Australian shoppers are being warned to expect higher seafood prices and greater reliance on imported fish as the federal government moves to ban commercial fishing in large areas of ocean.
Environment Minister Murray Watt announced at this week’s UN Ocean Conference that Australia will expand “highly protected” marine areas to cover 30% of its territorial waters within five years — an increase of six percentage points, which will see fishing and mining banned in those zones.
This move follows the recent release of Ocean, a new documentary by Sir David Attenborough highlighting the impact of global fishing practices.
While conservation groups have praised the government’s announcement, WA Fishing Industry Council CEO Melissa Haslam says it could significantly impact consumers and the local seafood industry.
“Seafood prices will rise,” Ms Haslam warned.
“Some fisheries may become financially unviable, and even where operations continue, the cost of getting fish to market will increase dramatically.”
Local Fish Under Threat from Cheaper Imports
Ms Haslam said that Australian seafood already struggles to compete with lower-cost imports, especially when consumers see local options like WA snapper being sold at premium prices.
“Australians want to eat fish from our waters, not lower-quality imports,” she said.
Australia already leads the world in ocean protection, with more than 50% of its marine territory in protected zones. Ms Haslam believes this achievement deserves more recognition.
“We’re already doing so much,” she said.
“Australia is a global leader — we should be acknowledged for it.”
She also criticised Ocean for painting a one-sided view of the fishing industry without input from Australian operators.
“They didn’t consult us or other WA commercial fishers that I know of,” she said.
“It’s not a fair portrayal.”
Marine Parks No Cure-All
While fishers don’t oppose marine parks outright, Ms Haslam said they’re often seen as a “silver bullet” solution, which ignores broader issues.
“Marine parks don’t stop pollution, oil spills, or illegal fishing by foreign boats,” she said.
The documentary highlights the environmental harm caused by bottom-trawling — a method heavily criticised for damaging seafloor habitats. But the industry argues Australia’s practices are sustainable and highly regulated.
Trawling accounts for only 2% of Australian fishing activity, but it contributes around 40% of the country’s seafood supply. Fishers say practices like trawling in Australia are safe and strictly managed.
“The damaging footage used in the documentary didn’t come from Australia,” Ms Haslam said.
“If we trawled over coral reefs, we’d lose our vessels. We only trawl on sandy bottoms.”
Seafood Industry Australia CEO Veronica Papacosta echoed those concerns, saying Australia’s record on sustainable fishing is being overlooked.
“We’ve worked incredibly hard to keep improving our standards,” she said.
“The film makes things sound worse than they are — it would be great to see a documentary about how well Australia is actually doing.”
Documentary Funding and Ministerial Defence
The Ocean documentary received over $3 million from Andrew and Nicola Forrest’s Minderoo Foundation — about half the film’s total budget. While the film was produced independently, Minderoo oversaw its scientific accuracy.
“Sir David and his team wrote the narration entirely,” said Minderoo Pictures’ Malinda Wink.
“We backed the film because urgent action is needed to restore ocean health.”
She couldn’t confirm whether footage of Australian fishing was used but acknowledged that practices vary widely around the world.
“The broader message is that ocean restoration is essential, no matter the location,” she added.
Government Defends Marine Protection Plan
Speaking on ABC Radio National Breakfast, Minister Watt defended the expansion of protected marine zones, arguing that long-term gains will outweigh short-term costs.
“Research shows that preserving 30% of the ocean allows ecosystems to regenerate — fish stocks, coral, and marine life can bounce back,” he said.
“It also protects the future of our commercial fishing industry by ensuring resources are available for generations.”
Watt expressed confidence that Australia could reach its 30% protection target by 2030, balancing environmental conservation with the long-term sustainability of fishing.
