Super Trawler? Yes or No?

The Margiris

The super trawler Margiris is currently at port in Port Lincoln, South Australia. The Margiris is supposed to trawl for a quota 18,000 tonnes redbait and jack mackerel every year. This will be the largest trawler ever allowed to Fish in Australian waters, at a length of 142 metres long. The Margiris is hoping to change its name to The Able Tasman.  The vessel can process up to 250 tonnes of fish a day and its net is 600 metres long with an opening of 100 metres to 200 metres wide.

Opposition

The Margiris has come under scrutiny by members of parliament, independent MPs, Greenpeace groups, Scientists and local fishermen and anglers due to mainly its impressive quota. Some groups say that a quota, not of this size but a large quota should be shared between lots of smaller boats. This would lower the risk of catching other marine species and would create more jobs for Australia.  

Most Greenpeace groups raise the issue of, “what will happen to the environment?” Greenpeace activists, some animal welfare groups and Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke are worried about the protection and conservation of not only redbait and Jack mackerel but also the welfare of animals such as dolphins, sharks, albatross, seals and whales. There have been reports of large fishing trawlers crushing some of these animals to death. And worry that the Margiris hasn’t got the safety requirements to give such sea creatures safe from similar fates. Gerry Geen, head of Seafish, stated that they placed underwater cameras to nets to observe how animals react to the nets and that the Margiris has a safety hatch to filter out anything that isn’t in the stated quota. Though some scientists have come forward and said that these methods have never been tested on a vessel of this size.

Another issue facing the trawler is the data used for the allowing of the 18,000 tonne quota. Some scientists, politicians and Greenpeace groups have accused Seafish of using ten year old data when deciding on the quota. Graham Pike; AMFA’s Small Pelagic Resource Assessment Group and a leading recreational fishing activist, said that the 18000 year quota was based on flawed science and a ten year old assessment of mackerel stocks.

Questions have also been raised as to Gerry Geen’s involvement in the proceedings of the Margiris. Senator Ludwig said AFMA had received no application for the Margiris to fish in Australian waters. And Recreational fishing and conservation representatives rejected a doubling of the quota of 36000 tonnes before the Margiris docked in Port Lincoln.

There is an upside to this story though, the Margiris could be denied access to any ports for the ports is owned by port authorities and not the Commonwealths responsibilities. Port authorities can deny access of any port to the Margiris, not even Gerry Geen can make the authorities let the vessel enter.

Support

The only plus side to letting the Margiris, or “The Abel Tasman” as it is now called, to trawl Australian waters is that it would create 45 local jobs in Tasmania in its on shore processing plant. But even this has its hidden secrets; the Margiris has on deck refrigeration and processing station. In my opinion, even if the Tasmanian processing plant was opened its promised 45 jobs would either be cut back rapidly or the plant would be shut down due to cost cuts.

However, some experts from the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, the CSIRO and the South Australian Research and Development Institute, six scientists say that the 18000 tonne quota would not harm the environment. These scientists compared this to South Australia’s sardine fishing, which showed that a larger quota in a smaller area showed no negative impact on the environment. However this did not stop the signing of 3000 Tasmanians on a petition to stop the Margiris.

The last word

The super trawler is now on its way home after the Margiris was banned from fishing in Australian waters for two years. On the September 20 the Margiris was told to leave Australian waters. Two years isn’t a very long time, but with the over powering opposition that the public gave I think it would be highly unlikely that the Margiris will be allowed to fish in Australian waters.

 I personally hope the Margiris and other large fishing vessels stay out of Australian waters. We should try to conserve our environment. I think if Australia needs local jobs so badly that we have to ask other countries to send fishing boats just so as to gain 45 local jobs then I think we need to change. I think our Governments should focus on creating more jobs that help the environment not destroying it.

 

             Bibliography

“Abel Tasman Could be banned from Today”: Matthew Denholm, Tasmania correspondent From: The Australian September 20, 2012: accessed 24/09/12

•          http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1688551

“Tasmania Fired up Over Super Trawler”

SBS News: accessed 3/09/2012

“Feared Impact of Super Trawler Margiris Enrages NSW Anglers”: Malcolm Holland

The Daily Telegraph August 24 2012: Accessed 24/08/2012

 

“Trawler Company Fights Back with Science” No known writer

21 August 2012: Accessed 21/08/2012

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