Speakers: Speaker 4, Speaker 17, Speaker 12, Speaker 9

Transcript

Speaker 4

>> Thank you very much, Chair. I'd like to ask about the WA demeral fishing ban. Appreciate that it was a West Australian government decision. Uh but I do want to understand what role uh your department and this government may have had in uh in that decision. So, um, when was staff first notified of WA's intention to permanently ban commercial fishing in the West Coast bio region and, uh, close boat based recreational fishing until 2027.

Speaker 12

>> Thank you, Senator. So, Mattllo, Deputy Secretary, Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Policy Group. As you noted, um, it is a state matter. Um so the extent to which we're able to comment will be quite limited. Um but we will try to assist where we can. I'll pass to my

Speaker 17

colleague. >> Thank you Sarah J. McCormack first assistant secretary. Um so we didn't have any notification prior to the announcement of the WA government.

Speaker 4

>> Really? Okay. So

Speaker 9

>> sorry. Is that is that usual if you don't mind? Is that is that usual that

Speaker 17

you wouldn't be informed about a statebased ban? uh g given that it is as um mur said entirely managed by WA government um and completely within their jurisdiction it's matters for

Speaker 4

them. >> Okay. So when so how did you find out?

Speaker 17

>> Uh I think >> through the media or or >> Yeah, I'm not sure of any sort of formal correspondence that that might have come in to the department. Uh I I hadn't seen any formal correspondence. You >> check that for me?

Speaker 4

>> Yeah. Yeah, we can take that on notice. >> Thank you. Um so has the department reviewed or independently assessed the west coast snapper and demercal uh stock assessments underpinning these closures? >> No we haven't. >> You don't have any uh interest in or or responsibility in actually doing that stock assessment