Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre

Location

The Centre was located at 202 Nicholson Parade at the southern end of Cronulla overlooking Salmon Haul Bay and Gunnamatta Bay on Port Hacking. It is also opposite Bundeena in the Royal National Park.

History

Scientific fisheries research has been carried out at the Cronulla location for more than 110 years. The research aquaria was built in 1904 and is heritage listed. It was the first such research facility in the southern hemisphere, and according to fisheries scientist Professor Tony Pitcher of the University of British Columbia, has a "long and distinguished international reputation in fisheries research".

The first research at that location was carried out by Harald Kristian Dannevig (1871–1914), Superintendent of fisheries investigations and fish hatcheries, who later became Commonwealth Director of Fisheries. He was assisted by David George Stead (1877–1957).

In February 2007 a newly upgraded laboratory was opened by Ian Macdonald the NSW Minister for Primary Industries. The new $1 million laboratory was named the 'H.C. Dannevig Fisheries Laboratory' after Dannevig, the founder of the Cronulla research centre.

The site has heritage listed buildings and several Australian Aboriginal sites.

Historical facts and figures

As of March 2011 the Centre had:

Staff

Total staff: 152

Professional Staff

In Research: 18 In Management: 11

Outputs

Workshops/Meetings: 56 Field Days: 182 Publications: 51

Other statistics

Land Area: 2. 25ha Postgraduate students: 22 Overseas project: 2 Consultancies: 2

Research

Until 2012 research projects at the Centre included:

1. Bull Shark Research
2. Barotrauma Research
3. Resource Assessment and Monitoring Program
4. Fish Biology Research
5. Prawn Research
6. Research surveys in estuaries
7. Recreational Fisheries Research
   1. Recreational Fishing Surveys
   2. Angler Tournament Monitoring
8. Observer-based research in NSW commercial fisheries
9. Giant Cuttlefish Research
10. Effects of Climate Change in NSW
11. Threats to Marine Biodiversity in NSW

Services

Key services formerly provided by the Centre centred on wild fisheries research and fisheries management.

The Centre was also involved in various community services:

1. NSW Shark Meshing (Beach Protection) Program
2. Shark Aerial Surveys
3. 'Get Hooked' - Primary School Education Program
4. Fishcare volunteer program

Closure

In September 2011, the NSW government announced the CFRC would be closed and its staff and functions relocated to regional centres at Coffs Harbour, Port Stephens and Nowra.

This decision created a degree of controversy as it was announced without any staff consultation, or a cost-benefit analysis.

Enquiry

An enquiry by the 'Legislative Council Select Committee on Cronulla Fisheries' into the closure was established on 21 June 2012. Submissions were called for on 25 June 2012, closing on 30 July 2012. The final report was delivered on time on 23 October 2012.

The committee was chaired by Fred Nile and deputy chaired by Marie Ficarra. The members were Niall Blair, David Clarke, Cate Faehrmann, Mick Veitch and Steve Whan.

Public hearings were held on 6 August 2012, 3 September 2012 and 10 September 2012. A public forum was also held on 3 September 2012. One hundred and seven submissions were published by the Committee. This is not necessarily all the submissions the Committee received, only those the committee chose to publish. Twenty one witnesses were heard. These included Katrina Hodgkinson, the New South Wales Minister for Primary Industries, responsible for the closure. During her evidence to the Committee, the Minister "stipulated that the closure of the CFRC was fait accompli and would not be reconsidered, whatever the Committee found or recommended". The Minister tabled a cost-benefit analysis, completed hours before the hearing, but twelve months after the decision to close the facility and relocate the staff was made public. She also said "Decentralisation would save AU $4. 4 million over 20 years".

Terms of references

The main terms of reference of the committee were:

That a select committee be appointed to inquire into and report on the closure of the Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre of Excellence, and in particular:

1. The basis for the decision including the documents and other records that were considered by the Minister, including any economic or financial analysis,
2. What consultation was undertaken prior to the decision with stakeholders, including commercial and recreational fishing groups, environmental groups and staff,
3. The costs and benefits of the decision to close the Centre and relocate its functions to other locations,
4. The extent to which the decision satisfies the Minister's responsibilities under the Fisheries Management Act 1994,
5. Any advice received by the Minister on the ability to replicate the Cronulla facilities at other locations, including potential problems and other implications of the other locations,
6. The loss of the scientific expertise held by the staff who cannot relocate from Cronulla and the implications for sustainable fisheries management,
7. The impacts of the decision on service delivery to stakeholders,
8. The impact on staff and their families of the closure and the relocation, and
9. The impact on the heritage values of the Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre.

Report

The final report, "Closure of the Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre of Excellence", was tabled as scheduled on 23 October 2012.

Findings and recommendations

The Chairman of the 'Select Committee on the Closure of the Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre of Excellence', Fred Nile, said:

The Committees report made 13 recommendations, the first of which is:

Furthermore:

Josephine Tovey in The Sydney Morning Herald reports that: "The inquiry, ... found the decision to close the centre and decentralise its activities to several coastal towns was made without any economic analysis, in conflict with the Government's own policies, and was never presented to cabinet. "

Government response and closure

On 23 October 2012, the committee required the government to provide a response by 23 April 2014. Fred Nile claimed success at a rally to save the Fisheries Centre when the closure was "put on hold" on 21 November 2012. The NSW Government agreed to temporarily halt the closure until it could respond to the committees report, but in December 2012 the Government rejected the main recommendation of the parliamentary inquiry and pressed ahead with closing the Centre.

On 2 April 2014 Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner and Minister for Primary Industries Katrina Hodgkinson gave a commitment that the site would remain in public ownership, with increased access to the public. They announced the membership of a new reserve trust board, the Hungry Point Reserve Trust, to manage the area of the former Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre. While the new trust will manage the Crown Reserve land, the existing facilities on the site will be used by Marine Rescue NSW, Water police and Roads and Maritime Services.