Fisherman Fees

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Jason Davidson, fifth generation fishermen who now works on the Hawkesbury river, says the complexities of the issue are “ignored” and “misunderstood.”

 

“Recreational fishers are benefiting, the owner’s of the quotas are benefiting, the government is benefiting from the license payments and fees, and the managers of the fisheries who introduced the idea of share managed fisheries the quotas, they’re claiming it’s been a great success,” he says.

 

“But who’s left? The smaller working fishermen. They are the ones who have suffered. Friends of mine have lost their businesses and some have divorced from the stress the closures caused.”

 

In order to own more shares, fishermen are required to buy them.

 

“Access is based on your shareholdings, each share equal a certain amount of days you’re allowed to fish and you had to have the minimal shareholding to access those quotas. 

 

“For example, 125 meshing shares is over $20 000 and if you only have 100 shares and can’t afford more you just can’t do that method of fishing anymore,” said Mr Davidson.

 

“But who wants to spend money to buy access after you’re already paying for your license and your fees? In many cases the share prices are going up but the quotas and efforts are decreasing.

 

Mr Davidson highlighted the specific struggles for people who can’t afford to move and are forced to sell their businesses.

 

“The fisheries offered a retraining package that would cover the cost of a tafe course but the average age of fishermen is over 50 now, so its less likely that they’ll get an apprenticeship and even if they do they’re not going to survive on an apprenticeship wage. 

 

“It takes a while to get to the peak of a fishing career, it’s not something you can just go and pick up in a week or two so to get back into a job and earn the same amount of money in their lifetime is unlikely.”

 

In a daily mail report, Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson said the proposed 2014 reforms sought to transfer shares from those who were not using them into the hands of more active fishers “to solidify a positive future for commercial fishermen who rely on the industry’’.

 

Local commercial fishermen argue that the solidification of a positive future is the opposite of what actually resulted and that they now fear for the future of a once thriving industry.

 

“If someone young was to come and ask me whether they should work in the fishing industry, let’s just say I would heavily advise them not too,” said Mr Henderson.