SOUTHERN Australia’s booming recreational bluefin tuna fishery is under threat, with the Federal Government reportedly demanding the states halve anglers’ bag limits, from two fish per person to one.
According to an article in the Weekly Times, Assistant Federal Agriculture and Water Resources Minister Minister, Anne Ruston, has written to the states demanding they cut recreational bag limits for the species, while lifting South Australia’s Port Lincoln commercial tuna fishers’ quotas by 500 tonnes.
Victorian Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford confirmed Senator Ruston had called on Victoria to make the cut, saying “halving the catch just doesn’t make any sense and isn’t based on good fisheries management principles”.
However Senator Ruston, who happens to represent South Australia, has denied she made any demands on Victoria and the other states, saying she simply “tabled” cuts to bluefin bag limits at the Fisheries ministers Council Meeting and had written to Ms Pulford on the issue.
The South Australian senator’s decision has angered recreational fishers including Futurefish Foundation director, David Kramer, who said it appeared the move to halve recreational bag limits was due to the Federal Government’s repeated failure to conduct surveys and report back to the commission.
“The value of this species to recreational fishers and the economy means they deserve a share of the increased quota, not a cut in their bag limits,” Mr Kramer said.
“Recreational fishers are witnessing an abundance of bluefin tuna from the SA border to Phillip Island. It has put Portland on the map as the game fishing capital of Victoria.”
According the article, any move to cut the bluefin bag limit will devastate fishing tourism along Victoria’s southwest coast, in Tasmania and South Australia.
You can read the full article HERE.
