Tyler Redway
A FORUM which aims to gather feedback from south-east recreational fishers about their ideas and concerns in the industry is coming to Mount Gambier/Berrin this month.
RecFish SA will host the event to gain a better understanding of the local perspectives and priorities local fishers had to discuss.
Mount Gambier/Berrin is the forum’s first regional South Australian stop, before it moves onto Port Lincoln, Whyalla and Renmark.
RecFish SA deputy chair Barry Brown said the forum was arranged to let the voices of more regional communities be heard by the industry.
Mr Brown said the feedback from locals would help the organisation to advocate for better conditions, resources and regulations, which would be presented to the State Government.
“There are 360,000 recreational fishers in South Australia and the industry is worth more than a billion dollars a year, which has been confirmed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA),” Mr Brown said.
“It’s a massive industry and we are constantly trying to get the government to see the massive value of it so they stop treating it as a hobby to catch a couple of fish, because it really is worth a lot of money especially to tourism.
“People are now paying a lot of money to go down to the South East and chase barrel tuna, so people are spending thousands of dollars in regions like that for charter boats and other things so they can chase them.
“We are just keen for rec fishers to come along to tell us what really is important to them because then we will use that to prioritise our programs and issues we pursue for the following year.”
Mr Brown said one issue in particular which was already highlighted in the Limestone Coast was the restocking of the Valley Lake/Ketla Malpi with native fish as part of a recommendation to the Mount Gambier City Council last year.
He said it was issues and proposals made by community members, like the Valley Lake/Ketla Malpi, which would help the organisation advocate for better changes in the future to the industry.
“Once we know what is important, we can prioritise things but for now it’s about listening to and following up on the things which are a major concern to people in these areas,” he said.
“As the peak body, our job is to advocate on behalf of recreational fishers, so it’s critical that we find out what the priorities are for them.
“For a lot of people in the South East, it’s going to be very different compared to an area such as metropolitan Adelaide so we want to ensure we are listening to all of the different areas and getting their feedback.”
Mr Brown encouraged all recreational fishers in the region to attend the forum to ensure their voices, ideas and concerns were being heard.
The RecFish SA forum will be held at the Mount Gambier Golf Club on May 18 from 6.30pm.
