Transcript Slide 1

What will be discussed at today’s forum?
• Dr Nick Rayns (AFMA)
– management measures including localised depletion definition and
possible options.
• Assoc. Prof. Tim Ward (SARDI)
– 2014 egg survey results for Jack Mackerel, Blue Mackerel and
Australian Sardine (east).
• Dr Tony Smith (CSIRO)
– re-examination of the harvesting rules for each of the SPF species.
• Other important issues identified by forum participants.
Small Pelagic Fishery
Management & Localised
Depletion
SPF Stakeholder Forum
17 October 2014
Dr Nick Rayns
Executive Manager, Fisheries Management
The Small Pelagic Fishery
Species and Biology
Jack Mackerel
(Trachurus declivis,
T murphyi)
Redbait
(Emmelichtys nitidus)
Blue Mackerel
(Scomber australasicus)
Australian Sardine
(Sardinops sagax)
East and West Stock
Eastern stock and possibly
separate stocks between E
and SW Tas
Different stocks across
Australia
Some evidence of spatially
distinct stocks
School over the continental
shelf and outer shelf
margin in 20-300m of water
between WA and QLD
School 100-400m deep in
continental shelf breaks,
seamounts and ridges
between NSW and S.W.
WA
School 40-200m deep
across the continental shelf
in southern, temperate and
subtropical waters between
WA and S. QLD
School over the continental
shelf between Rockhampton
(QLD) and Shark Bay (WA)
Max 470mm TL,
17 yrs
Max 335mm FL in Aus, 21
yrs (females) and 18 yrs
(males)
Max 440mm FL,
7-8 yrs
Max 250mm FL, 8 yrs
Females mature at 315mm
TL and spawn mid-Dec to
mid-Feb
In SW Tas, males mature at
261mm FL and females
mature at 244mm FL.
In E. Tas males mature at
157mm and females
mature at 147mm FL.
Spawn Sept-Nov
50% males mature at
237mm, 50% females
mature at 287mm and
spawn summer-early
autumn in S. Aus and
winter-spring off NSW
50% males mature at
146mm, 50% females
mature at 150mm. Spawn
between Jan-April in SA,
Jan-June in WA and JulyDec in NSW
Note: TL = Total Length; FL = Fork Length
Fisheries Management in Context
AFMA’s management of the SPF
Objective
• Conservative harvest rates that recognise the importance of
small pelagic fishes to the ecosystem and for all users.
Catch Control Management
• The SPF Harvest Strategy recommends harvest rates, and
• Limits the amount of each stock that can be harvested.
Assessments of east and west zones
• The best available science is used through annual stock
assessments, and
• Egg surveys and other relevant research such as catch/effort
information are used in the assessment.
More about AFMA’s management of the SPF
Managing Bycatch
• SPF midwater trawl vessels must have AFMA-approved plans
and technical solutions in place to minimise interactions with
seals, dolphins and seabirds:
this includes a seal excluder device and a vesselspecific management plan that sets out measures
to reduce the risk of interactions.
Stakeholder Consultation
• AFMA consults through the SPF Resource Assessment Group,
South East Management Advisory Committee, and recreational
and environmental forums.
Midwater Trawl and Purse Seine Methods
Seal Excluder Device
And even more about AFMA’s management of
the SPF
Monitoring Fishing Activity
• Commonwealth fishing vessels are fitted with a GPS tracking
system to monitor their movements while at sea that AFMA
compliance can view 24/7.
• Observers collect scientific information on the fishing operation
with 100% coverage on any new midwater trawl vessel for at
least the first 10 trips.
• AFMA’s risk-based compliance and enforcement program is
described at: http://www.afma.gov.au/managing-ourfisheries/compliance-activities/.
Catches in the SPF 1984/85 to 2012/13
Markets and where SPF catches are used
• In the mid 1980s the purse seine fishery caught large
volumes of fish that were processed at plants at
Triabunna for fish meal, oil for aquaculture feed,
frozen to feed Southern Bluefin Tuna, bait, human
consumption and pet food.
• Currently smaller catches in the SPF are primarily
sold as fishing bait.
Catches of small pelagics from waters adjacent to Tasmania (where the majority of catches occurred between 1984 to 2009).
The Small Pelagic Fishery Resource
Assessment Group’s working definition of
localised depletion
“a persistent reduction in fish abundance in a
limited area, caused by fishing activity, over spatial
and temporal scales that causes a negative impact
on predatory species and/or other fisheries.”
Considerations in developing the working definition:
• Species mobility matters
• Geographic barriers matter
• It is different from changes in range or overall abundance
• Can lead to user conflict, but is not always the cause
• The SPF definition may not be applicable to all fisheries
Please note that the working definition is the subject of further
consideration, including by this forum.
What do other fisheries do to manage the risk of
localised depletion?
Alaskan Pollock Fisheries
• Catch limits for pollock and Atka mackerel, both important prey
for sea lions in Alaskan waters, are spatially and seasonally
apportioned into smaller sub-TACs to prevent prey removals
from occurring all at once in localised areas.
South African Pelagic Fishery
• Implementing spatial closures to fishing for sardine and anchovy
were demonstrated to be highly effective in increasing the
numbers of African penguins breeding that feed primarily on
these small pelagic species.
In both fisheries these management measures are precautionary
and their benefits remain unproven, even with large R&D
investments by the fisheries and countries concerned.
And an Australian fishery……
South Australian Sardine Fishery (SASF)
• The SASF has historically taken around 30,000 tonnes pa of
Australian Sardine from southern Spencer Gulf and an
ecosystem assessment has identified that localised depletion is
not of great concern.
• The SASF has implemented a spatial management framework
to limit the proportion of catch taken from southern Spencer Gulf
and introduced size-based biological performance indicators into
the harvest strategy.
Possible move-on rules to manage any risk of
localised depletion in the SPF – an example
Questions:
1. Is the working definition of localised
depletion
sufficient
to
meet
the
recreational fishing sector needs?
2. How should we manage any risk of
localised depletion in the Commonwealth
Small Pelagic Fishery, and what are we
trying to achieve in doing so?
3. Other questions and possible solutions
from participants?
Additional slide - South African SPF Catches