Commercial fishing industry repeatedly complain that smaller operators were being unfairly penalized and thus paying heed to them the government has modifies its fees colleting strategy. Under previous arrangements, the state’s more than 40 commercial fisheries were paying anywhere between one and ten per cent of the value of their catch.
The new strategy of collecting commercial fishing fees, from next month, will involve fishers to pay an across the board fee of five per cent on the value of their catch. The Fisheries Minister Norman Moore told that while the new arrangements might not be popular with everyone, it follows extensive consultation with the industry. He added that the new fee structure will be a fairer system for all. He informed that the fees is a bit like a royalty where the commercial fisheries will pay to access our fish and we think that provides a fair return to the taxpayers of Western Australia and also provides us with a revenue source to make sure we manage the fishery in a way that will see it sustainable.
