The first of the pre-season prawn surveys for 2014 has been completed in the Northern Prawn Fishery.
The information gathered provides an indication of the number of juvenile prawns of the key prawn species in the region, which is then used to determine how many prawns will be available to the fishery to catch in the coming season.
The CSIRO have undertaken prawn stock surveys in the Gulf of Carpentaria fishery since 2002, gathering data for AFMA to inform the NPF stock assessment. The first survey will provide an overview of the stock levels for the main commercial prawn species, tiger, banana, and endeavour prawns. Later in the year, the second survey will provide an overview of the spawning for these particular species.
The NPF fishing vessels the Australian Pearl and Eylandt Pearl were chartered to trawl predetermined sites covering fishing grounds from Weipa to north of Groote Eylandt. A total of 301 trawls were completed between January 21 and February 6, 2014. These trawls were particularly aimed at prawns and byproduct and were situated on and inshore of the trawl grounds. All trawls were made at night and were about 30 minutes in duration.
The results of these surveys can be found here on our website.
For more information, please contact Fiona Hill, Manager Northern Prawn Fishery on 02 6225 5371 or email fiona.hill@afma.gov.au.