Commercial fishermen are on high to fish in this condition. Peter Manning, who operates a commercial fishing boat from Gove, admits that the swollen rivers in the Gulf of Carpenteria are likely to fish well this month. According to him 23 commercial boats in Northern Territory waters expect to catch 600 tonnes of barramundi by the season close on the 30th of September.
Manning also added that the Roper River has been flooded at least 8 metres over the crossing. Besides, the Mary River seemed to be flowing and in Arnhem Land, places like the Blyth and the Glyde Rivers also running well up. He states that in February and March more rainfall is schedule to be and so the best is yet to come. Therefore more buybacks of commercial fishing licences needed.
Manning is on the Barramundi Licencee Committee and said the government didn’t buy back all the licences operating in the Roper, McArthur and Daly Rivers when they were closed to commercial fishing. He also suggests that it is high time the industry and the Amateur Fishermen’s Association should resolve the issue. According to Chris Makepeace, association member, the government could invest $7 million to resolve the issue of licence now, but warns that for every year the buyback is delayed, the licences will gain value.
Commeting on that the Fisheries Minister Chris Natt says buying back barramundi licences is on government’s agenda. According to him the stocks of barramundi are healthy and the government is interested to invest heavily on buyback licences.
