The Hon. Gerard Maley,
Deputy Chief Minister
Minister for Recreational Fishing
Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries
Northern Territory Parliament
Dear Minister,
On behalf of the Australian Fishing Trade Association (AFTA), I would like to express our gratitude for your election commitment to phasing out the 14 commercial barramundi gill netting licences in the Northern Territory during this current term.
We now respectfully request a detailed schedule for the buyback process, as we are concerned about potential delays until the end of this term. The ongoing damage to the fishery remains a significant issue to all.
Our members are firmly opposed to the use of gill nets due to their indiscriminate killing of dugongs, turtles, dolphins, sawfish, and other non-target marine life. This practice is detrimental to the health and sustainability of NT’s waterways and poses considerable environmental irresponsibility.
The Northern Territory’s 2020/21 Barramundi Fishery Ecological Risk Assessment highlighted severe risks to dolphins, sawfish, turtles, and substantial risks to dugongs.
The barramundi and threadfin salmon fisheries are crucial to the Territory, with recreational fishing tourism contributing over $270 million annually and supporting more than 2,500 full-time jobs. The NT leads the nation in fishing participation, with one-third of NT adults engaging in fishing each year compared to the national average of 21%.
The recreational fishing community highly values your leadership on this policy, initiated by AFTA during our meeting with you on February 13, 2024.
We anticipate receiving a specific timeframe for the removal of gill nets.
Yours sincerely,
9th June 2025
The Hon. Bob Baldwin
Chair
Australian Fishing Trade Association (AFTA)