The State Government has been asked to address the sea-urchin invasion that is destroying important Mallacoota abalone industry grounds.

Nationals Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, has highlighted the urgency of the issue to the responsible Minister, Sonia Kilkenny, and requested that both short and long-term actions be put in place.

“The issue we have here is the urchins basically eat everything and destroy abalone grounds, leaving lifeless ‘barrens’ on the ocean floor,” Mr Bull said.

“Although the industry has undertaken some control measures themselves in the past, they have been overwhelmed as increasing numbers of urchins continue with their destructive grazing.

“The abalone fishers are faced with the dilemma of having to focus on their core business and using any down time to control the urchin numbers, but it is a battle they are losing, and it is clear some government intervention is required.

“The Tasmanian Government is dealing with this problem and has put a subsidy in place to make the time spent harvesting urchins more viable, and not a money losing exercise. This is one solution we should be considering in Victoria.”

Mr Bull said an ideal resolution would be to create a viable market, and while no one rules that out in the future, it is clear we need some immediate interventions.

“Regardless, what we need is a longer-term action plan and while that is being developed, a short-term focus to assist the abalone industry, which is the biggest employer in Mallacoota and a critical export industry.”