TASMANIAN Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson says a six-figure political donation from the tuna industry to the Liberals risks bringing fisheries management into disrepute.
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Senator Whish-Wilson quizzed Liberal Senator Richard Colbeck over the donation during Senate estimates on Monday.
He asked whether it was linked to a promise not to switch to a more expensive quota management system.
Fairfax reported that donations totalling $320,000 - $250,000 of which was made before the last federal election - was the first to be made to any party by the Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Industry Association.
The industry group has rejected the connection, but said it was in reaction to the former Labor government reducing quota sizes.
"The sustainability of our Australian fisheries and their management relies on good science, and cannot be seen to be influenced by political donations," Senator Whish-Wilson said.
"The acceptance of this big one-off $320,000 political donation from a commercial fishing interest, and the industry association saying the donation was linked to a quota decision, risks bringing into disrepute fisheries management in Australia," he said.
Senator Colbeck, who is responsible for fisheries, told the committee that ensuring the cost of fisheries management was reasonable had been a "long-term concern of mine" and would not go ahead with the new system until it became cost effective.
"I have not ever solicited donations from the Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Industry Association," Senator Colbeck said.
Senator Whish-Wilson said the government needed to act to bring integrity back into the quota system.
"Fisheries quotas, the building block of sustainable fisheries management, should be set based on fisheries and environmental science, and should not be influenced by donations or incentives from the commercial fishing industry," he said.
