After months of negotiations, an amenable solution to the resource sharing challenge in Derby has now been resolved.
The Hon. Dave Kelly, Minister for Fisheries, announced the approval of a permanent commercial fishing closure for King Sound South with appropriate compensation to the commercial fishing operator – including permission of continued access to supply fresh fish to our WA community.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), John Harrison from the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council (WAFIC), has commended the positive balanced outcome and the roles of the peak bodies, WAFIC and Recfishwest, to solve a difficult resource sharing problem.
“Resource sharing will continue to be an ongoing issue for both the commercial and recreational fishing sectors in the future and our collaborative leadership will be relied upon to create solutions acceptable to both sectors.”
“The Derby situation is an encouraging example of a resource outcome which meets the future needs of both commercial and recreational interests by working together towards a set of agreed principles,” he said.
Mr Harrison said that the issue arose as the high abundances of barramundi catch near Derby was an important resource objective shared by both sectors.
“Barramundi is deemed as a high-value species – with the resident commercial fisherman relying on the sustainable supply of barra and other catch to ensure the seafood loving community has access to local, fresh fish in restaurants. These same species are equally popular for recreational fishing experiences around the Derby townsite,” he said.
