The Hon Michael Egan, Chair of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA), announced today that a sustainable and more profitable future for Australia’s most valuable Commonwealth fishery, the Northern Prawn Fishery (NPF), will be assured through controls that limit fishing effort and maximise the supply to the Australian community.
The new management arrangements will include a minimum catch rate for key species and mechanisms to adjust total annual effort levels to ensure the fishery remains sustainable and profitable.
This decision puts an end to many years of speculation about how our biggest prawn fishery should be managed and gives industry the certainty they need to get on with business. The decision was based on the outcomes of rigorous scientific and economic analysis and a detailed risk assessment of different management options.
AFMA has been investigating the costs, benefits and risks of managing the NPF under alternative management arrangements since 2007. This investigation followed approximately $68 million of government assistance provided to the industry to help it restructure in late 2006 to become more profitable.
Mr Egan said, “I thank the members of the Northern Prawn Fishery Management Advisory Committee, Northern Prawn Resource Assessment Group, industry and other experts for their contributions regarding the future management of this important fishery.”
Annie Jarrett, CEO of the NPF Industry Pty Ltd, said the Northern Prawn Fishery is Australia’s biggest and most valuable wild-caught prawn supplier.
“AFMA and industry are making sure that Australians will be able to eat tasty, healthy and sustainably caught prawns for many years to come as well as helping the fishing industry and community maximise economic returns from the fishery. The agreement to continue to manage the NPF through robust arrangements, including individually transferable effort units, will ensure the fishery is sustainable and profitable into the future.”
Ms Jarrett highlighted that the new arrangements reinforce work the fishing industry has done to ensure that they maintain high environmental standards. The Northern Prawn Fishery is the first tropical prawn fishery in Australia, and second in the world, to receive Marine Stewardship Council certification.
Contact: Rebecca Atkins, AFMA Communications 02 6225 5541 or 0447 942 840 or rebecca.atkins@afma.gov.au.