Backing our wild fishing industry

The Tasmanian Government is continuing to support our world class wild fishing industry and we remain committed to helping it through the challenging circumstances caused by COVID-19 and other global market access restrictions.

I am pleased to announce that a further

$663,000 in fee relief is now available for rock lobster and other commercial wild fishers.

The new funding builds on the comprehensive $5.5 million support package provided to the fisheries sector in 2020.

This funding package has been developed following consultation with the Tasmanian Rock Lobster Fisherman’s Association and the Tasmanian Seafood Industry Council.

Tasmanian lobster fishers and processors have not been able to access the primary export market of China since October last year.

This has heavily impacted the industry, which employs hundreds of fishers and supports many other jobs in processing, transport and supply chain areas.

The $663,000 relief package includes:

Waiver of the biotoxin levy payable by rock lobster fishers;

Waiver of the translocation levy payable by rock lobster fishers;

Waiver of rock lobster tags fees payable by fishers and processors; and

Waiver of the Fishing Vessel Licence fee (rock lobster and other commercial wild fishers including scalefish and abalone).

Our government continues to work with and support Tasmania’s primary industries to recover from the impacts of COVID-19 through initiatives such as the $1.9 million Agricultural Workforce Resilience Package, which included the Tassie Harvest, Take Your Pick jobs campaign for seasonal workers, the Trade Alliance Program to help business and industry develop partnerships to market and deliver their products and supporting freight initiatives to help get product to market.

We will continue to monitor market conditions and support new trade initiatives to help our industries recover from the impacts COVID-19 has had on our industries and economy.

Further information about how eligible fishers can have their individual payments waived (for fishers who have not yet paid their 2021 fees) or refunded (for fees already paid in 2021) will be available on the DPIPWE website.