Technology
Major update amid algal bloom crisis
The state government will temporarily restrict commercial fishing in The Gulf St Vincent and around Kangaroo Island from next month, to help fish stocks recover from an algal bloom that has killed thousands of marine creatures.
Premier Peter Malinauskas told reporters that commercial marine scalefish and blue crab fishing would be suspended until June 30 and recreational bag limits in The Gulf on all species would be halved.
A 50 per cent bag limit on recreational calamari, garfish, blue crab and King George whiting will apply in the Spencer Gulf, but commercial fishing in the area could continue.
The Premier said fish stocks were something they needed to keep a close watch on and $7m would be invested in programs to increase fish numbers.
“It is incumbent upon all of us to ensure that we help to protect and regenerate those species, and those whose livelihoods depend upon them,” he said.
“We don’t want a set of circumstances where Spencer Gulf ends up getting overfished because the effort is simply moving from The Gulf St Vincent to Spencer Gulf.
“The southern area and the west coast, it’s unaffected and people can continue to fish at their leisure.
“In SA, we have one of the best regulated fisheries anywhere in the world; there are catch limits, there are bag and boat limits, there are quotas in place, all of which are informed by research and science to make sure that we honour what is our fundamental duty, and that is to ensure that we have a sustainable fishery, not just for now, but for future generations.”
Seafood Industry Australia deputy chair Kyri Toumazos said it was the hardest journey the industry had faced in the state’s commercial fishing history.
“The decision of looking after fish stocks in a trajectory of rebuild over the next period is the right decision,” he said.
“We are fully behind them.”
