$10,000 Upfront Payment Announced For Sydney Harbour Commercial Fishers

[Ken A]

Sydney Harbour commercial fishermen who accept the State Government’s buy-out package will receive an immediate emergency payment of $10,000.

The decision to provide the immediate payment was made after a recent meeting with commercial fishing representatives.

As a result of discussions with commercial fishers, an upfront payment of $10,000 will be provided to those commercial fishers who accept a buy-back offer. This advance payment will give affected fishers much-needed financial relief – they have been doing it tough through no fault of their own. This is the legacy of 100 years of industrial pollution in our beautiful harbour by multi-nationals like Union Carbide.

The buy-back contracts will go out to individual commercial fishers from Tuesday.

The Department of Primary Industries will provide the $10,000 advance payments once fishers return a signed deed of agreement.

The remaining buy-back payments will be made once fishers submit all of their fishing documents. As indicated previously, the State Government will review the status of the commercial closure in Port Jackson, as further scientific evidence is available. If, in the future commercial fishing can be re-opened in parts of Port Jackson, then the State Government will give those fishers who took the buy-back priority status for potentially re-entering the Harbour.

The State Government will continue to consult with commercial fishers throughout the buy-back process.

The Department of Primary Industries will also double the maximum payment for accelerated depreciation of commercial equipment from $10,000 to $20,000, in a further effort to help the fishermen.

Sydney Harbour was closed to commercial prawning on December 3 last year and to commercial fin fishing on January 24. The closures came after scientific tests revealed high levels of dioxin in species caught across the Harbour due to contaminated sediments in areas like Homebush Bay (which has been closed to commercial fishing for more than a decade).

The State Government announced a buy-back package of up to $5 million earlier this month, payouts will be based on a fishermen’s personal catch history.