MP on shark ban: Go ahead…Mako my day

Andrew Mathieson
The Victorian Government will refuse to police a federal ban on fishing for mako sharks, according to South Barwon MP Michael Crutchfield.
He said the state would be responsible for enforcing the ban but disagreed that authorities should stop anglers targeting mako sharks, widely considered the region’s premier offshore sportfish.
Mr Crutchfield, a licensed recreational fisherman, said he was at loggerheads with his federal Labor colleagues over the ban.
“That’s right, I don’t support it,” he told the Independent.
Mr Crutchfield said the majority of State Government MPs agreed with him.
“We believe (fishing for makos) is sustainable and we have seen no evidence to suggest otherwise.
“The state also has no arrangements for enforcement, so we won’t be policing it.”
Federal Government plans to ban fishing for makos from January 29.
The proposed bans drew hundreds of anglers to a meeting at Torquay Angling Club this week.
Anglers heard that federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett had said they would be “unlikely” to incur fines for breaking the new laws, which carried a $11,000 penalty.
Torquay Angling Club secretary Shane Korth said angling groups were given no say on the ban.
Anglers at the meeting jeered when Mr Korth told them Mr Garrett would return from annual leave one day before the ban became law.
Meeting organisers estimated the ban would cost the commercial fishing industry $150 million a year.
The meeting heard a Queenscliff charter company with 15,000 clients a year would face financial ruin because 70 per cent of its business was fishing for makos.
VRFish operations manager Ben Scullin also warned the laws could lead to bans on other fish species including tuna, marlin and swordfish.
VRFish planned to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to take legal action, he said.
“The Federal Government (fisheries) department advises that we don’t have a legal or moral leg to stand on,” Mr Scullin said.
Mr Scullin labelled a national impact assessment on fishing for makos as “trash”.