Trust hard to come by as WA's demersal fishing ban faces scrutiny

The first parliamentary scrutiny of Western Australia's demersal fishing ban has exposed deep ongoing divides over how the Cook government is managing the state's fish stocks.

Over three days of hearings this week, the Legislative Council's Environment and Public Affairs Committee heard from supporters and opponents of the ban, as well as the government officials tasked with enforcing it.

Along with closing the West Coast demersal fishery, Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis banned trawl fishers in the Pilbara, and halved other demersal fishery catches, aside from the Gascoyne fishery.

She pointed to the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's (DPIRD) assessment demersal fish like pink snapper, red emperor and dhufish were under 'severe threat' and the harsh rules were needed to protect the fish from extinction.

While conservation groups welcomed the move, it drew strong criticism from the recreation and commercial fishing sectors.

Distrust and frustration

The third day of this week's hearings cut to the core of the hurt and distrust within WA's fishing community.

Visibly emotional during her testimony, West Australian Fishing Industry Council (WAFIC) chief executive Manue Daniels told the hearing the government's approach needed to be scrutinised.

"Trust in fisheries management has been deeply shaken," she said.

"WAFIC is not arguing against sustainability, we never have, but we expect decisions to be based on sound science."

The committee was told WAFIC had been writing to Fisheries ministers for at least 20 years raising concerns about persistent 'overfishing' of demersal fish on the WA coast by the recreational sector without response.

Affordable shark off the menu

Fish retailers have told the ABC their businesses are failing as sales have plummeted and the price of fish increases.

Ms Daniels said fish were a publicly owned resource, and the government's decision to only re-open the West Coast demersal fishery to recreational fishers should be thoroughly examined.

"As commercial fishing access is reduced, we have made locally caught seafood increasingly difficult for ordinary Western Australian families to afford," she said.

Third generation shark fisher Nick Soulos spent 58 years operating in the waters off Bunbury.

He told the committee his entire fishing licence was cancelled in December, despite only half his fishery falling within the west coast bioregion.

With shark forming 96 per cent of his catch, and never exceeding the required limit for associated scalefish catch, Mr Soulos said the government's decision was difficult to accept.

"(The fishery) put 200 tonne of shark into the domestic market, into the restaurants and fish and chip shops for the local consumers," he said.

"For the sake of 3 tonne of dhufish they have denied the consumer."

He told the committee it stood in stark contrast to the charter sector, which has been allowed to continue catching 25 tonnes of demersal fish each year.

Science resourcing questioned

The committee is probing fisheries management, as well as the impact of marine parks, renewable energy development and seismic testing.

Shark depredation, illegal fishing and other challenges to fish stocks are also being examined.

Every group which appeared was asked if it thought DPIRD was "adequately resourced to meet its responsibilities".

Many indicated they did not think it was, or that its priorities needed to change.

In a lengthy presentation, former WA Fisheries chief scientist Jim Penn said the department lacked both experience and expertise.

Dr Penn said his review of DPIRD's demersal stock assessment found multiple errors.

"The review process did not take into account, or involve people that had the ability, to make those assessments, which is very unfortunate," he said.

But the department stood by its research and modelling during its appearance before the committee.

Director General Heather Brayford said stocks of demersal scalefish had not recovered to appropriate levels for two decades, with dhufish in a "worse situation" now than in 1996.

"Over that period the science has been accepted by various governments," Ms Brayford told the committee.

"But getting decisions to effectively reduce catches has been difficult."

DPIRD's research was backed by the Conservation Council, which opposed attempts to "undermine" the science.

But the CCWA was also critical of the government; arguing the fishing industry was being held to a far stricter standard of marine protection than offshore oil and gas operators.

Questions still to be asked

Committee chair and Labor MLC Sandra Carr said this week's hearings were just the start of a lengthy inquiry.

She said she and the rest of the committee; Labor's Parwinder Kaur, Liberal Phil Twiss, National Rob Horstman and the Greens' Jess Beckerling, were approaching the issues in good faith.

Ms Carr acknowledged the emotionally charged nature of debate over the issue, and said running commentary from other politicians was not helpful.

"We have to be mindful that there is a lot of emotion; anger, frustration, anxiety around it," Ms Carr said.

"And we have to deal with it, with the upmost respect, but caution as well.

"You called for the process; let it happen."

The committee aims to deliver its final report by June next year.