Shadow Minister for Fisheries, Kirrilee Warr MLA is calling on the State Government to go back to the drawing board on its ban on demersal fishing, giving notice of a motion of disallowance in the State Parliament today.
The notice to move a motion would enable Parliament to debate and potentially disallow the Fisheries Minister’s eleventh-hour decision to impose a demersal fishing ban.
“Two weeks ago, the Fisheries Minister made a last-minute captain’s call to end WA’s commercial fishing industry, going against the advice of her own department.”
“We’ve heard from commercial operators, recreational fishers, processors, boat dealers, tackle shops, and hundreds of families who have all been blindsided by this decision.” Ms. Warr said.
“This ban is one of the most sudden and sweeping bans in the State’s history, and livelihoods of fishing families have been ended in a matter of weeks.”
Ms. Warr said as a bare minimum the Premier and Fisheries Minister should take up WAFIC’s invitation and return to the discussion table.
The Nationals WA are calling for a Parliamentary inquiry into WA fisheries to determine the need for a long-term sustainable fisheries plan, the impact of marine parks, renewables, illegal fishing, and shark predation, and whether the Department of Fisheries is properly resourced.
“The State Government needs to be working with the sector to solve this issue, not making last-minute, heavy-handed decisions which impact hundreds directly,” Ms. Warr said.
“This ban is yet another example of Labor making policy on the run, leaving regional Western Australians to pick up the pieces.”
A petition to Save WA Fisheries is currently live, and those looking to sign it can do so on the WA Parliament website.