I acknowledge and thank you for your 2024 election commitment to phase out commercial barramundi gillnets by August 2028.
Every day that destructive commercial gillnets are in NT waters, they pose a risk to marine wildlife, including threatened species such as dugongs, turtles, dolphins, river sharks, and endangered sawfish.
Three gillnet fishing areas have been closed by concerned Traditional Owners and the government capped effort, at decade-high levels, in three more areas. This means the destructive gillnets can be concentrated in two areas identified as critical habitat for threatened species - Van Diemen Gulf and the South-western Gulf of Carpentaria (which includes the mouth of the Roper River and Limmen Bight Marine Park). Both of these areas also contain globally recognised Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMA) and Important Shark and Ray Areas. This greater concentration of fishing effort in fewer areas, significantly heightens the danger to threatened, endangered and protected species (TEPS).
In 2025, the environmental stakes have risen with the snubfin and humpback dolphins added to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), followed by the uplisting of the freshwater sawfish to Endangered.
Furthermore, the economic stakes also continue to rise for Territorians. High-value tourism is being drawn to Queensland, where established net-free areas have set a new global standard for barramundi fishing and wildlife encounters. Rockhampton is already claiming itself as the ‘Barra Capital of Australia’ because of the success of the Fitzroy River (Tunuba) Net Free Zone. The CLP Government is effectively gifting our tourism dollars to our neighbours by failing to act on its commitments.
I urge the CLP government to take the first step in the phase-out by establishing priority gillnet-free areas, including the buyback and permanent retirement of gillnet licenses to address displaced fishing effort. The priority gillnet-free areas are Van Diemen Gulf and the South-western Gulf of Carpentaria (Roper River mouth/coastal region and Limmen Bight Marine Park).
Territorians deserve healthy rivers and coasts that support local jobs and local economies.
Together, we can create a future where our coastal and marine environments remain vibrant and resilient for generations to come, supporting our outdoor lifestyle, local tourism industry, and unique marine life.