Australia: Community Rebels Against Super Trawler

Numerous controversies have been raised anent lobbyists’ efforts to support the super trawler Margiris’ arrival to Tasmania, FIS news portal informed.

On the other hand, opposition has been made to such initiative based on the assumption that the Margiris will deplete local fish stocks, causing environmental havoc.

The lobbyists in favor of the trawler include Seafish Pelagic, according to whose director Gerry Geen, the public has been distracted by the misleading comments of politicians from the fact that the Tasmanian waters are perfect for the trawler.

According to Geen, Seafish Tasmania usually enjoyed an annual quota of between 16,000 and 25,000 tonnes of fish over the past 10 years compared with the current 2012-13 quota of 17,800 tonnes.

If allowed to sail into the Tasmanian waters, the super trawler would target jack mackerel and redbait, intended for human consumption.

In support of this argument, Dr Bob Kearney, an Emeritus Professor in fisheries management at the University of Canberra and former member of the board of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) argues that the targeted species is abundant by Australian standards adding that the catch would not have a detrimental effect on the species, since it would recover very quickly.

Others claim that such arguments do not hold water, standing strong behind the opinion that the trawler is not wanted in Australian waters. That is why environmentalists are calling on the federal government to deny operating license to the trawler even though, according to the spokesperson for federal Fisheries Minister Joe Ludwig, such license had not yet been submitted.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie expressed concern because the super trawler is already headed to Tasmania even though it has not yet been granted an operating permit, the Mercury reports.

[mappress]

World Maritime News Staff, July 17, 2012