 |
Ref:580/03 |
|
|
 |
AUSTRALIA
- Mar 7, 2003 |
|
|
Don't Fish Off Farms
|
|
Julia
Langford - Friday, 7 March 2003
Many people are fishing within the aquaculture
lease zones at Fitzgerald Bay without realising it is
against the law.
That's according to South Australian Aquaculture
Management farm manager Phil Hart, whose company
leases four of the five kingfish farms at Fitzgerald
Bay.
He said recent fishing reports in the Sunday Mail
stating that "big snapper came from near the
Fitzgerald Bay fish farms" (Sunday Mail, March 3) had
prompted many fisherman to come and try their luck in
the lease area.
The problem, according to Mr Hart, is that anglers
have been tying up to the kingfish sea cages, meaning
that there was a large risk to expensive aquaculture
equipment.
"There is a risk of damaging equipment as boats could
run over mooring ropes and even could run over nets,"
he said.
"We have a massive investment out here and we don't
want to put the investment at risk by people
unwittingly causing damage.
"Plus they could do damage to their own gear and it
affects the integrity of the farm."
The South Australian Aquaculture Act of 2001 states
that the lessee of an aquaculture lease has the right
of exclusive occupation of the marked off areas of the
lease.
If any person enters a marked-off area of an
aquaculture lease, they must leave immediately if told
to by an authorised person, otherwise face a maximum
penalty of $2500 or six months in prison.
Mr Hart said the fish farms at Fitzgerald Bay are
clearly marked with corner markers featuring a yellow
Saint Andrew's cross and these also had night lights
on them to make them visible in the dark.
The 2001 aquaculture act also states that people
interfering with aquaculture equipment in a marked off
area could face a maximum penalty of two years in
prison.
"As far as I'm concerned, tying up to a sea cage is
interfering with the farm," Mr Hart said.
"We are asking people to respect the fact we have
leases over that area and the law does not allow
people to go inside."
Mr Hart said that SAAM would be implementing security
monitoring on the farms after hours in an attempt to
overcome the problem. |
|
|
