February 16, 2007

Abalone drought looming in Australia

Fishermen are sliding into an "abalone drought" in the seas off south-west Victoria, Australia and industry leaders are calling for government assistance.

All fishing and diving from boats between Warrnambool and Port Campbell would be banned under a push by abalone divers to stop a deadly virus wiping out the multi-million-dollar industry.

The Victorian Abalone Divers' Association voted this week to voluntarily close boat ramps between Warrnambool and Port Campbell until September. The plan to close down the area shocked and outraged fishermen.

The virus has the potential to wipe out all classes of the seafood, stocks of which might take years to recover.

This is no different to drought on the land, like flood or bushfire, said Western District Divers Association executive Harry Peeters, adding they should be treated on the same footing.

A spokesman for Federal Fisheries Minister Senator Eric Abetz said the Commonwealth department was working with Victorian Fisheries to control the disease but support beyond that was unlikely.

He said the disease was unlikely to fit into the guidelines of exceptional circumstances given to drought-stricken farmers because the weather had not created the situation.

The spokesman said it was a state responsibility to assist the industry or attempt to make an EC application to the Federal government.

The state government did not want to comment on Peeters' suggestion but said agriculture minister Joe Helper's department was in touch with the industry.