Fisheries Department boss Stuart Smith has warned that WA’s commercial fishing sector faces an uncertain future unless operators gain international sustainability accreditation.
Just days after supermarket giant Coles announced it would accept only “certified” sustainable fish from 2015, Mr Smith said helping WA’s 47 professional fishing groups win “eco labelling” was vital to their survival.
The comments from the department’s director-general come amid efforts by WA’s commercial fishing lobby to get State Government support for certification of industry members.
Mr Smith said the State’s biggest commercial fishery - the $200 million rock lobster industry - had gained certification several years ago but none of the others had even applied.
He said it would become increasingly important they win approval from such bodies as the Marine Stewardship Council - the “gold standard” of certification - to prevent losing access to markets.
He conceded the process would take several years and could eventually cost the broader industry millions of dollars but said the risk of not doing it could be far more significant.
“If we are going to continue to have locally supplied fish at supermarkets, we are going to have to have some form of certification,” Mr Smith said.
“The community doesn’t necessarily believe government or industry, whether it be fisheries matters or otherwise - they treat anything we say with a degree of scepticism.
“Third party certification has the potential to say, ‘Yeah, this fishery is sustainable’, and the community is more likely to believe that.”
George Kailis, director of WA fishing business MG Kailis, said there was added impetus for fishers to attain certification as research had shown customers would pay more for eco-friendly products. He said Coles’ announcement was a wake-up call for those in government and industry who felt the issue could stay on the backburner.
“It has definitely been brought to the front burner,” Mr Kailis said.
“That doesn’t mean everybody agrees with it, it doesn’t mean everybody likes it or that it is even going to be suitable for everybody, but I think there is strong consensus that it is becoming a major factor in our industry.”
