ENVIRONMENT Minister Tony Burke has announced tough new conditions on a super-trawler docked in Australian waters.
The controversial super-trawler Margiris will be required to have an observer on board and to record its activities via an underwater camera under the new measures the minister announced on Monday night on ABC television's Q&A program.
The operators of the vessel must ensure that listed threatened species, migratory species, cetaceans and marine species are not killed or injured as a result of trawling operations, Mr Burke said.
"The big vessel will have to fish within the rules so that the impact it has on the environment is no more than if it was fishing on a small vessel," he said.
Mr Burke said while he didn't have the power to stop the super-trawler under environmental laws, he was able to impose restrictions on its activities based on the impact it could have on listed species such as seals and dolphins.
"My role as environment minister is to ensure that fisheries are managed in a way that protects Australia's biodiversity, particularly as they relate to specific listed species," he said.
Under the measures, if dolphins are killed by its nets, the trawler will have to stop fishing and travel 50 nautical miles (93km) before it restarts fishing activities.
The same applies if three or more seals die.
The vessel will also not be able to fish in sea lion hunting grounds.
The conditions are being imposed for an initial two-week period to give the company that owns the super-trawler an opportunity to comment on the conditions.
The minister says he will use his powers to amend accreditation of the trawler's fishery so that the company would be prosecuted if it doesn't adhere to the new conditions.
Mr Burke will consider comments received before applying conditions in the longer term.
Australia to ban giant fishing trawler
Reuters 11 Sep 12;
SYDNEY | Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:50am EDT
(Reuters) - Australia plans to block a controversial "super trawler" from fishing in its waters for two years in a victory for environmental activists worried about the impact on fish stocks and other marine life.
Australian Environment Minister Tony Burke will introduce legislation on Tuesday to give him the power to ban the vessel from fishing until more scientific research is carried out.
Burke said there was too much uncertainty surrounding the environmental impact of the 142 meter (466 foot) trawler, reportedly the world's second-largest fishing vessel.
"There has never been a fishing vessel of this capacity in Australia before and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act needs to be updated so that it can deal with it," Burke said.
Seafish Tasmania brought the FV Margiris to Australian shores last month in a joint-venture with the Dutch owners. It was awarded a 18,000 tonne quota to fish for jack mackerel and red bait fish off the coast of Australia under strict conditions. Its name was changed to the Abel Tasman and registered in Australia.
"Changing laws in response to emotive campaigning and "trial by media" undermines the credibility of Australian fisheries management, creates uncertainty and insecurity for fishermen and deters investment that is needed to support regional jobs," Seafish Tasmania and the Commonwealth Fisheries Association said in an open letter to lawmakers published on Tuesday.
Greenpeace, which had attempted to stop the ship docking when it arrived in South Australia, hailed the decision as a "sensible response to the threat of the Abel Tasman".
(Reporting by Damian Gill, Editing by Jonathan Thatcher)