Super-trawler debate Bycatch
The ALP and Greens are quite rightly science believers on Global Warming, but go soft and mushy when it comes to a scientific applications of fishing quotas. The Margiris or Abel Tasman super trawler seems to me to a safer option on bycatch than existing trawlers, it’s not a dredging trawler so it doesn’t hash up the bottom, and it’s easier to keep surveyance on it. The history of degradation of fish stocks is historically bound up with increased size and range of fishing boats, going back to the invention of steam trawlers, so we have a natural suspicion of a super-big boat. But let’s look at the science of it. But I personally think it’s a better option than existing fishing fleets. And it will provide cheaper better sardines to thousands of Africans ….. but they seem to have been left out of the equation. There you go – I’m a heretic.