THE company behind the super trawler Abel Tasman wants to use a smaller ship but says it cannot get Government advice about whether it can proceed.
The Federal Government this week announced a two-year ban on super trawlers in Australia.
Seafish Tasmania director Gerry Geen told ABC’s Radio National the ban has left the company in the dark.
Geen says he has been unable to find out if his company can fish its quota using a smaller factory freezer trawler of at least 90 metres.
“It’s a very uncertain time for us and what we really need here is some advice from Government about what is acceptable and then we can make new plans as to whether it’s feasible to bring in a vessel to catch our quota,” he said.
“We’ve been trying to engage with the Government on this for weeks and nobody will talk to us.
“We need to fish our quota, we are a fishing company but we are not going to bring a vessel halfway around the world again without some concrete guidance.”
Geen says the company is millions of dollars out of pocket and if it can not get advice from the Government on what vessel to use, it will consider its legal options.
See more on an ABC News report here: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-20/super-trawler-company-seeking-smaller-boat/4381204
