# New Primary Industries Minister reboots recreational fishing advisory council
Source URL: 	https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-30/south-australian-recreational-fishing-council-rebooted/12605730
Date: 		20200830T0415

South Australia's new Primary Industries Minister is promising a fresh
start for the state's floundering fishers' council, which has been
beset, by some accounts, with bullying, intimidation and "constant
frustration".

The Minister's Recreational Fishing Advisory Council (MRFAC),
established with the aim of bringing together representatives from
across the sector, has lost two thirds of its members since its
inception in 2018.

The new minister, David Basham, said online attacks had taken their toll
on the body.

"It's very disappointing that we lost six members of the original nine,"
he said.

"It's disappointing in many ways, but I guess the most disappointing is
many of them have left because of persistent bullying and intimidation
online.

"I think it's actually passion — there are many people passionate about
their fishing, and many different views, but social media allows people
to be slightly anonymous in their attacks, so they sit there and throw
stones.

"I think it's very important that we have a voice coming into Government
from the sector and I think this is a great model when we can get this
working and get that frank advice."

## 'Constant disappointments'

But outgoing chair Graham Keegan, from the South Australian Fishing
Alliance, said it was the constant frustrations and change in direction
that made him step down.

"We've had pretty well 16 months of constant let downs, constant
disappointments," he said.

"So members have decided to move on, and it got to the point in the last
few weeks where we had another member go.

"We are the recreational representatives and I've been begging and
begging and begging to be on the PIRSA (Department of Primary Industries
and Recreation) mailing list, and that only happened last week."

South Australia has more than a quarter of a million fishers.(Supplied:
Madeline Canda)

## High hopes for fresh start

One of the organisations joining the new MRFAC is RecfishSA, which has
not been on the council since early last year.

Chairman Mick Wilson said he hoped the new MRFAC could create changes
that would last far into the future.

"Originally it was a council to advise the minister and that was all
they could do," he said.

"But from my understanding we're going to be able to consult with the
fishers of South Australia, and we're going to be able to pass that
feedback on to the minister.

"There's been a lot of infighting, and with 270,000 fishers in South
Australia you're not going to keep everyone happy.

"But we need to work together — not only the recreational sector, but
the commercial sector as well.