Mr KIELY - 2005-06-30
The Territory’s barra fishing experience is enjoyed immensely by many in my electorate and continues as a major drawcard for anglers to the Territory. Indeed, minister, I have heard you say it is the lure of the Territory. I have heard others say that as well, minister. Can you inform the House of what the government is doing to ensure that it will only get better?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Sanderson for his question. Yes, it is true that fishing is the lure of the Territory. I am pretty sure the people of Sanderson, and certainly all Territorians, will be very pleased to hear that, as my scientists advise me, the barramundi stocks remain very healthy throughout the Territory. They also advise me that natural seasonal variations mean that in good years the barramundi harvest will come very close to the long-term average sustainable yield. However, in bad years, the barramundi harvest will be well below the long-term sustainable limit.
I have two graphs here: one shows that, for the year 2000, a very good year, the barramundi harvest was very high and high numbers of barramundi were caught. However, in 2003, when the year was bad, the barramundi harvest went very much below the long-term sustainable yield. I would like to assure you that barramundi numbers are very big up here and the barramundi stock is very healthy.
In addition to that, we are developing a five year plan with a ten year outlook because we are not going to be complacent. We are going to protect our fisheries because it is true that many people come from down south to the Territory for fishing. The shops which sell a lot of fishing gear have advised us that during the Dry Season they have a significant increase in their sales. People spend anywhere from $300 up to $600 to buy fishing gear.
In addition to that, we have allocated $1m to buy back commercial fishery licences. In the next five years, we have committed to buy three barramundi licences.
Our expertise is recognised internationally and nation-wide and, as a result, the National Barramundi Experts Forum will be held in Darwin in early July 2005. The Australian Society of Fisheries Biology and the Australian Marine Science Association will be meeting in Darwin in the next few weeks as part of Seafood Week. The Northern Territory Seafood Festival to be held on 16 July 2005 is strongly supported by the government.
There are a number of other seafood industry related events which will take place during Seafood Week. I advise that, during Seafood Week, 650 convention delegates will be in Darwin and about 20 000 people, local and tourists, will attend some of these events, and the injection into the Territory economy will exceed $3m.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Sanderson for his question. Yes, it is true that fishing is the lure of the Territory. I am pretty sure the people of Sanderson, and certainly all Territorians, will be very pleased to hear that, as my scientists advise me, the barramundi stocks remain very healthy throughout the Territory. They also advise me that natural seasonal variations mean that in good years the barramundi harvest will come very close to the long-term average sustainable yield. However, in bad years, the barramundi harvest will be well below the long-term sustainable limit.
I have two graphs here: one shows that, for the year 2000, a very good year, the barramundi harvest was very high and high numbers of barramundi were caught. However, in 2003, when the year was bad, the barramundi harvest went very much below the long-term sustainable yield. I would like to assure you that barramundi numbers are very big up here and the barramundi stock is very healthy.
In addition to that, we are developing a five year plan with a ten year outlook because we are not going to be complacent. We are going to protect our fisheries because it is true that many people come from down south to the Territory for fishing. The shops which sell a lot of fishing gear have advised us that during the Dry Season they have a significant increase in their sales. People spend anywhere from $300 up to $600 to buy fishing gear.
In addition to that, we have allocated $1m to buy back commercial fishery licences. In the next five years, we have committed to buy three barramundi licences.
Our expertise is recognised internationally and nation-wide and, as a result, the National Barramundi Experts Forum will be held in Darwin in early July 2005. The Australian Society of Fisheries Biology and the Australian Marine Science Association will be meeting in Darwin in the next few weeks as part of Seafood Week. The Northern Territory Seafood Festival to be held on 16 July 2005 is strongly supported by the government.
There are a number of other seafood industry related events which will take place during Seafood Week. I advise that, during Seafood Week, 650 convention delegates will be in Darwin and about 20 000 people, local and tourists, will attend some of these events, and the injection into the Territory economy will exceed $3m.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016