Primary Industries and Resources SA (PIRSA) managers and South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) scientists have undertaken voluntary surveys of the stock and are developing management options in response to the poor status of the resource.

The Goolwa Pipi Harvesters Association (GPHA), South Australia’s cockle industry body, has called for immediate changes to the harvest season in response to the 50% quota cut announced by the Minister of Fisheries Paul Caica.

“The reduction of the quota from 600 tonnes to 300 tonnes for the 2009-10 season effectively halves the income of our members, and we must immediately do everything possible to save costs and improve price to ensure survival of the industry,” the independent chair of GPHA, Roger Edwards, said.

“Extending the season beyond May to spread quota into the high priced winter market is one such change which offers hope for our members.

“The association recognises and fully supports the quota reduction and delayed start to the season to ensure the long term sustainability of the Pipi resource and rebuild the fishery.”

Mr Edwards said a simple first step aimed at improving price and further assisting spawning and stock weight in the Pipi fishery must be implemented immediately.

“We are pleased that PIRSA Fisheries has been very supportive and signaled an early meeting in November to develop options and this will go hand in hand with an innovative harvesting research project, funded by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC), that our members are contributing to in partnership with SARDI” he said.

Darren Hoad of Hoad Fisheries on Hindmarsh Island has mixed feelings on the cut in the cockle quota.

“A month ago when the research was going on it did not look good, but in the last two weeks with the good weather the cockles have looked better,” Mr Hoad said.

“We didn’t achieve the 600 tonne last year, but we stopped early.

“It will definitely affect us, but cockling is our life and it is what we do.

“We want the industry to be sustainable well into the future and we are in this for the long haul.

“A conservative approach is needed and if we only get to catch 100 tonne of cockles for a couple of years and we can catch 800 tonne in the years to come then the future of the industry will be right.”

Mr Hoad also warned consumers to expect a rise in cockle prices.