When you think of Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) managed fisheries, you tend to think of tunas, prawns, gummy shark and other popular eating species. However, what readers of AFMA News may not know is that there is an AFMA managed Coral Sea Fishery situated at the top end of Queensland, between Cape York and Sandy Cape, that supplies tropical species of fish, rays and invertebrates for the domestic aquarium trade and for export to large public aquariums and international aquarium fish suppliers in America, Asia and Europe. This is in addition to a small number of permit holders supplying fresh fin fish to the domestic market and processed sea cucumber for specialist Asian markets.
Like all Commonwealth managed fisheries, this small, boutique, multi-species, multi-gear fishery is managed under tight controls, including conservative catch limits based on the best available science.
The 2017-18 fishery season opened at the start of the month with new, streamlined conditions which is great news for operators. After consultation with operators and scientific experts, AFMA has allowed operators to carry multiple sets of gear on-board the vessel, i.e., dropline gear and traps, which will significantly increase their fishing flexibility. At the same time, AFMA’s strict management ensures science based catch limits are in place for all commercially caught species to ensure that the fishery remains sustainable.
For more information about the Coral Sea Fishery go to afma.gov.au