Ausmarine editorial – October 2008
The Australian fishing industry has been spiralling downwards for three decades. Recent comments from Queensland would suggest a rebound is nowhere in sight.
During the 1970s, the Australian fishing industry was buoyant. High quality, low cost, local seafood was abundant and science, management and enforcement worked with and for the fishermen. Australian fishing technology and innovation led the world and the environment was "conserved" by those whose livelihoods depended on it.
Then the spiral down began.
The industry was culpable to a degree, more interested in confronting internal sectors than representing the third largest primary industry as a whole. The gold rush syndrome in live trout and orange roughy damaged the industry perception more than the target fish but there was no clarification forthcoming. They considered imports inferior and aquaculture a novelty, not to be taken seriously. Imported product was dismissed as amateurish and poor quality.
The professional fishermen returned to sea to do what they did best and left their representation to those who wanted to stay ashore.
The most powerful and destructive manipulations, however, came from above.
"Fisheries" replaced "Fish" in Management Authorities' and Fisheries Departments' manifestos and the industry was saddled with a stifling management and regulatory load. Environmentalists, lawyers, economists and public servants replaced fishermen in positions of importance. "Diversity", "Precautionary Principle" and computer modelling took centre stage.
Management shifted from the water to the office, contact with the fisherman was lost and "fishing" became an easy target for the press and government. Preservation replaced conservation and Australia led the world in denying access to vast tracts of water.
Providing less than 30 percent of the nation's seafood appetite required fewer fishermen and the number of operational fishing boats was slashed by 75 percent. Their all-important surveillance, rescue and security roles were lost. Their skills and unparalleled knowledge of the marine environment were abandoned, and coastal businesses and communities were gutted.
Somehow, amidst the confusion and disaster, the managers and scientists continued to trumpet their concocted "world's best" reputation as champion custodians of the resource.
Earlier this year, observers thought the obsessive drive to eliminate Australia's fishing industry had reached its illogical conclusion. An iconic seafood festival failed to secure its customary supply of locally caught fish and an American flagged fishing vessel and crew was licensed to catch skipjack, once the role of the Australian fishermen and fleets that were the very soul of many coastal towns. In accordance with the International Law of the Sea Convention, Australia must not only conserve its living natural resources but also, optimally utilise them. Australia no longer has the facilities to "utilise", the skills and boats are no longer there, and the resources must be auctioned off to the highest bidder.
Throughout this shameful and unnecessary destruction of a major primary industry the public has remained aloof and unconcerned.
Now, management has delivered a further blow to the remaining industry integrity, professionalism and pride.
The Queensland Government has announced an initiative to implement seabed leases for aquaculture in the Great Sandy Marine Park adjacent to the World Heritage listed Fraser Island. A prominent scientist/manager has concluded: "There is very good economic benefit in aquaculture and those against the idea are misinformed. If the World Wildlife Fund is supporting aquaculture as a viable way of producing quality fresh seafood then I don't think anybody has got anything to worry about," he said.
The message here is clear. Fisheries managers have sold out. World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Greenpeace, Good Shepherd and their cohorts have won the day and are now the de facto managers of the Australian marine environment.
In the words of Dr Patrick Moore, co-founder of Greenpeace: "The environmental movement has been hijacked by political activists." We have abandoned our national sovereignty to a single-purpose amalgamation of entities that have strayed from their original commitment – to represent and conserve the environment.
If this outrageous, immoral and unethical influence and behaviour is not exposed and countered in the strongest possible way, by all concerned, then the Australian public has every right to censure, indeed condemn, their politicians, public servants and industry leaders.
With WWF as the umpire, Australians should be very worried.
Dick Lee
Guest Editor
