Concerns grow surrounding proposed fisheries restructure

A VICTORIAN Fisheries Authority (VFA) proposal has sparked a vote of no confidence in the chief executive officer from the union and a petition with thousands of signatures.

Earlier this year, VFA put forward a restructuring proposal which would see the closure of five existing fisheries stations, including the partial closure of the Queenscliff station, and a reduction in its workforce.

But concerns about the impact of the cuts on the local environment and enforcement, especially at a time when a record number of offences have been detected, has led members of the Fisheries Officers Association, a sub-branch of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), to reach a vote of no confidence in VFA CEO Travis Dowling.

CPSU industrial organiser Kassey Dickie said the no-confidence vote had been building for a while within the Fisheries Officers Association.

“The members have been very concerned for a long time about the vacancies that were being held in their workspace,” she said.

“The vote of no confidence speaks to a range of considerations including the deterioration of staff safety, wellbeing and culture.”

Ms Dickie said the proposed cuts to the workforce, which would see officers numbers in the Port Phillip and Western Port area reduced from 27 to nine, raises concerns around how fish stocks will be maintained and how enforcement will be managed into the future.

Ms Dickie said the vote of no confidence is something that should be taken seriously.

“These things are not done lightly. They’re not done without evidence; they’re not done without real concerns being factored into why a workplace or a group of workers get to this point.

“It is a huge concern for people who are not just facing job losses, but the work that they’ve done, their life’s work in trying to protect and conserve this environment and to ensure that enforcement is as best as it possibly can be to limit the impact on the fisheries.”

In an attempt to halt the proposed cuts, Abalone Council Victoria last month launched a petition highlighting the implications cutting the current workforce would have on the state’s fish stocks, marine parks and protected wildlife species. It has since garnered more than 13,000 signatures.

Abalone Council Victoria executive director Josh Cahill said the organisation started the petition after raising their concerns with Shadow Fisheries Minister Sam Groth.

“We were hoping that if it got enough [signatures], it would demonstrate to the current fisheries minister that there is sufficient support, not just in the fishing industry but the public in general for fisheries officers and the need to have fisheries officers on the ground, patrolling to ensure that regulations are adhered to.”

The Victorian National Parks Association, Victorian Recreational Fishing peak body and Seafood Industry Victoria have joined the Abalone Council Victoria in anticipating devastating consequences if enforcement officers are reduced.

The groups are calling for an immediate reconsideration of the proposed cuts.

The VFA declined to comment.