Outrage as commercial fleet is allowed to fish but anglers aren’t

The organisation that represents anglers in South Australia has said it is ‘outraged’ by a decision to allow commercial fishing for snapper during the close season, but not anglers.

Following a move that has been described as ‘one of the most ill-considered and biased decisions ever made in fisheries management’, RecFish SA is calling on the state to open up recreational snapper fishing in the south-east. Minister David Basham provided approval for the commercial sector as a ‘red tape measure’ based on scientific evidence that snapper do not breed in south-east waters.

Mick Wilson, RecFish SA Chair, said: “We are outraged that such an unfair decision has been made and we are calling on Minister Basham to immediately fix it. If it’s okay for commercials, then it is okay for the recreational sector as well. If there is clear scientific evidence that snapper don’t breed in the south-east and stocks are sustainable, then scrap the close season for everyone.

“This is an important issue to many South Australians and it’s incredible that the government believes it can treat the public with such a total lack of respect. It has known this day has been coming for several months, but has said nothing. Several weeks ago the government-run Ministers Recreational Fishing Advisory Council (MRFAC) advised Minister Basham to open up the recreational fishery and here we are days into the close season and he hasn’t made a decision. The government’s management of SA’s once famous snapper fishery has been abysmal, and biased decisions like this only make it worse.”

Picture: Fishing World