Trade-A-Boat — February 2018

GOVERNMENT CASH

TO EASE SURVEY

TRANSITION TO AMSA

Australia’s maritime

industries received a

boost in December with

Commonwealth, State

and Territory Ministers

committing more than

$100 million to support

operators during service

delivery transition to the

Australian Maritime Safety

Authority (AMSA).

With transition having

previously been delayed,

from July 1, 2018, AMSA will

be the sole service provider

under the National System

for Domestic Commercial

Vessel Safety, bringing

notionally consistent

delivery of safety services

across the country.

“We are committed

to the national system

delivering safety benefits

for commercial boating,

fishing and tourism

operations across

Australia, and importantly,

the industry remains

supportive of a national

system of maritime safety

regulation,” said Federal

Minister for Infrastructure

and Transport, Darren

Chester.

“Following careful

consideration of industry

feedback and year-long

negotiations, I have

finalised the $102.4 million

transition package with

my State and Territory

colleagues.”

The Australian

Government is committing

$55 million to the transition

package “in recognition

of the importance of the

domestic commercial

vessel industries to the

Australian economy”.

“Changes to the

national system will

ensure consistent fees for

vessel services across all

Australian jurisdictions,

and a cost recovery levy

gradually phased in to

allow time for industry to

adjust and prepare for the

changes,” Chester said.

“No levy will be charged

to industry in the first year

of AMSA’s service delivery

to ensure fair and equitable

treatment of all operators

as charging arrangements

are standardised and

services transition.

“Levy charges will

gradually increase until

our industries fund around

80 per cent of the national

system, with the balance

funded by the Australian

Government.

“Importantly, AMSA will

continue to look at ways to

reduce the administrative

burden and will engage

closely with industry in the

lead up to July 1, 2018.”

A new report indicates that
the western rock lobster
industry contributes more
than $500 million to the
economy and supports
thousands of jobs.
The Economic
Contribution of the Western
Rock Lobster Industry
report is the fi rst ever formal
assessment of the economic

and social contribution that

the harvest of 6300 tonnes of

western rock lobster makes

to WA.

The snapshot of how

the industry performed in

2016-17 was commissioned

by the Western Rock Lobster

Council and shows the

breadth of the supply chain

and how the introduction

of fishing quotas in 2011

has helped ongoing

sustainability.

The report also explores

the broader industry value

chain and its economic and

social contribution to many

coastal communities. It

shows that more than 2400

jobs are linked to the fi shery.

The report estimates the

economic impact across

industry supply chain

sectors comprises $399m

for the fi shery, $70.4m for

seafood processing, $28.5m

for boatbuilding, and

$6.6m for tourism. Related

employment across those

sectors is estimated at

1714, 477, 185 and 60 jobs

respectively.

WA lobster industry

worth $500 million a year

tradeboats.com.au 237