While the 95-metre-long factory trawler Geelong Star is not technically a “super trawler” and just fits under the arbitrary length limit set by the Australian Government, its record of environmental damage, in the eyes of many, is super.
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Whether the whale shark (see story page 4) escaped alive or not is secondary to the fact that it was snagged and that more fur seals were killed in this latest trip, and dolphins and albatrosses the trip before.
How the Australian Government can deem this acceptable is of growing to concern to many on the coast. Factory trawlers have degraded environments and fish stocks around the world, so a question many are asking is: why let them into our waters?
While so far it is only one, who is to say there may not be more just over the horizon? And while we do have quotas or catch limits on the amount of fish caught, there is the issue of localised depletion.
That the Geelong Star has been working in areas popular with game fishermen and so close to the populated Far South Coast almost seems to be becoming a showdown on the high seas.
The industry has negotiated with fishermen that it won’t fish during game fishing competitions, but this is a small concession and the trawler seems to be competing with game boats by targeting at night the same jack mackerel bait balls that have brought on the current hot marlin bite. It then disappears during daylight hours. The photo of game fishermen giving the trawler ‘the bird’ off Bermagui sums up the passions involved.
There is also a level of secrecy surrounding the vessel; its automatic identification system is turned off, so only the Australian Fisheries Management Authority knows where she is. AFMA yesterday said it would not release footage of the whale shark incident. Why should not this not be shown to the public?
Many argue it would be far better for local fishing boats to target these small pelagic fish, employing local people and keeping profits on our shores.
The Small Pelagic Fishing Industry Association argues factory trawlers are required as fish must be quick frozen for human consumption.
But even the Geelong Star was operating only a short hop from Bermagui. Processing facilities could be built, allowing local boats to bring fish ashore and boost our regional economy.
Stan Gorton
