ESTIMATES COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS – 17 JUNE 2010
Mr VATSKALIS: This is the same situation we have seen in other states because
of the advance of
technology people can now pinpoint exactly where the fish aggregate because of GPS, and they can
harm them. It happened in Western Australia in the Monkey Mia area, the snapper was completely
hunted to such an extent that the Western Australian government stepped in and prohibited fishing to
everyone of that particular species. We have done that here in the Territory and I will consider tougher
measures if we find people continue to harm the species and put in restrictions. But, again, as Ian
said, we had that before (inaudible) by the
commercial fishers, but since 2002 the commercial catch
has declined while the amateur fish catching was going through the roof. We have tried to stop this.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: And certainly there is a holistic strategy to deal with this. I ask the
question because it has been nine months since you advised about the immediate action required,
and I was wondering where you were at with the management …
Mr VATSKALIS: … reducing the catch limit on the amateur which seems to pose a bigger threat for
the species rather than the commercial catch.
Mr CURNOW: Just to clarify those risk ratings where they were deemed to be higher risk was
specifically around the Darwin area. I think it was acknowledged in the
report that the risk to even
jewfish and golden snapper in other areas of the Territory, given its vast coastline and relative
remoteness to access many of those areas, those risks were not same, so it is an immediate
management issue around the Darwin zone and that is why we are working with both
the fishing tour
operators sector and AFANT and separately the commercial sector to focus on that 100 kilometre
zone around Darwin and how we might manage those stocks.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Thank you. I will move on to a new subject. Minister, how many people
within the Fisheries Department possess qualifications that are specific to fisheries management, and
I do not mean personnel with generic science degrees or any other generic qualifications?
Mr CURNOW: In terms of the specifics we will have to take that on notice, but I am fairly certain
almost all of my research staff of 11 or 12 are all fisheries biologists rather than general ecologists,
and a number of our managers have also been to the AMC (Australian Maritime College) in Tasmania
have fisheries management specific qualifications, but I need to take that on notice.
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Question on Notice No 7.28
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: I will repeat the question for
Hansard.
Minister, how many people within Fisheries possess qualifications that are specific to fisheries
management, and I do not mean personnel with general science degrees or other generic
qualifications.
Madam DEPUTY CHAIR: That is question No 7.28.
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Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Minister, please detail what training
programs or professional
development courses have been undertaken by Fisheries personnel in the past 12 months, and the
cost of those training programs and courses.
Mr VATSKALIS: I think we will have to take that on notice.
Mr CURNOW: It was specifically fisheries personnel.
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Question on Notice No 7.29
Mr WESTRA Van HOLTHE: Fisheries personnel, yes. And I will repeat the question for Hansard.
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS – 17 JUNE 2010
Minister, please detail what training programmes or professional development courses have been
undertaken by fisheries personnel in the past 12 months and the cost of those training programmes or
courses.
Madam DEPUTY CHAIR: That is question No 7.29.
Answer to Question No 7.26
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Deputy Chair, I have a response to question No 7.26.
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Mr WOOD: Can I just grab one before that final?
Madam DEPUTY CHAIR: Just one question.
Mr WOOD: Just one question. Minister, you have spent $26 547 on a report on a feasibility study for
a ranger college on the Tiwi Islands. What was the result of that feasibility study and what is the
ranger college?
Mr CURNOW: Yes, that consultancy arose as part of the Blue Mud Bay discussions with the Tiwi and
I guess looking at training marine rangers and how that could be best done in the future. That
particular consultancy was looking at the barra base on the Tiwi Islands and how it might be set up as
a specific marine ranger training college, so the consultancy actually looked
at what the demands
were in terms of how often it would be used for that purpose. I think, in terms of a summary of that, it
pointed out if it was only to be used for that purpose alone, there would be many weeks of unused
time and space and that would not be necessarily the best way to go.
We are, however, doing some further consultancy which just started up recently that is actually
looking at, I guess, the best way to deliver training to marine rangers and Indigenous people that
might be interested in getting into the fishing industry in general. It is an
FRDC sponsored project and
that is looking at the concept of should it actually be a fixed single location where people come, or
more of a remote training opportunity where the trainers actually go out on country and actually train
the people there.
On a similar basis, I guess, we have been running for the last two years, Certificate
II in compliance
for the marine rangers. One has been delivered in Jabiru this year where we invited three or four
rangers from each group to actually come along. The year before it was in Katherine. I guess, this is
taking it beyond just that marine ranger training program and looking at a whole range of other skills in
terms of participation in management, participation in the seafood industry or commercial fishing
industry and how that could best be delivered.
Mr VATSKALIS: And member for Nelson, the value of the rangers were recognised when in the past
few years we have had the incursion of illegal fishermen. They have
done an excellent job, so the
department has worked with Charles Darwin University and Police Marine Fisheries Enforcement
Section to deliver Certificate II training to a group of women rangers during 2010-11. In addition to
that, we are working with the Australian Fisheries Academy and CDU to develop a Certificate III and
Certificate IV Fisheries Compliance program for marine rangers. We really want the marine rangers to
become not just people having a fake job, we want people with real jobs and
enforce our fisheries
legislation.
Madam DEPUTY CHAIR: Thank you. Time is against us. We do need to wind up this session. On
behalf of the committee, I would like to thank the minister for attending today and also the officers who
have attended with him to provide advice. Thank you very much. We will just take a three minute
break while we change over.
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