 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
On this Page:
Food Authority (Safefood) Issues
How communications from the Association works
The NSW Aquaculture Association aims to use technology to maximise communication to its members, and minimise costs of membership!
Members who elect to receive regular email get frequent updates on issues concerning aquaculturalists. This correspondence is also updated on this page on a regular basis, but not as frequently as the email contacts.
To ensure that you are kept up to date, without the need to revisit this page, join the association and register for email contact at membership information on our home page.
We welcome feedback by email at NSWAA - click here
Please Note:
You need to be a member of the Association to access links on this page
You will be asked for your username/password
NSW Aquaculture Association Newsletters
December 2005 - This a PDF file - download may be slow
February 2006 - Another PDF file - but worth the wait!
May 2006 - Another PDF file - but full of news!
August 2006 - Newsletter
August 2008 - Latest Newsletter **NEW**
Cost Recovery through increased Permit Fees - Background:
In November 1999, NSW Fisheries engaged the Centre fo International Economics (CIE) to undertake a review of costs and pricing assosiated with the management of the state's aquaculture industry.
Final report released March 2000, finding that NSW Fisheries expends $3.6 million annually on aquaculture, out of a total $6.1 million.
CIE identified that a minimum six-fold increase in charges would be necessary to achieve full cost recovery, and suggested that any policy of cost recovery would need to be implemented over an extended period (3 to 8 years). Note: It is unknown what multiplier would be needed now, with the extraordinary number of permit holders who have left the industry in the last five years due to fees rises.
In June 2000 NSW Fisheries released an 'Aquaculture Pricing Position Paper' , with details and timings of new charges.
... 'On 1 July,2000 an annual contribution will be introduced for all aquaculture permit holders in NSW...'
... 'Consultation will occur with the Advisory Council of Aquaculture (ACoA) about the level of the annual contribution.The government will propose that the annual contribution be set at $350.'
... 'The annual contribution will not be paid into consolidated revenue. It will be protected in the Aquaculture Trust and used exclusively for the costs of administration directly attributable to the aquaculture industry'.
... 'To provide the industry with financial certainty, over the next five years there will be no further increases in the annual contibution...the only exceptions will be CPI increases...'
... ' The proposals for cost recovery will be reviewed during the next five years and a framework developed with full industry involvement. Between years 6 and 10, that framework will be implemented'
With the introduction of the $350 permit fee in 2000, there was strong resistance, with many farmers witholding payment for extended periods, and an unknown number surrendering their permits altogether.
The ACoA had the responsibilty of devising a cost recovery policy for the aquaculture industry, '... that recognises the stage of development of each industry sector'.
ACoA committed to '.. a discussion paper on cost recovery (to be) released to industry in 2003'. NSWAA is unaware of any such paper being completed or released to industry, as at first quarter 2005.
In Nov 2003, the new Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Ian Macdonald instituted a Review of Advisory Structures in the NSW Seafood Industry. For this, or other unknown reasons, the ACoA does not seem to have met for a year or two, and seems to have fallen out of the picture. (this is difficult to ascertain, since no communication from their meetings was available, even when they did convene!)
It seems the responsibility for determining the form of cost recovery across the aquaculture industry is now being handled within the departmental structure of NSW Fisheries, and it has been informally stated to some association members that 2005 is still the targetted implementation date. Understandably, the amalgamation of Fisheries into the Department of Primary Industries must haven taken a great deal of their focus over 2004.
A discussion paper, issued by NSW DPI in October 2004, may hold some of the answers. In it, an alternative management model for Commercial Fisheries and Aquaculture is proposed, which moves many of the current Fisheries responsibilities into a separate Management Company run and funded by the industry itself. The Advisory Working Group proposing this has representatives from Sydney Fish Market, Master Fish Merchants, Abalone sector, Commercial Fishing sector, Oyster Farmers, Lobster sector and DPI. There appears to be no representation from freshwater fish and crayfish growers.
NSWAA has been active in lobbying against these fee increases and the lack of transparency of deliberations by the ACoA since they were first announced. Some of the historic correspondence makes interesting reading !
Watch this space !!!!!
| Feb 2001 | NSWAA Report Summer 2001 |
first details of NSWAA representations against fee increases |
| 25 Feb 01 | Letter to Bill Rutledge (Fisheries) about fees | |
| 1 March 01 | Letter to NSW Premier about fees | |
| 20 Mar 2001 | Survey of permit holders about fees | NSWAA surveyed all permitholders about fees and other issues |
Jul 2001 |
follow up details of NSWAA representations |
|
| 1 Aug 01 | NSWAA representation to ACoA about fees | |
For a brief background on how and when this got started, see the first link below of 13 July 2004
( NSW Food Authority and Aquaculture for 2003/04 ).
The NSW Food Authority on 1300 552 406 or www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au
13 Jul 2004 |
a presentation given to
aquaculturalists at NSW Fisheries, Port Stephens |
|
| 09 Aug 2004 | NSW Seafood Industry Conference | an article by NSW Food Authority on food safety programs |
| 02 Sep 2004 | Response to email questions from NSWAA | |
22
Oct 04 |
lobbying from NSWAA
for changes |
|
|---|---|---|
| 1 Dec 2004 | Feedback from association AGMs | to the NSW Food Authority |
15 Dec 2004 |
||
16
Dec 2004 |
Letter
from NSWAA to Food Authority lobbying for removal of licence fee
|
|
| 1 Jan 2005 | Draft Aquaculture Fish Food Safety Plan | Critical comments on the initial draft plan |
| 10 Jan 2005 | Another lobbying letter | |
| 13 Jan 2005 | Draft Aquaculture Fish Food Safety Plan | More comments on the initial draft plan |
| 21 Feb 2005 | Food Industry Emergency Plan | |
| 5 Mar 2005 | Food Safety Plans for the Aquaculture Live Food Sector | Responses to Draft Plans |
| 22 Jun 2005 | Food Safety Plans for the Aquaculture Non Shellfish Sector | |
| 8 Dec 2005 | Media Release - David Campbell MP (NSW Minister for Small Business) | Improving Food Safety regime - with links to Food Safety Discussion Paper |
| 15 Jan 2002 | Emergency Management Training and Response | Response to Aquatic Animal Health Unit of NSW Fisheries |
| 2 Aug 2002 | Eel By-catch | Lobbying to allow sale of eel by-catch by yabby/fish growers |
30
Oct 2002 |
Update
on research in selective breeding at Armidale |
|
| March 2003 | Letter to NSW Fisheries concerning policy | |
| 18 June 2003 | Regading establishment of a Peak Industry Body for NSW Aquaculture | |
| July 2003 | Preliminary agenda for the conference at Port Macquarie in 2003 | |
Jun 2004 |
Monitoring of exported aquaculture product |
|
8 Jan 2005 |
Changes to Fisheries Management Act |
|
| 25 May 2005 | CSIRO Research Results | Letter lobbying DPI to allow release of excess stock from CSIRO research to industry |
7 Jun 2005 |
Follow up after non response from DPI |