During May to October, the waters off the coast of NSW become an area of significant interaction between the Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery (SBTF) and the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery (ETBF).
While the ETBF is a multi-species fishery, the SBTF is a single species fishery that requires operators to hold SBT quota in order fish. To address the risk of SBT being taken in the ETBF without quota, a SBT zone will be implemented for the 2017 season.
The SBT zone location will be reviewed weekly and updated based on information including; sea surface temperatures, landing data, observer and VMS data, advice from industry and the habitat preference model produced by CSIRO.
SBT is a valuable shared resource and it is important that operators follow the rules and arrangements to ensure that all catch of SBT is monitored and recorded.
SBT arrangements for 2017
- There will be one SBT zone, no core and buffer zones.
- Uncaught SBT quota must be held by operators to enter the SBT zone.
- A fully functional e-monitoring system must be on-board the vessel when fishing in the zone regardless of the amount of days the vessel may be fishing in the fishery.
- Operators need to be aware that only alive and vigorous SBT can be discarded. Any SBT discarded dead will be deducted from the concession holder’s quota.
- When in the SBT zone operators must carry a minimum of 50 Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) Catch Documentation Scheme (CDS) tags on-board the vessel.
- In addition to the usual logbooks and catch disposal records, operators are required to complete the CCSBT Catch Documentation Scheme (CDS) catch monitoring form and catch tagging form to enable more precise tracking of individual SBT.
- SBT zone location will be reviewed weekly and updated as required.
If your e-monitoring system is not fully functioning, you must contact Archipelago Asia-Pacific (AAP) as soon as possible on (02) 6162 1192 or at service@archipelago-ap.com.au.
SBT zone current location
AFMA will notify changes of the SBT zone to operators via a message sent to their Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and the location of zone will also be updated on afma.gov.au.
It is the responsibility of the operator to know the location of the SBT zone at all times.