This is where we track the shifting tides — from policy decisions and media spin to the on-the-ground realities faced by Australia’s wild-caught fishers.
What’s on the Radar cuts through the noise to spotlight the issues that matter most: access, equity, sustainability, and survival.
Stay informed. Speak up. And stand with us.
3 Dec 25
WCFC Presidents attendance at the December 2025 NSW CommFish
‘meet and greet’
As part of WCFC’s commitment to transparency and evidence-based fisheries management, I provided every CommFish member in attendance with a copy of the WCFC Issue Pack, which outlines the key issues affecting our industry and the reforms urgently required.
Issue Pack
Letter to industry
ISSUE STATEMENT 2025/26
Access Restrictions and Regulatory Inaction
Commercial fishers in our region have lost access to around 75% of traditional fishing grounds due to marine parks and Rec Havens. Despite repeated efforts and promises through closure reviews and the Business Efficiency Program, not a single outdated closure has been removed or amended—leaving fishers ignored and overregulated.
Unregulated Cultural Fishing Practices
Cultural fishing is being exploited beyond its intended purpose of community sustenance, with fish sold commercially and operations conducted without oversight. These fishers are not logging days, bypassing quotas, and fishing with methods and in areas outside their endorsements, creating a double standard and unfair burden on regulated commercial fishers.
Industry Succession and Asset Collapse Risk
The commercial fishing industry faces a critical succession crisis, with ageing fishers unable to pass on businesses due to high entry costs, lack of access, and minimal incentives for younger entrants. Without urgent action, this could lead to business closures, a collapse in asset values, and a loss of local seafood supply.
Biosecurity Failures and Lack of Transparency
The closure of the Clarence River fishery due to white spot detection exposed serious weaknesses in biosecurity response and scientific transparency. Despite the devastating impact on local operators, there was limited consultation, unclear data collection methods, and no peer-reviewed evidence released publicly undermining trust in the process and raising fears that precautionary closures are being used without proper accountability.
Offshore Energy Developments Threatening Fishing Grounds
The rapid rollout of offshore wind farms is leading to the closure or restriction of traditional fishing grounds without proper consultation or compensation. These developments disrupt established operations, alter marine ecosystems, and impose new risks and compliance burdens on commercial fishers—undermining livelihoods and the long-term viability of local seafood supply.
Wallis Lake Blue Swimmer Crab Size‑Limit Reform
Raising the legal size for Blue Swimmer Crabs to 65 mm has unintentionally reduced catch rates, as many crabs leave the estuary before reaching this size. Despite stable stocks, the change has hurt local supply, increased prices, and created a false impression of decline. The size limit should be urgently reviewed to align with natural crab behaviour and support sustainable harvesting.
Lack of Transparency and Consultation from CommFish NSW
The CommFish process has been marked by secrecy, the use of non-disclosure agreements, and limited engagement with active commercial fishers. Key decisions are being shaped without genuine industry input, raising serious concerns about representation, accountability, and whether outcomes will reflect the realities faced by working fishers on the water.
Flawed Mulloway Harvest Strategy Undermines Equity
and Science
The NSW Mulloway Harvest Strategy is based on outdated and questionable science, disregards decades of commercial fishing knowledge, and imposes disproportionate restrictions on professional fishers while giving other sectors a free pass. Without credible, up-to-date stock assessments and equal accountability across all user groups, the strategy lacks legitimacy and must be withdrawn.
Inequity and Uncertainty in Region Four Prawn Draw
The current prawn draw system in Region Four lacks transparency and consistency, creating uncertainty for operators and disadvantaging long-standing, active fishers. Without a fair and predictable allocation process that rewards commitment and effort, the draw undermines business planning, regional stability, and trust in fisheries management.