The Commission met for its 55th meeting in Adelaide on 11-12 April 2017. While in Adelaide, the Commission also met informally with the Assistant Minster for Agriculture and Water Resources, Senator the Hon. Anne Ruston, industry representatives from the Great Australian Bight Industry Association and the Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Industry Association, and representatives from the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation.
Key decisions taken by the Commission at its meeting included:
- Small Pelagic Fishery (SPF) Harvest Strategy and Total Allowable Catches (TACs)
The Commission agreed to changes to the SPF Harvest Strategy that were then used in determining total allowable catches (TACs) for the SPF 2017-18 fishing season. This also included the determination of amounts and percentages for overcatch and undercatch.
- Determination of the midwater pair trawling method in the Small Pelagic Fishery
The Commission discussed the determination of midwater pair trawling as an approved fishing method in the SPF. In response to the recommendations in the paper the Commission approved the determination of midwater pair trawling as an approved method for an 18 month period contingent on the implementation of a dolphin mitigation strategy for the SPF, and strict monitoring and other conditions to mitigate the risk of protected species interactions.
- Ecological Risk Management (ERM) framework
The Commission endorsed the adoption of AFMA’s new ecological risk assessment methodology and ERM framework, noting that it will be subject to ongoing review. AFMA will now release an ERM policy for public comment and will also finalise implementation of its ERM Guide for Fishery Managers.
- Dolphin mitigation strategies
The Commission discussed that dolphin mitigation strategies being developed for the SPF and the gillnet sector of the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery. The objective of the respective strategies is to minimise interactions with dolphins via the establishment of limits on interaction rates, with escalating management responses and an overall interaction cap.
As part of the meeting, the Commission also considered written submissions provided by industry associations representing the shark and trawl fishing sectors in the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery, the SPF and tropical tuna fisheries. These provided an update on the current industry operating environment. The Commission also noted a verbal update provided by Mr Brian Jeffriess on behalf of the Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Industry Association.
Norman Moore
Chairman
May 2017