Understanding the Super Trawler.
There have been many questions raised over the 9500 tonne and 142 metre long super trawler and its quota systems and what construction will it leave in its path. It’s the largest fishing vessel that would ever fish in Australian waters, and has been talked upon the nation over many different social sites and a lot of protests from the Green peace and commercial fisherman that are trying to put a stop to the largest trawler to have ever fished in Australian waters. The super trawler is targeting a fish species called Jack Mackerel, Redbait and other small pelagic fish. The super trawler has announced that there quota will be no more than 18 000 tonne but there has been commotion whether this is too big of a quota or not big enough.
In a recent article from the ABC, Will the super trawler Abel Tasman (Margiris) destroy our fisheries? Mr Gerry Geen, director of the firm Sea fish Tasmania says “they are looking to catch a quota of 18,000 tonnes of jack mackerel and redbait, which he says is 5% of the fish stock in that fishery.” Many questions have been asked about if the quota is sustainable enough for the fishing industry but the 18 000 tonne of fish to be caught doesn’t just affect the target species, but the rest of the ocean’s ecosystems. Because the Animals that rely on the target species (Jack Mackerel and Redbait) as a primary food source could also be greatly affected resulting in a trophic cascade (domino effect) and possibly destroy and disrupt the whole food chain.
This is a major concern not to just the population of Redbait and Jack Mackerel but also the by catch that will be caught during the process of catching the red bait and jack Mackerel, such as dolphins, seals, or Sea Lions the list goes on but recently Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke confirmed new rules targeting at limiting the number of by-catch of seals, dolphins and sea lions. These new rules of Mr Burkes require the operation to stop fishing if a dolphin, seal or sea lion is to be caught and if they do happen to net a seal, dolphin or sea lion they are to relocate the ship 50 nautical miles from where they netted the by catch before they are to resume their fishing.
The super trawler is capable of wiping out colonies and schools of fish during a day because of the great technologies that the super trawler has. They use this to an advantage to track and locate the areas of where the fish are. Another reason why they are able to disrupt a whole food chain within a day is because they are able to catch up to 250 tonnes a day, that’s enough damage and disturbance to put a food chain off balance and potentially destroy it.
To see the super trawler in Tasmanian waters would really have a massive effect on the Tasmanian community and local fishermen. To know that there is a massive trawler out there of a size of 142m long that is using a net more than double the size of the ship its self (300m long) and with an opening of 35m. The allowance of a super trawler into our waters could be the start of losing jobs with local fishermen not being able to catch the amount they need because the Jack Mackerel and Rebait’s population has declined causing the higher consumers on the food chain that consume the Redbait and Jack Mackerel to decrease also this will have an immense effect on the ecosystem and other food chain’s and webs.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Matthew Denholm, Rebecca Puddy (2012) ‘Calls for full ban on super-trawler grow ‘
Available From: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/calls-for-full-ban-on-super-trawler-grow/story-fn59niix-1226465085504
Accessed on 8/9/2012.
Bill Brown (2012) Will the super trawler Abel Tasman (Margiris) destroy our fisheries?
Available from: http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/07/16/3546776.htm
Accessed on 8/9/2012