Recreational rock lobster fishers in Tasmania will be able to start fishing a week earlier than planned this year.
The state government has brought forward the season opening for waters outside the east coast stock rebuilding zone from November 7 to October 31.
The new date falls on the weekend before the Recreation Day public holiday on Monday, November 2, which is observed across northern Tasmania.
Primary Industries Minister Gavin Pearce said the change would allow fishers to “make the most” of the long weekend.
He reminded fishers they still needed a licence and must report their activity through the Fishing Tas app, even if they caught nothing.
“Reporting your fishing activity, even when you don’t catch any rock lobster, provides important information that supports the sustainable management of this valuable fishery,” Pearce said.
TARFish, which represents Tasmania’s recreational fishers, used social media to thank fishers who had “put their faith” in the group to try to change the date.
“We know how important is it to our north and west fishers to set a pot on the public holiday weekend,” it said.
The announcement comes in the same week salmon company Tassal revealed plans to inject diseased fish with the antibiotic oxytetracycline at a lease in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel.
Independent Franklin MP Peter George questioned the timing.
“The bitter irony will not be lost on wild fishers,” he said.
George called on the Department of Health and the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to warn fishers about any potential antibiotic residue in rock lobster caught near treated salmon pens.
Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff accused the government of putting salmon companies ahead of wild fisheries, pointing to the closure of parts of the abalone and rock lobster fisheries last summer.
During last summer’s disease outbreak, salmon producers treated fish with the antibiotic florfenicol mixed into their feed.
Last November, the government closed the southern commercial lobster fishery to protect export markets from possible antibiotic traces.
The federal regulator suspended its use in March after traces were detected in wild species.
Tassal said on Wednesday it was awaiting approval to use florfenicol again and would inject fish with oxytetracycline in the meantime.
The company said injecting individual fish required less antibiotic than medicated feed.
When florfenicol was approved last November, Director of Public Health Dr Mark Veitch advised recreational fishers to consider avoiding fish caught within three kilometres of treated pens.
The advice applied during the treatment period and for 21 days afterwards.
Dr Veitch said there was “no evidence of harm to human health” from consuming traces of the antibiotic.
