Andrew Mathieson
A push for temporary bans on commercial fishing in Corio Bay has reached state parliament.
DLP Member for Western Victoria Peter Kavanagh has raised the temporary bans in parliament’s upper house in a bid to help recovery of the bay’s fish stocks.
Recreational anglers are seeking the bans on net fishing, which they believe is responsible for a disastrous decline in a number of species usually common in the bay.
Mr Kavanagh said he backed the bans.
“They (recreational anglers) presented a pretty good case (we) are in danger of fishing out Corio Bay. They have said that in recent years fish numbers have definitely dropped by 90 per cent or more,” he said.
“I’m not trying to eliminate commercial fishing – I hate the idea of wiping out an industry that is viable, but what we need to do is make it sustainable.”
“If that involves telling people they can’t commercially fish for a year or two or only limit their catch and pay them compensation, I think that would be good.”
Mr Kavanagh issued an adjournment matter last week in parliament to introduce “measures to make fishing more sustainable”.
The bans could force professional fisherman to instead use hooks and lines to catch fish.
Mr Kavanagh said recreational anglers also accused commercial operators of significant waste, with about 30 per cent of their catch left to die without reaching market.
Fishing columnist and tackle store operator Brian Long backed a moratorium on commercial netting.
Mr Long said netting was also destroying seagrass bed habitat for fish in Corio Bay.
“They use these scrapping-type nets that are weighted completely along the bottom, so as they drag along the bottom all these sea grass is ripped up,” Mr Long said.
He believed line fishing was a better option for commercial fishing in the bay.
Geelong councillor and state Liberal candidate Andrew Katos, whose family runs a successful commercial fishing business, said he would be concerned about changes to commercial fishing licences.
Cr Katos said operators would struggle to meet demand under the proposed bans.
“You have got real concerns there because they make their livelihoods and there is also that supply (issue),” he said.
“People will be demanding fresh fish, so you need to get it to market.”
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