North Queensland seafood businesses are warning that the Great Barrier Reef gillnet phase-out could force shops to close if commercial fishers leave the industry. ABC News reported on Thursday (8 October) that temporary NX licences expire on 30 June 2027, under the commitment made by the Queensland and federal governments in 2023.
In Ayr, Heather and Peter Bradford told the ABC their business served locally caught seafood to about 150 families a week and would struggle to survive without gillnet fishers supplying it. Peter Bradford estimated that net-caught seafood accounted for 80 per cent of their business. Heather Bradford said a previous attempt to use imported seafood had not worked because they could not compete with major supermarkets on price.
Alva Beach commercial fisher Neil Green, south of Townsville, said alternative gear trials had not yet delivered a successful replacement for his operation. He told the ABC he would probably have to retire without a change. Fishers have been trialling methods including trapping and line fishing as the temporary licences approach their expiry.
Green is among fishers seeking a three-year extension, a call supported by Senator Susan McDonald. The federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water told the ABC that the Australian government did not support delaying the reforms. Its spokesperson said gillnets would be removed from the Marine Park from 1 July 2027.
The Queensland government's explanation of the phase-out says the policy is intended to protect threatened species including dugongs, dolphins, turtles and sawfish. Those animals can become entangled in nets and be injured or killed. The government says fishing practices can reduce the risk, but cannot entirely remove the potential to catch and harm non-target species.
Gillnets trap fish when their gills or fins become caught in the mesh. The government identifies barramundi, king threadfin and some mackerel among the species caught using the method. Under the transitional arrangements described by the ABC, temporary licence holders can continue gillnet fishing with strict on-board camera monitoring while alternative methods are investigated.
The Australian Marine Conservation Society welcomed the original reforms in its June 2023 statement on the gillnet phase-out, saying removal would give Reef wildlife greater protection. In the ABC's latest reporting, its Great Barrier Reef fisheries campaign manager Simon Miller opposed extending the temporary licences while supporting efforts to find alternative gear.
Queensland's primary industries minister told the ABC that trial work was continuing to find alternative fishing gear, and that the department had not reached discussions about compensation for affected onshore businesses. The original reform package included compensation for affected fishers. The department's current position on seafood shops was reported separately from that earlier assistance, as businesses press their case over the transition.