Media Statement
Recreational rock lobster licences to rise to $140 per year

22 December 2005

Recfishwest has today warned recreational fishers of the grave consequences of the adoption of the Integrated Fisheries Management report on Western rock lobsters.

The Executive Director of Recfishwest, Mr Frank Prokop said that if the recommendations of the Integrated Fisheries Management Committee were adopted then recreational rock lobster licences would have to increase to at least $140 per year from the year 2010 onwards.

"The committee recommends that the recreational fishing sector should have to buy back a share of the resource from the year 2010. There would be no additional benefits to the recreational sector - this is merely to accommodate natural growth in the population." Mr Prokop said.

"The committee seems to have forgotten that this is a community resource. It is totally illogical to expect the community to pay commercial fishers to access a part of the resource that is theirs by definition. Just when the rest of the world is introducing resource rents for the commercial industry, Western Australia is looking to introduce a community funded rent back to the commercial sector."

Mr Prokop said that many recreational fishers had not realised the impact of the recommendations and so the level of concern was not as great as it should be.

"The committee has prepared the report and has extended the time for submissions until the end of February. Copies of the paper can be obtained from the Department of Fisheries."

"I would like to stress that the recreational fishing sector already pays the government a greater pro-rata amount for its current small share of the resource. To penalise only the recreational fishing sector because more people want to live in Western Australia is unacceptable."

Mr Prokop said that the report proposed making an allocation to the recreational sector equivalent to the anticipated catch in 2009/2010. However, after that time the recreational sector will have to buy catch from the commercial sector or take management cuts to keep their catches from growing. This will cause competition among recreational fishers and greater competition at already crowded boat ramps."

"Of course many people will refuse to pay at least $140 a year each and every year for a recreational rock lobster licence. This may be exactly what the commercial sector wants. Unfortunately there are no planned mechanisms for the commercial sector to pay the recreational sector if they take part of the recreational catch."

Mr Prokop said that Recfishwest had urged the committee to make an allocation that allowed for community growth so that the wider community could have access to the common property rock lobster resource. The Recfishwest submission is available on request.

"If people do not take the trouble to comment on this proposal, then the traditional and highly valued pastime of pulling a few pots or diving with your mates will be under tremendous threat. Recfishwest needs most of the 40,000 recreational rock lobster licence holders to tell the government that they need a few rock lobsters for themselves."

"Recreational fishers have until the end of February to make their views known and get a more realistic solution to this problem." Mr Prokop warned.

ENDS

Media Contact
Frank Prokop, Executive Director - Recfishwest 9246 3366
0419 949 118.

Recfishwest is sponsored by Healthway. Recfishwest encourages responsible, Sunsmart behaviour at all times.



This page last updated December 2005.