An Australian Federal Labor MP is concerned there is not enough information available for an informed public debate on a super trawler headed for Tasmania.
Seafish Tasmania plans to use the 142-metre factory ship, FV Margiris, to catch its 18,000 tonne redbait and jack mackerel quota in Commonwealth waters.
A public meeting in Devonport yesterday heard opposition from environment, fishing and tourism groups worried that the ship will deplete fish stocks.
Labor’s Sid Sidebottom has told ABC Local Radio the community has a lot of concerns, and there needs to be a calm and rational discussion.
“That’s why I’ve arranged a meeting between AFMA (Australian Fisheries Management Authority) officials and some of the representatives that were there yesterday,” he said.
“But also to get the representatives to meet with the proponent as well because every proponent’s got to put forward a management plan. It isn’t just carte blanche.”
About 400 people packed the forum in Devonport, the second protest meeting in as many weeks.
The spokesman for recreational fishers, Mark Nikolai, says the ship could decimate local fish stocks.
“They can take out potentially a significant amount of the local feed stock out of the marine environment,” he said.
Jon Bryan from the Tasmanian Conservation Trust says public concern is growing.
“I think people are just starting to realise what threat this ship poses to our marine environment and fish stocks.”
The trawler is expected to arrive in August.
Seafish Tasmania Director Gerry Geen says he was not invited to yesterday’s meeting, and there has been a lot of scaremongering over the trawler.
“The Seafish Tasmania quota represents less than 5 per cent of the amount of fish that’s estimated to be out there, so 95 per cent of the fish is being left untouched to meet the needs of the ecosystem,” he said.
2012 ABC