THE NSW Government today announced that eastern blue groper will continue to be protected following scientific advice and community feedback.
Consequently, the no-line fishing prohibition, implemented 12 months ago, will continue for a further three years from 1 March 2025 to enable further research and monitoring on the species.
This decision combines with the long-term existing prohibition on spearfishing and commercial
fishing of the eastern blue groper to continue the temporary prohibition of line fishing.
This decision has been taken after the Government considered a range of important factors including recently published scientific information that raised concerns about the potential impacts of climate change and that caution should be taken in managing the species due to their unique biological traits.
Mark Banasiak MLC has slammed the Minister’s decision, calling it an ideological attack on
responsible recreational fishers.
“The Minister had clear evidence that Blue Groper stocks are stable and sustainable. Instead of
listening to the experts, the Government has caved to activists and locked up another fishery
without cause,” said Banasiak.
Banasiak said the Minister must explain:
1.Why extend a ban when scientific evidence shows no need for it?
2.Why punish law-abiding fishers for an issue caused by illegal spearfishing?
3. Why cherry pick information from a CSIRO report that was suppressed for months instead of being transparent with the public?
“The Government must reverse this unjustified ban immediately and start managing
fisheries based on evidence, not ideology,” said Banasiak.
NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said the State’s Fish holds a special place for many people and communities, and this has also contributed to the decision to continue the fishing prohibition of the iconic Eastern Blue Groper.
“There is a strong community interest in the State’s iconic Eastern Blue Groper, and there is a
community expectation that we take every step possible to understand any potential impacts that
climate change may be having on the species,” said Moriarty.
Stan Konstantaras from the Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW told Fishing World the RFA is disappointed that this groper ban was extended without a plan on paper to tackle the real issues and not the sustainable take of Blue Groper in NSW.
“Once again, recreational fishers in NSW take the fall just to appease the green lobby. Why pay a tax in NSW to fish when access is eroded based on feelings,”
“The RFA wants to know how the Minister will really tackle climate change and how much money is needed. It seems that banning recreational fishers and drawing lines on imaginary marine park boundaries will slow the impacts which is the best answer we can expect it seems.
“When and why did the NSW Government become so anti recreational fishing… that’s the real dilemma facing us in 2025,” he said.
During the 12-month period of the ban, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional
Development undertook both community engagement, comprehensive research and stock
assessment of the blue groper.
The stock assessment concluded that the eastern blue groper is in a sustainable position, however there is a risk the species is being impacted by climate change and warming waters.
