Rock lobster fisher Adam Johnson had hoped his children would follow in his footsteps, but he says a proposal to allow larger boats to fish in more Tasmanian waters could have a detrimental impact on smaller operations.
In the coastal town of St Helens, commercial rock lobster fishing is still a key contributor to the local economy.Rock lobster fishers on Tasmania's east coast are concerned about a proposal that would give larger boats access to more areas
"We've seen the rock lobster industry halve in the last 20-odd years, I don't really want to see it get any less if we can help it," he said.The government is now proposing to expand that, to include the north-west, and north-east. Fellow fisher Daymin Johnson — no relation — said the change could exacerbate the existing "race to fish" mentality.
"You've got to look at the economic net benefit to a community as well when we're talking about a community, Tasmanian-owned resource," Mr Tucker said. The association's chief executive, former state government minister Rene Hidding, said expanding the 60-pot zone was the association's formal policy.
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