According to the report the State Government and the fishing industry have agreed on a new system that will allocate individual quotas for the commercial rock lobster fishers. Fisheries Minister Norman Moore informed that the industry would move to an individually transferable quota system next season.
He told that the new quota system will be possible after receiving the support for the proposal from the WA Fishing Industry Council and the Western Rock Lobster Council. He added that this system will replace the current model which allows for fishers to catch as many rock lobsters as they can within the total allowable catch for the season.
Moore explained that the current system was not sufficient and led to a “race to catch” mentality among rock lobster fishers. On the contrary the new system would allow a quota for each fisher based on how many units they owned within the fisher. He also said that the new system would enable individuals greater choice in targeting their markets.
He said that the cost of implementing the new system would be about $2 million and there would be saving in the long term. He expected industry to bear the initial brunt of the extra costs. The first stage would be a paper-based transferable quota due to start in December this year.
