The dwindling number of commercial fishing operators along the Hunter River want a more significant say in the industry's future, not further reforms.
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This was the message from Port Stephens commercial fishermen last Wednesday when Shadow Minister for Primary Industry Mick Veitch – on an invitation from State MP Kate Washington – rode into Raymond Terrace to announce an independent inquiry within 100 days if Labor wins office at the March 2019 election.
Mr Veitch said the inquiry would delve into the impacts of the commercial fishing reforms announced by the NSW government in 2016.
Minister for Primary Industry Niall Blair said at the time that the reform amendments to the Commercial Fisheries Business Adjustment Program were a direct response to concerns raised by the industry.
“The commercial fishing industry reforms would help fishers invest and provide them the tools to better manage their businesses,” Mr Blair said.
“These changes are part of ongoing consultation with the industry as part of the reform process. There is no doubt that the reform to the commercial fishing industry is complex and that’s why feedback from industry is so important.”
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Port fishermen David Woodward, John Luke, Kevin Radnidge, Charles Hutchen and brothers Jason and John Hewitt claim they are not being listened to.
The fishermen have hundreds of years’ experience behind them, in some cases dating back three generations, and say they are sick and tired of reforms.
Mr Hutchen has been fishing the Hunter River for 40 years and has watched the number of trawlers diminish from around 60 at its peak to less than 20 due to government bureaucracy.
“We have never been given a say from either side of politics, starting with the installation of floodgates further upstream and right up to the fishing bans as a result of the PFAS contamination.”
Mr Woodward, a 45-year veteran as a commercial fisher, said he hoped the inquiry would install some common sense into the industry.
“Years ago we had one licence to cover all species, today there are different licences, with the added costs, for just about every species,” he said.
Mr Veitch said that in answers to questions raised during Budget estimates, Minister Blair admitted that 177 fishing businesses had closed since the reforms.
“A Foley government will institute an inquiry that will examine the appropriateness of existing governance structures into the sector, lessons from the roll out of reforms, plus social and economic impacts,” he said.
Ms Washington said a newly elected Labor government would support the sector, not smash it up.
