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Rock lobster fishers were not left to “flounder”
Date: Monday, 27 July 2009
Letter to the Editor - The West Australian
from Department of Fisheries CEO, Stuart Smith
Today’s report on criticism of Department of Fisheries staff and scientists, for not attending the second day of the Western Rock Lobster Fishermen’s Congress, creates a faulty view of the reality of the situation.
The congress was run by the Western Rock Lobster Council, to provide commercial rock lobster fishers with vital information about sustainability concerns in WA’s premier fishery.
Given the importance of those concerns, the Department of Fisheries was invited to and did attend the congress on Friday to provide research and management presentations.
Fisheries Minister Norman Moore and I both provided an address to the congress and remained in attendance all day for questioning. A number of the Department’s senior staff also attended the congress and listened to the views and concerns of commercial rock lobster fishers.
Departmental staff did not attend the congress on Saturday, because they were not formally requested to take part.
It was understood that Saturday was primarily a discussion/workshop forum for rock lobster fishers to discuss the information they were given on Friday and at previous meetings in Fremantle, Geraldton, Lancelin and Jurien.
Had the reporter who wrote Monday’s newspaper article contacted the Department, at any stage prior to publication, he would have been made aware of these facts. It is regrettable he chose not to check with the Department at any stage over the weekend.
Rock lobster fishers are not being left to flounder. The Department is involved in ongoing consultation with them.
News articles that go for the emotion and sensationalism, rather than facts, accuracy and context, do not help the rock lobster industry deal with its difficult issues.
Make no mistake. The WA rock lobster industry is facing significant challenges, particularly in adjusting to the impact of three years of low to very low puerulus settlement.
These challenges are likely to continue over the coming years, with well below average catches predicted for the next three years. These below average catches will occur regardless of future puerulus settlement.
The Department of Fisheries intends to work closely with our fishers to help them get through this and keep WA’s rock lobster fishery sustainable.
Yours sincerely,
Stuart Smith
CEO, Department of Fisheries.
from Department of Fisheries CEO, Stuart Smith
Today’s report on criticism of Department of Fisheries staff and scientists, for not attending the second day of the Western Rock Lobster Fishermen’s Congress, creates a faulty view of the reality of the situation.
The congress was run by the Western Rock Lobster Council, to provide commercial rock lobster fishers with vital information about sustainability concerns in WA’s premier fishery.
Given the importance of those concerns, the Department of Fisheries was invited to and did attend the congress on Friday to provide research and management presentations.
Fisheries Minister Norman Moore and I both provided an address to the congress and remained in attendance all day for questioning. A number of the Department’s senior staff also attended the congress and listened to the views and concerns of commercial rock lobster fishers.
Departmental staff did not attend the congress on Saturday, because they were not formally requested to take part.
It was understood that Saturday was primarily a discussion/workshop forum for rock lobster fishers to discuss the information they were given on Friday and at previous meetings in Fremantle, Geraldton, Lancelin and Jurien.
Had the reporter who wrote Monday’s newspaper article contacted the Department, at any stage prior to publication, he would have been made aware of these facts. It is regrettable he chose not to check with the Department at any stage over the weekend.
Rock lobster fishers are not being left to flounder. The Department is involved in ongoing consultation with them.
News articles that go for the emotion and sensationalism, rather than facts, accuracy and context, do not help the rock lobster industry deal with its difficult issues.
Make no mistake. The WA rock lobster industry is facing significant challenges, particularly in adjusting to the impact of three years of low to very low puerulus settlement.
These challenges are likely to continue over the coming years, with well below average catches predicted for the next three years. These below average catches will occur regardless of future puerulus settlement.
The Department of Fisheries intends to work closely with our fishers to help them get through this and keep WA’s rock lobster fishery sustainable.
Yours sincerely,
Stuart Smith
CEO, Department of Fisheries.
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