- Trial protections for blue gropers in NSW to continue for another three years
- Blue groper numbers have halved near some of NSW's most populated areas, including Sydney
- NSW protections temporarily align with Victoria and Tasmania, based on scientific advice and strong community feedback
NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty has given the state's declining eastern blue groper population some welcome relief by extending trial protections, the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) said after the announcement today.
Spearfishing for blue gropers has been banned in NSW since 1969 and commercial fishing of the species stopped in 1980, but they could previously still be caught and killed recreationally using line fishing. Under a 12-month trial beginning in March last year in response to public outcry over a series of illegal spearfishing incidents, the blue groper was protected from all forms of fishing and had to be released alive if accidentally caught while line fishing.
Today's announcement to extend these trial protections for another three years comes just after the NSW fisheries department released research showing eastern blue groper populations have plummeted by at least half around some of the state's most populated areas, including Sydney.
AMCS Marine Parks Campaigner James Sherwood said: "We are pleased to see the NSW Government has listened to overwhelming community support and scientific advice, throwing a lifeline to the state's beloved blue gropers.
"Since blue gropers are long-lived, slow-growing, late to mature, and live in social groups, they are highly susceptible to fishing pressure. Even low levels of recreational fishing impact can still decimate local populations.
"Extending these protections for a further three years will give the government sufficient time to conduct more research and create a monitoring program that will aid blue groper recovery and should give us a better idea for how their populations are responding along the coast. It's a great first step, but protecting this iconic species through a permanent ban on all forms of fishing would be preferable given their recent declines.
"The blue groper is the state emblem of NSW. They are loved by swimmers, snorkelers, divers, photographers and nature lovers, are economically valuable to the dive industry and hold high cultural and social importance to coastal communities. The public outcry following recent illegal spearfishing incidents demonstrates the deep community connection to this species.
"The blue groper is a keystone species that helps control the abundance of their prey, including long-spined sea urchins that have become problematic in some parts of the NSW coast. Only the large blue male gropers have the ability to tackle the urchin populations. These large individuals are often targeted when recreational fishing is permitted.
"This decision also creates consistency in the rules for all fishers and brings NSW temporarily into line with Victoria and Tasmania.
"While it's a great outcome for the blue gropers in NSW, protecting a single species from fishing impacts alone is not enough. Even accidental catch and release also regularly ends in injury or death for blue gropers, which tend to wedge themselves into a cave or crevice when hooked and respond poorly to the experience of being caught.
"So we need to ensure that blue gropers and their habitats are protected through the creation of marine sanctuaries. Currently, only around 7% of the NSW coast is adequately protected by marine sanctuaries and the NSW Government urgently needs to increase this to ensure that our marine life thrives into the future."
