Sceptical local fishers are cautiously welcoming an open preview period for fishing reforms to gauge how controversial proposed reforms will work.
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A $16 million Commercial Fishing Business Adjustment Program announced in May will come into effect in July 2017, but has raised concerns about the local fishing industry’s future viability due to an investment of substantial funds within a regionally-limited pool of available fishing shares.
The preview, which would be identical to the subsidised share trading market, will be an exercise only – so no money or shares will be exchanged.
“[It] will give fishers more information about the two key concerns raised with us, including how much shares will cost and how many shares will be available,” NSW Minister for Department of Primary Industries Niall Blair said.
”We have also extended the application deadline for assistance measures, including fishing business buyouts, until 2 December 2016.”
The viability of Fishing Co-Operatives including Ballina, Macleay River, Evans Head, Clarence River and Wallis Lake are all - according to the wild Caught Fishers’ Coalition - under threat from the reforms.
“It knowingly benefits and grows the businesses of some fishers, to do so, it takes from other active fishers forcing them into debt, making them unviable and intimidates them into sell out,” it said in a statement.
Wallis Lake Co-op is concerned it will have to shut its doors from the projected impact the proposed reforms will have on its 38 active fishing members, but it is cautiously welcoming the preview period, slated to begin from mid-October.
“The feeling is by most of our fishers is that the 'mock' trading program is a good idea. I think that it will assist fishers to know what costs they will truly be facing and also should show the lack of share availability,” Wallis Lake Co-op manager Suzie McEnallay said, encouraging fishers to participate.
Since May, there have been 40,000 shares traded by 200 fishers; 75 applications for $20,000 fishing business buyouts; and more than $4 million worth of low interest rate applications.
Ms McEnallay said that considering that the reform’s ‘trading’ share program had not yet officially begun, it “just proves the point that most shares have already traded among industry and the shares needed are not going to be available.”
“I find it interesting that 75 fishing businesses have been handed in to get the $20,000 but only 50 fishers in the whole state have applied for the $80,000 low interest loan.”
Wallis Lake Co-op chair and 30 year fisherman Greg Golby said it was going to be a struggle to get enough local shares, particularly for crab fisheries, and it would be interesting to see what comes out of the preview period.
“It will hopefully make fishermen more secure, but it’s going to be a hard slog.”
He added that he thought Niall Blair appeared very engaged with the process.
