Small fish in a big pond: lessons from the Abel Tasman controversy

The de-registration and departure from Australia of the large factory fishing vessel (also called the ‘super trawler’) Abel Tasman in mid-March 2013 ended a period of heightened controversy in Australian fisheries management and policy. The Abel Tasman, previously named the Margiris, reported to be the world’s second largest fishing vessel, was purchased by an Australian company, Seafish Tasmania Pelagic, to fish for its quota in what is known as the ‘small pelagic fishery’ (SPF). The proposed entry of the Margiris into the Australian SPF raised significant public debate. The size of the vessel and the reputation of factory trawlers elsewhere prompted strong opposition to the entry of the vessel. This opposition culminated in unprecedented intervention by the Minister for the Environment to ban the vessel from fishing, amendments to national environmental laws, criticism of longstanding fisheries management practices, and two government reviews.