Business Plan 2002- 2005

Foreword

Western Australia's marine and aquatic eco-systems and the fish they support are the property of the community. They are the focus of a wide range of activities greatly valued by WA's people for economic and social reasons.

Both the commercial and recreational fishing sectors are major contributors to the State and national economies.

The gross value of the entire commercial sector - combining fishing and aquaculture production - is about $550m annually, with the dominant fisheries being rock lobster, pearls, prawns, scallops and abalone, and tropical snapper. When one takes into account direct employment in fishing and investment and employment in related activities, such as fish processing, aquaculture and boat building, the overall contribution of the commercial sector to the economy is around $1 billion annually. This has the potential to significantly increase as WA's aquaculture prospects are realised.

Recreational activities centred around fishing and the enjoyment and appreciation of WA's remarkable and varied aquatic locations are highly-valued social pursuits, and contribute more than $400m to the economic activity of the State.

The State has a long standing pearling industry which currently produces high-quality pearls worth over $180m and makes a major contribution to the Pilbara and Kimberley regions. Aquaculture, both freshwater and marine, has seen rapid development over the last decade and is climbing past $7m per year in production.

Western Australians are fortunate that the eco-systems upon which these activities are based remain generally in good condition and support healthy fish stocks. This has not occurred by chance, but through the Department of Fisheries' (and its predecessors') management over the last 100 years of the State's aquatic resources - controlling sustainable and equitable use of fish stocks by competing interests, and protecting fish habitats on behalf of the community.

It is only through the continued work of the Department of Fisheries in planning for the management, development and sharing of fish resources - joined by commercial fisheries licensees, recreational fishers, aquaculturists and Volunteer Fisheries Liaison Officers, the wider community and relevant government agencies - that present and future generations of Western Australians can be assured of the opportunity to enjoy the economic and social benefits that a healthy aquatic environment can provide.

As we move into the 21st Century, the effectiveness of our strategies in responding to a wide range of emerging issues will be crucial to maintaining the quality of our marine and aquatic environments.

Fish habitats are being placed under increasing pressures from:

• growing populations and expanding urban development;
• increased demand for areas suitable for aquaculture production, in response to the fully-exploited or over-exploited status of most of the world's wild-stock fisheries;
• the impact of increasingly efficient fishing technology by commercial and recreational fishers alike; and
• the ever-present threat of harmful aquatic species or diseases being introduced to WA through shipping or the importation of fish products.

There are significant opportunities to increase the benefits to the WA community from the sustainable exploitation of our marine and aquatic resources, due to:

• technological improvements enabling improved harvesting, production and marketing of fish;
• technological improvements allowing better monitoring and management of human impacts on fish and their habitats;
• new investment opportunities in aquaculture resulting from increasing world demand for fish products - and the limited capacity of wild-stock fisheries to satisfy this demand; and
• the identification and promotion of the State's regional areas as Ôquality' destinations for recreational fishing and tourism.

We must also be responsive to changing accountability requirements and micro-economic reforms, and continue to ensure that our services are delivered on behalf of the community in a cost-effective manner.

At a more philosophical level, changes in community awareness of the need to protect the environment has been the essential driver behind legislation directing government agencies towards the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD).

ESD is a dynamic concept with an evolving framework that requires a balancing act of social, economic and environmental considerations. Having fisheries that are governed under ESD principles is crucial for both their long-term future and for Western Australia doing business with other Australian states and overseas.

The competing, and sometimes conflicting, objectives of the Department of Fisheries as set out in legislation present a challenge for future fisheries management in WA. Departmental objectives are set out in our Strategic Plan 1999 - 2005.

The Programs Business Plan flowed from the Department of Fisheries' Strategic Plan and was developed after input from representatives of all areas of the Department and its stakeholders. The Plan seeks to outline in more detail how the Department of Fisheries will manage the competing interests of the commercial, aquaculture and recreational sectors and the wider community.

The Plan demonstrates that the Department of Fisheries is well placed to meet the challenges of fisheries management in the 21st century. It will be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure it always remains relevant to the requirements of the WA community.

Peter Rogers
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Department of Fisheries