Tasmania’s Conservation Trust has welcomed plans to make Australian fisheries management more transparent, in the aftermath of the supertrawler debate.
Australia’s Fisheries Minister Joe Ludwig has released the so called ‘root and branch’ review of Commonwealth fisheries legislation.
The Borthwick review was commissioned after a national campaign against plans by the supertrawler the Abel Tasman to fish in Commonwealth waters.
Amongst the 15 recommendations, it’s suggesting more community consultation, greater transparency and the development of a fisheries ecosystem policy.
Spokesperson for the Conservation Trust Jon Bryan says it’s not the first time there’s been a push for an ecosystem approach to management.
“These sorts of recommendations aren’t entirely new.
In 2005 the then Fisheries Minister made some fairly powerful suggestions as to how the management of Commonwealth Fisheries should be done.
So the Australian Fisheries Management Authority has had quite a few years to look at things like ecosystem management and ensure fisheries are managed sustainabily.”
He says it now hinges on how well the report is implemented.
“I think we have a pretty good report, we have some excellent recommendations.
But it remains to be seen how those are implemented and whether they are carried through into actual management decisions which affect fisheries.”
The Minister says he will accept all 15 recommendations.
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority declined to comment on the Borthwick review.
2013 ABC