South Australian Marine Scalefish Fishery licence holders will benefit from fee relief for their licence fees as the sector enters the later stages of the Marine Scalefish Fishery (MSF) reform.
The MSF reform process, commenced under the former government, included a voluntary licence surrender program which removed 100 licences from the fishery, and the implementation of Individual Transferrable Quota for the four primary species, King George Whiting, Calamari, Southern Garfish and Snapper, based on previous catch history.
With the large-scale changes to the industry, and with the former government’s licence fee offset ending in 2024-25, the Malinauskas Labor Government will extend support for the industry as it continues its period of adjustment, with $1.55 million over the next three years going to support South Australian MSF quota licence holders.
The fee relief will be introduced alongside a new licence fee structure, which will be made up of a base fee of 30% and a quota fee of 70%, resulting in those with greater access to our state’s marine resources paying more than those operators with little to no quota.
South Australia’s Marine Scalefish Fishery employs 275 people and is worth $32.8 million to our state’s economy, largely benefiting coastal regional communities.
