Fears seafood shops will not survive looming gillnet ban

A couple operating a seafood restaurant in Ayr, Heather and Peter Bradford, worry that their business may not survive if commercial fishers abandon the industry when gillnet fishing is banned in the Great Barrier Reef Zone. The state and federal governments announced in 2023 their commitment to phase out gillnets by June 30, 2027.

Temporary gillnet licences expire on the same date, and the state government is running trials to find alternative fishing methods. However, fishers and business owners in north Queensland are concerned about the economic consequences of the ban. Heather Bradford stated that without gillnet fishers on the water, their business will likely have to close.

She emphasized that 80% of their customers are locals who prefer locally caught seafood. Neil Green, a commercial fisher, stated that alternative methods such as trapping and line fishing have not been successful so far. He expressed his concern about the next generation of fishers and urged for a three-year extension to the ban.

Shadow Minister for Northern Australia Susan McDonald supports the extension, arguing that it would allow fishers to demonstrate the targeted nature of gillnet fishing. AMCS campaign manager Simon Miller opposes extending the licence, stating that it would cost wildlife by continuing to catch threatened species. Queensland Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrrett acknowledged the calls for extension and is working on finding solutions, but so far there have been no changes to the regulations.