I acknowledge and thank you for your commitment to phase out destructive commercial barramundi gillnets by August 2028. However, the daily presence of gillnets in our NT waters continues to pose a severe risk to marine wildlife, including threatened species such as dugongs, turtles, dolphins, river sharks, and critically endangered sawfish. We urge you to take the next critical steps to ensure these species are protected and there are no local extinctions.
We need to:
- Implement Gillnet-Free Areas: Protect and help the recovery of threatened species by establishing gillnet-free zones in the two areas identified to be of critical importance: Van Diemen Gulf and the Southwestern Gulf of Carpentaria. This action is urgently needed - we recommend this be in place by August 2025.
- Address Displaced Fishing Effort: Initiate a buyback and permanent retirement of gillnet licenses to manage and mitigate the resulting displaced fishing effort effectively.
- Publicly outline the regulatory process and timeline for the implementation of the full phase out of gillnets in the Northern Territory by end February 2025.
Your continued leadership and swift action on these initiatives are essential for protecting threatened species and supporting the Territory recreational fishing experience, both depending on a thriving natural environment.
Thank you once again for your commitment to protecting our Top End coasts. 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.