Hawkesbury River Fishing Industry

Mrs JUDY HOPWOOD (Hornsby) [1.32 p.m.]: The Hawkesbury River is a significant part of the Hornsby electorate. This mighty body of water forms the boundary between Hornsby and the Central Coast. It is home to a number of river communities and supports a fishing industry that is vital to the food basket of Sydney. Fishermen in the area have been harvesting and supplying seafood since 1946. Not long ago the QX parasite completely destroyed the oyster industry as a result of the combination of drought, low water flows, raw sewage flowing into the Hawkesbury and toxins from salvinia weed harvesting. Luckily, due to the perseverance of a handful of oyster farmers, the oyster industry resurfaced and is showing a tremendous comeback in the face of oblivion, with Pacific oysters and some Sydney rock oysters, which are QX resistant, growing strongly. The oyster industry is managed from headquarters in Mooney Mooney.

I draw attention to the Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchment Management Authority and its excellent newsletter the Source, which deals with natural resource and environmental issues as well as projects in the Hawkesbury-Nepean. The catchment area is of national significance, not least because of its association with the fishing industry. Over time I have had a number of meetings with members of the fishing community. The most recent occurred when I took the shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Andrew Fraser, to Brooklyn to discuss various issues currently facing fishers on the Hawkesbury. I thank Rolf Norrington and Mary Howard for their invaluable help and instruction in assisting me to understand the problems that are facing the industry—problems that will result in serious damage to the fishing industry if the Labor Government does not heed cries for assistance.

Over the years a number of studies have been undertaken of the health of the Hawkesbury River. In 2002 the Regulation Review Committee of this Parliament made one such report on fisheries management and aquaculture. Finally, a few years ago, when the health of the river was rated poorly, community calls for providing sewerage for Brooklyn, Dangar Island and other communities were heeded. In the Hornsby electorate, the connections are almost complete. It is a shame that the Government did not add recycling to the installation: fishermen are very concerned about the outfall under the road bridge and the exclusion zone around it. The mandatory introduction of square mesh codends is of major concern to local fishers. Rolf Norrington maintains that research completed in one estuary should not dictate decisions for all estuaries. He wants a 12-month extension at least to the introduction scheduled for 1 January 2009 so that Hawkesbury-specific research can be undertaken. One size does not fit all.

There must be individual estuary-based management. The department is not listening to all fishers who want input into decision making. The present information sharing is not good enough. There is one management advisory committee meeting per year, which is appalling when there should be two—the entire estuarine complex cannot be managed from Cronulla. Restrictions on commercial fishing on weekends and public holidays are seriously impeding the ability of fishers to do their work and cater for the market. Egeria densa weed is a massive problem in the Hawkesbury and elsewhere, but the scientific study that would assist fishers to deal with it has not been released. I ask the Minister when the report is likely to be released. Uniqueness and sensitive nature must be taken into account when the Labor Government is making decisions about the fishing industry and its future.

Mary Howard has produced a wonderful poster and presentation titled "Aquatic Ecosystem Productivity Relies on Water Managers and Sustainable Cities". It depicts rainfall and prawn catches, and compares these indicators to fishing businesses—the latter of which are dropping in numbers. Sydney's population growth needs to be monitored alongside environmental studies. The Hawkesbury is the second-largest prawn trawl fishery in New South Wales and it is the only squid trawl fishery. To provide sustainable water management for cities, the aquatic ecosystems in the rivers and estuaries require variable seasonal flows of aquatic ecosystem quality water. There must be the ability to compensate for the deterioration of habitat across catchments as a result of diffuse pollution and constant effluent flows.

Other concerns about regulatory compliance exist, and cost is a huge factor. The industry pays a boat licence fee to NSW Maritime for registration of fishing vessels, and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries also charges a fee for the same boat to be registered to a fishing business owner. This is duplication. The industry also pays a licence fee to the Food Authority that provides a through-chain tracing of all seafood for human consumption. NSW Fisheries charges a fish receiver's licence to trace the food from the producer to the retailer. This is another instance of duplication.

I thank Rolf Norrington and Mary Howard for their assistance, and the Prawn Trawler Association for information it provided. These are sensible people who do not fish over seagrass: they worry incessantly about the health of the Hawkesbury River. They want to do their utmost to make sure it is not overfished and that appropriate decisions are made for its management to protect the ecosystem for present and future generations. It is vitally important for the Rees Labor Government to listen to what the fishers around the Hawkesbury have to say. Their voices must be heard and their concerns must be taken into account rather than ignored, if the future of the Hawkesbury as a fishing area is to be assured.