Australia: Fisherman accuses Government of mismanaging fish stocks – Fishupdate.com

Australia: Fisherman accuses Government of mismanaging fish stocks Published:  18 December, 2006

AN Adelaide commercial fisherman says South Australia’s fish stocks have been grossly mismanaged.

According to ABC News Online, Maurice Corigliano has accused the State Government of allowing rampant prawn fishing in Gulf St Vincent and says boat numbers need to be cut.

He says current fish stocks are unsustainable.

“Unless the public is made aware of what is happening and how this resource is being mismanaged, it will just linger on like this for year after year, and possibly could even be extinct as a commercial entity,” he said.

Mr Corigliano says the Government has ignored the warning signs.

“It’s been mismanaged and that has resulted in overfishing and particularly overfishing of the spawning stock,” he said.

“That is the reason, pure and simple and as I say, it’s an absolute disgrace because this is the fourth time this has occurred and there should be no excuse whatsoever.”

However, The Prawn Boat Owners’ Association has rejected reports that it is at breaking point.

The Association’s president, Florian Vlacic, says there is no need to reduce licence numbers.

He agrees though, that there needs to be a review of the fishery’s management.

“We’ve got all the available data now to sit down with authorities and work out what is the best for the future of this fishery and the fishermen that are involved in it,” Mr Vlacic said.

The State Government says it has already had meetings with the fishermen and told them that it is their responsibility to ensure the fishery is managed in a sustainable way.

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