) certainly won’t fill commercial demand and the poor little old lady who wants a couple of fish fillets, whiting, snapper, they’ll be taken away from the market.
Seafood Industry Victoria executive director Johnathon Davey said recreational anglers took between 600 and 700 tonnes of snapper alone from Corio and Port Phillip bays each year, while commercial fishermen took 400 to 500 tonnes in total across a range of species.
“The most surprising thing for us was that their (Labor’s) proposal going to the election was to call for closure of unsustainable fishing…now they’re trying to get rid of us they don’t want to argue on a sustainable front but on an economic front,” he said.
“They’re thinking recreational fishing will bring in more money but forget that we provide a food security source – and a healthy, local source.
“We want the consumer to know there are five million Victorians are not rec fishermen and rely on licensed fishermen to provide a licensed food sources – where will they get their fish and what sort of quality will it be?”
The state budget allocated $5 million a year over four years to phase out commercial netters, who provide the vast majority of fresh fish to the market.
Portarlington fisherman Danny Kent recently bought back into the industry, borrowing $300,000, to maintain a century-long family link to fishing. Mr Kent said he now faced financial ruin because State Government was trying to appease “probably 50 or 60 blokes screaming blue murder” about commercial fishing.
“The black market will thrive, the government will miss out on taxes, it won’t alter in any shape or form the amount of recreational take.
“People won’t be able to get quality whiting, snapper, flounder, garfish, pike, definitely not rock flathead, long-nose flathead, leatherjackets, red mullet.
“We’re just a plaything for politicians – they’re crucifying 42 fishermen here.”
Another local fisherman, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of abuse and property damage, said the ban put a huge strain on his family.
“My wife and I sold our house nine years ago to buy into the industry,” he said.
“I’ve worked seven days a week for the last nine years to build the business into a profitable one that I could pass down to my two sons and ensure that they have a bright future.
“I don’t think I have had a decent night sleep since the election and probably most other fishermen and their families haven’t either.”
