New marine sanctuaries have cost South Australian fishing communities families and income, says one of the state’s commercial fishing bodies.

Marine Fishers Association executive officer Nathan Bicknell said the state report to identify the commercial and social impacts of three new marine sanctuaries had been too short and too broad.

Bicknell said since a sanctuary was declared in the Port Wakefield region, the community had lost about four commercial fishing operators which had a huge flow-on effect.

He rejected a report summary that the sanctuaries had “no significant impact” on local communities and said in the past 10 months some fishing operations had lost between $60,000 and $100,000 and catches were 50 tonnes down.

“The government talks about the minimal impact but it’s hard to say it’s minimal when it’s personal.

“[The report] is little solace to the guys who are drowning,” Bicknell said.

Three marine regions controversially made commercial fishing no-go zones a year ago, have been labelled a success with no “significant impacts” on local communities.

A social and economic impact report into the sanctuaries’ introduction at Ceduna, Kangaroo Island and Port Wakefield was released today by the Sustainability, Environment and Conservation Minister Ian Hunter.

“While the government will continue to monitor the implementation of marine parks including sanctuary zones, this report provides confidence that we haven’t experienced unanticipated or significant impacts on local communities,” Hunter said.

The zones were applied after the state opposition put forward a bill to water down the marine sanctuary zones.

The vote was narrowly defeated with SA independent Geoff Brock voting against the bill.

The Labor government has set up 19 marine parks with 83 sanctuaries to restrict commercial and recreation fishing. Recreational fishing is allowed on beaches, breakwaters and jetties .

Hunter said the report, prepared by the Goyder Institute for Water Research in partnership with the South Australian Centre for Economic Studies (SACES), showed industry concern had been eased and catches were up.

“The report allays the concerns of some fisheries which anticipated being significantly impacted – for example the total rock lobster catch off Kangaroo Island for the first three months of the first season of sanctuary zones was 6.7 per cent higher compared to a year earlier.

“We are obviously aware of concerns voiced by some fishers in Port Wakefield and Kangaroo Island, however, this independent analysis of available data was unable to verify these claims.”

The sanctuaries will be monitored by the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources.

“The legislation requires reviews of marine park zoning every ten years but we have committed to commencing the first review within this term of government,” Hunter said.