Transcript - Adelaide 5DN The Fishing Show, 6.05AM 1st November, 2002.
Submitted by SARFAC Tuesday, 4th November 2002

PRESENTER:
But right now we do have, I believe, the Environment Minister, Mr John Hill on the line.
Good evening, Mr Hill.

JOHN HILL – SA MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION:
Good evening. How are you doing?

PRESENTER:
Great. Look thanks for being part of the program.

HILL:
That’s a pleasure.

PRESENTER:
As you would be well aware, this show has been really … been taking a lot of talkback calls on this dolphin issue and you’re the head of that. We did point out last week that you were quoted in the press as saying that there’d be no ban on recreational angling. Were you quoted correctly and is that the intent of what you were saying?

HILL:
Well, let me just explain. We’ve setup this process to look at setting a dolphin sanctuary in the Port River and I haven’t had any formal advice yet from the committee that set it up. And when I was first asked about this, I said, look, I can’t really comment, they haven’t given me advice. But that was interpreted by some people to mean that we were going to ban fishing. Look, there is no recommendation, there’s no intention to ban fishing in the sanctuary area. We want to work with the fishers because we want them to be guardians of the dolphins and when they’re fishing to keep an eye out for them. So we don’t want to ban fishing in the river at all … in the sanctuary at all.

And I met with representatives of SARFAC and I put that to them and said, we, you wanted to work with them. They said there might be some areas themselves where there’s breeding grounds which might need to be protected but not because of dolphins, but because of fish stock. And that seemed to be me a sensible suggestion. I said, well, you have a think about where they might be and we can have a look at it, but there’s no intention …

PRESENTER:
That’s a very important point, Mr Hill. You’re saying that the dolphins … there may be no ban on fishermen with dolphins but within the Garden Island, or that area that’s outlined, you might ban it (indistinct) …

HILL:
I was saying if SARFAC thought. If the fishing industry, your fishing recreational fishers, wanted areas protected, we could look at that but that wasn’t to do with the dolphins, that’s just a broad issue about fish breeding grounds needing to be protected. That was incidental to the discussion about the dolphin sanctuary. But as far as the dolphin sanctuary is concerned, we have no plans at all to stop people fishing. I mean, we want people to fish there and we think … in fact think by making it a sanctuary we’ll make it a cleaner environment and you won’t have to throw back as many ugly fish.

PRESENTER:
All right. So when you say a sanctuary, what would that involve?

HILL:
Well, we’re working through that but, to be perfectly honest, we haven’t got a clean definition of it yet. We’re looking at an area where the dolphins live but really we’re looking at kind of industrial issues; what sort of pollutants get into the river, what impact that has on the environment. We really want to protect the habitat. And if we protect the habitat from pollution and sort of developments which will be hazardous to it, then we’re protecting the fish stock as well. So I’d just like to … I’m really pleased to have the opportunity to talk to your audience because they’re the ones who are perhaps the most concerned. We don’t want to stop you fishing there. We want to work with you to make it a clean and green place.

And, I mean, there is an issue that’s been raised with me about people getting … the dolphins getting tangled up with fishing line but the suggestion from SARFAC there was education and putting a few bins around the place so people could dispose of the lines properly. So that’s the extent of what we would like to do with the fishers.

PRESENTER:
Yes, well, that’s an excellent point because the whole situations seems to have got out of control with people sort of jumping to conclusions that all the fishing was going to be banned …

HILL:
Oh, look, I take responsibility for that because I didn’t rule it out the first time I was … it was put to me, and I didn’t because I hadn’t had any advice one way or the other. You know, I said well look, we’ll just have to go through a process. But after it kind of got out of hand a bit. I thought I’d better find out so I talked to the people, and there’s no intention to do it and there’s no recommendation to me. And even if there was a recommendation put to me, I wouldn’t approve it. So can I be any more explicit than that.

PRESENTER:
No, you can’t, that’s crystal clear. They’re a very vocal lot, these anglers.

HILL:
(Laughs)

PRESENTER:
Just quickly.

HILL:
Well, we want them to be on side, we don’t … I mean, there were some threats against the dolphins; I’m sure it wasn’t sensible listeners of your program. But we want people to work with us and to try and make it a fantastic environment for the dolphins and fish and all the people who like to have fun there.

PRESENTER:
Mr Hill, I really appreciate - and so does Kevin Sweeney - for coming on the program and clearing that up. It’s been a very important point. Thank you for your time. I know you’re preparing to make a speech (indistinct) …

HILL:
Look, any time. If there’s any other, you know, issues like this get on to me. When we get further down the track I’d be happy to come back and tell you exactly what we’re planning.

PRESENTER:
Absolutely. Crystal clear. Appreciate your time.

HILL:
No worries, bye.

PRESENTER:
Okay. That was John Hill, the Environment Minister.