AFMA fisheries management officer presenting to a group of Torres Strait community members.
During August 2013, some of our officers visited four eastern Torres Strait communities to explain what the new Torres Strait Finfish Fishery Management Plan 2013 (the Plan) means for them.
AFMA officers visited the communities of Ugar (Stephens Island), Masig (Yorke Island), Erub (Darnley Island) and Mer (Murray Island). Officers outlined the objectives of the Plan, existing management arrangements for Spanish mackerel and Coral trout, and what a quota management system may look like if it were to be implemented in the future.
Each community was keen to discuss the management arrangements under the Plan and how their community could use opportunities and create a viable commercial finfish fishery for local operators.
Our officers explained the importance of catch reporting and setting goals for what they want to achieve in their fisheries. The communities also raised questions about catch sharing arrangements with Papua New Guinea, non-indigenous licence leasing arrangements and catch allocation, as well as traditional fisher representation on various fisheries committees.
The communities were also interested in hearing about the work being done to develop a Tropical Rock Lobster Management Plan, current research in the Torres Strait Prawn Fishery and the fishing trial of the sea cucumber species, Black teatfish.
AFMA will follow up from these Community visits with a Finfish Fishery Working Group early next year.
For more information, please contact Brendan Rayner, Senior Management Officer, Northern Fisheries on (07) 4069 1990 or brendan.rayner@afma.gov.au.