Commercial fisherman speaks to Rotary club

A Patonga fisherman has addressed the Rotary Club of Umina Beach about the challenges faced by members of the commercial fishing industry.

Mr Dane Van Der Neut's spoke of how the NSW and national commercial fishing industry had been ruined by both major parties' bureaucratic decisions.

Mr Van Der Neut said that 87 per cent of seafood consumed in Australia was currently imported from regions with a lesser emphasis on quality, including the importation of the Vietnam Bassa, a catfish species caught in sewage waters.

He also encouraged club members to get to know their local fishmongers who could provide information about local seafood varieties.

Mr Van Der Neut also spoke about the fishing industry's sustainability.

He said that, while it was currently considered sustainable, the fact that as little as 18.3 per cent of the national catch was exported was a worrying sign.

SOURCE:

Newsletter, 26 Jul 2017

Geoff Melville, Rotary Club of Umina Beach