The Legislative Council has passed the state government’s legislation to ban supertrawlers in Tasmanian waters.
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The Living Marine Resources Amendment Bill’s passage through the Parliament was relatively swift, with its first reading in the lower house occurring in early April.
Supertrawlers are large fishing vessels that have the capacity to catch significant numbers of fish.
The Hodgman government was elected with a mandate to mitigate the damage done by supertrawlers to the state’s pelagic fishery.
Lyons Liberal MHA Mark Shelton said “all Tasmanians who love[d] to fish” would be pleased the bill had passed both houses.
“Our bill should give recreational fishers additional comfort that any future attempt to let supertrawlers into the small pelagic fishery will be met with parliamentary hurdles,” Mr Shelton said.
Furthermore, he stressed the Tasmanian government would continue working with the federal government to secure a ban on supertrawlers in Commonwealth waters, too.