Boat chained to government office as protests against demersal commercial fishing ban continue in Geraldton

Geraldton fishers continue to protest the permanent ban on commercial demersal fishing in waters from Kalbarri to Augusta, with one resident chaining his boat to the gate of a government office. Photos posted on social media by small business Highams Fresh Fish on Monday night showed a small boat chained to the gates of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s Geraldton office. “If I can’t go to work to make a honest living then why should Jackie Jarvis’ colleagues be able to?” the caption read. The post had attracted nearly 1000 likes at the time of publication, and hundreds of comments, most of them in support of the protest. The business, operated by shark fisher John Higham, is one of many businesses affected by the complete closure of commercial demersal fishing from Augusta to Kalbarri that came into effect at the start of this year. The ban, announced at the start of December, took many commercial fishers by surprise, with Minister for Fisheries Jackie Jarvis criticised for a lack of consultation and communication with those affected. Mr Higham was one of those shocked by the ban and the impact it would have on his small business. “I’ve got a house in Geraldton, I’ve got a wife and kid. How am I going to pay the land rates? How am I going to pay my mortgage?” he said. By Tuesday morning, the boat was still outside the office but was no longer chained to the gate. Mr Higham said the $2000 act of grace payment only scratched the service of what his licence cost and “would probably last me a month, if that” . “Then after that, I’ll probably have to sell my house,” he told 7NEWS Regional. The $6000 valuation Mr Higham put on his business is a fraction of what he used to earn. “I’d go out at least 48 times a year … and earn anywhere from $1500 to $2500 a trip,” he said. “The boat’s worth nothing to me now, the nets’ worth nothing, it’s worthless. They can basically stick that $2000 where the sun don’t shine.” It’s not the first time fishers have taken drastic action to show their disappointment with Ms Jarvis, after three men allegedly dumped hundreds of kilos of shark heads outside her office in Margaret River. Mason Jones, one of the fishers said to have organised the shark head protest, said fishers were uniting against the ban. “The Government has to come to the plate because we are uniting and people are realising what you are doing and we’re not going to stand for it,” he said. Ms Jarvis said she understood the ban had been divisive, but still believed it was the right decision. “I understand people are upset. I really do get it. And it’s not a nice position to be in. But every minister makes decisions, and we deal with with the fallout of it, and it’s part of the job, unfortunately,” she said. She said the ban was necessary to protect the population of WA species such as the pink snapper and dhufish. Roger Cook said in a press conference on Wednesday that the ban was beneficial to the environment and the dhufish. “We all have to play a role to make sure that we can preserve this fish stock for future generations,” he said. He said that the State Government was “helping people as best we can” and that the process for compensation was “ongoing”. Fisheries shadow minister Kirrilee Warr said that hardworking locals feel unheard, ignored, and pushed to the limit. “The recent incident in my electorate of Geraldton highlights just how desperate many fishing families are feeling right now,” she said. ““I will continue to support commercial fishers and request the Minister and the Cook Labor Government to come back to the table to discuss options.” A protest in Perth has been organised and publicised by Coastal Collective WA on social media. The protest calls for fishers and supporters to join a convoy from Fremantle to Perth on Sunday morning. “We are backing the Nationals’ petition to show that the fishing, boating, and coastal community are the real custodians of our coast and marine environment,” the post read. Boat-based recreational demersal fishing remains banned until spring 2027. More than 24,000 people have signed a petition launched by Geraldton fisher Anthony Haygarth, calling for a parliamentary inquiry into WA fisheries.