Rapid decline in fish stocks

March 23, 2011

AAP

There has been a rapid decline in fish stocks in some Australian waters, a leading marine scientist says.

"We are down to bag limits of one - how is that a sustainable recreational fishing experience?" Professor Jessica Meeuwig from the University of Western Australia said in Canberra on Wednesday.

The federal government is set to deliver on an election promise by creating a national network of protected marine areas following more than two years of discussions with the fishing industry and other stakeholders.
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Proposals to create marine sanctuaries invariably attract strong objections from both professional and recreational fishermen.

Professor Meeuwig, speaking at a forum hosted by Liberal MP Mal Washer, Labor backbencher Melissa Parke and Australian Greens senator Rachel Siewert, said there was broad scientific agreement on the benefits of marine sanctuaries.

On average, they resulted in a 200 per cent increase in fish stocks which flowed into non-protected areas, benefiting commercial fishers.

There was a myth that sanctuaries were not needed because fishing in Australia was still good, Prof Meeuwig said.

"Well it's not," she said, adding that large fish could still be caught, but at far greater distances out to sea than before.

Another myth was that marine sanctuaries would force fishing to other areas causing them to become denuded.

"Whatever displacement of fishing effort there is, is compensated by the increased productivity of having big, old, fat fish protected in sanctuaries," Prof Meeuwig said.

Professional and recreational fishers blamed each other for the diminution of stocks but the reality was that both needed to be excluded from protected areas to achieve the full benefits.

"At the end of the day, it's about biodiversity with added benefits for fisheries."

Another marine scientist, Professor Hugh Possingham from the University of Queensland, said Australia was looking to protect something like seven million square kilometres of ocean.

If Australia was successful, the rest of the world would be looking to how it could be done, he said.