18000 Tonnes of Baitfish to be taken from AUS Waters by Foreign Vessel

fishmaniac · June 10, 2012

Today Landline had a segment on the farming of mulloway which I was keen to watch. However, during the program an update of the latest political desicions and proposals for primary industries caught my attention.

A Lithuanian supertrawler that is 142m in length is set to commence operations in about 2 months (August).

It will be based in Devonport, Tasmania. The vessel will be operating anywhere between NSW, around Tasmania and through to Western Australia.

The boat has been granted an 18000 Tonne quota for Jack Mackeral and Red Bait to be shipped to Asia and Africa. It just needs to gain an Australian registration before it can get stuck into our fish stocks (which appears only to be a matter of paper work).

To say I am furious is an understatement!!!! These are some of the favourite baits of the bluefin tuna. Such a massive number of bait fish being taken has to have an impact on the ecosystem. And how many other species are going to be killed as bycatch!!!

On one part of the program, you have an Aussie farmer being restricted by layers of government red tape to get his sustainable fish farm up and running and at the same time the same government is giving the green light to mass slaughters within our waters.

Where are the GREENS???? And the Government???? Too busy pestering our local fleets and locking out recreational fishermen - jeez we just demolish the local ecosystems and take everything we can don't we??!?!?

dogtooth · June 10, 2012

The greens and polititions are always doing side deals Jack Mackeral are ( yellowtail or yakkas ) red bait we dont see in NSW but they are all food for our gamefish . 18000 tonnes is NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND , 900,000 full fish boxs of fish that doesnt even help Australias seafood market as it will all go overseas. At say 1 dollar per kilo x 18,000000 kilos someone is making a huge profit 18 million dollar haul plus.

Cheers Dogtooth... John.

Edited June 10, 2012 by dogtooth