It’s good news for fishermen and seafood consumers alike with healthy total allowable catches (TACs) set for a number of key fish species from southern and eastern Australia for the 2016-17 season.
Catch limits for species in the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF) were set by the independent AFMA Commission at its meeting last month in Lakes Entrance. The season will begin on 1 May.
Fish (gummy shark) and chips for lunch or dinner
Expect to see a continued good supply of popular eating species like flathead, blue eye trevalla, blue grenadier (hoki) and gummy shark (flake) in shops as stock levels remain in good shape. In addition, the sustainable catch limit set for orange roughy has been maintained following a successful reopening of the fishery last season.
Decisions about catch limits are made using the best available science. The independent AFMA Commission considers advice from Resource Assessment Groups, the South East Management Advisory Committee, the Great Australian Bight Management Advisory Committee, Industry Associations and other stakeholders. Depending on what the latest science tells us about stocks, catch limits for species may go up and down from season to season. This ensures that our fisheries continue to remain healthy for current and future generations to enjoy.
While most stocks are in good shape, the latest available science shows that a few stocks, such as blue warehou and eastern gemfish, are declining or not showing signs of rebuilding despite having strict management rules in place. In addition to continued monitoring, AFMA will also be holding a workshop in the coming months to investigate why some species are not rebuilding. Among other potential explanations, the workshop will consider the impact of climate change and how this may influence estimates of fish stock potential.
A list of the TACs for SESSF species for the 2016-17 season can be found in the total allowable catch determination on the Federal Register of Legislation website.