Hon. Amanda Dorn questions the Minister for Fisheries regarding the impact of the demersal fishing ban on adjacent bioregions and enforcement capacity, referencing an IUCN report. The Minister refutes the IUCN report's claims and states ongoing monitoring.

AnsweredQoN 292Legislative Council
Asked
6 May 2026
Portfolio
Fisheries

QuestionView source ↗

Demersal fishing ban
292. Hon Amanda Dorn to
the Minister for Fisheries:
I
refer to the Prohibition on Fishing for Demersal Scalefish Order 2025 and to the
International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) World Heritage Outlook 4
assessment of Shark Bay, which identified increasing recreational fishing in
the region, recommending greater enforcement capacity.
(1) Has the minister
received advice on whether the closure has displaced recreational fishers to
adjacent bioregions and, if so, what advice has been provided?
(2) Has the minister
received advice from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional
Development regarding enforcement capacity in adjacent bioregions and, if so,
what advice has been provided?
(3) Will the minister commit to a review
of DPIRD enforcement resourcing in adjacent bioregions in response to the IUCN assessment
and, if not, why not?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1)–(3) The
International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) World Heritage Outlook 4
report, referenced in the member's question, does not identify increasing
recreational fishing in the region; nor does it recommend greater enforcement
capacity. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development continues to monitor the impact of demersal
fishing reforms announced in December of last year.

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