CHANGES announced to commercial fishing in NSW will support local fishers and ensure the supply of locally caught, high quality seafood continues into the future.
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The key changes see the NSW Government investing in fishing businesses and providing South Coast fishers with the tools to better manage their business sustainably.
“The $90 million commercial fishing industry is hugely important in NSW,” said South Coast MP, Shelley Hancock.
“Especially to our local community in the South Coast, which significantly benefits from what this industry brings to our local economy.
Having regularly met with local commercial fishers up and down the NSW Coast over the last year, the NSW Government has now delivered a tailored program that addresses many of the concerns raised by fishers.
The changes will provide more certainty and support ... to invest in their businesses and cement the future of the commercial fishing industry ... for years to come.”
Under the new program, fishers will have the option to grow their business or choose to exit the industry through a range of supportive measures including: low interest rate loans of up to $80,000 to assist with purchasing more shares; grants of up to $10,000 for retraining assistance; grants of up to $1000 for independent business advice; subsidies for buyers and sellers of shares; fishing business buyouts fixed payments of $20,000; an extended cap on management fees; and assistance for fishing cooperatives including grants of $30,000 for business advice and standardised long term leases for cooperatives on Crown land.
The NSW Government will also invest $400,000 as part of a campaign to promote NSW caught seafood as sustainable and fresh, and work with industry to implement an origin- labelling scheme for cooked seafood across the state.
Commercial fishers on the South Coast will receive information in the post within the coming days.
More information on the NSW Commercial Fisheries Business Adjustment Program is available at dpi.nsw.gov.au.