Diners and commercial fishers to feel impact of West Australian fishing ban

ABC NEWS (Australia)

There are fears WA's tough new fishing bans will push up the price of West Australian fish. The government has slashed demersal catch limits and shut down some fisheries, prompting warnings more imported seafood will land on dinner plates.

Transcript

00:00A restaurant favourite, but meals like this dewfish will soon be off the menu.

00:09The price will double, it will be supply and demand and the price will go up, probably out of control.

00:13We've been selling premium quality fish for 33 years basically in Geraldton.

00:18Basically we won't be able to sell dewfish anymore.

00:21Three quarters of Demersal fish caught in Western Australia are consumed within the state,

00:26with almost half sold in restaurants.

00:29But in a few weeks, commercial fishing off the Geraldton coast for Demersal species such as dewfish and pink snapper will be banned.

00:38Well the general public, where are they going to go and buy fish?

00:41Because at the end of the day they can't afford to go and buy a boat and go out recreational fishing.

00:45I won't be able to get local fish here.

00:47In a bid to protect stocks, the state government has halved catchers in some areas

00:52and will close a 700km stretch of coast to fishers.

00:57The Pilbara trawl industry provides 40% of WA's Demersal fish supply, but it's also been shut down.

01:06Amid evidence, dolphins, critically endangered sawfish and sea snakes were also being trapped in the nets.

01:13Fishers say the bans will hurt regional businesses and claim their catch will be replaced by imported seafood.

01:21We've gone through a lot of difficult times to get to here but I never thought the day would come

01:26when I was completely wiped out in one strike by the government.

01:30The new rules come into effect in January.

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