Southern and Eastern Scalefish
and Shark Fishery
Five Year Research Plan
(2011 – 2015)
2010
Version 1.4
Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery – Five Year Research Plan (2011-2015)
1
Document Information
Distribution List
Title
Name
Date
AFMA
Staff
Nov 2009
SEMAC 3
MAC members, V1.2
30 April 2010
SESSFRAG Chairs meeting
RAG members, V1.2
14 May 2010
SEMAC 4
MAC members, V1.4
16 Sep 2010
Version Control
#
Status
Change Description
Author(s)
Date
1.1
Cleared
Framework drafted
Sharon Koh, Steve Auld
6 Nov 2009
1.2
Cleared
Research needs added
Sharon Koh
24 Nov 2009
1.3
Cleared
Incorporation of SESSFRAG
recommendations for research
needs
Sharon Koh
5 July 2010
1.4
Cleared
Re-structured
Sharon Koh, Steve Auld
5 July 2010
Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery – Five Year Research Plan (2011-2015)
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Contents
Acronyms ....................................................................................................................... 4
1. Introduction................................................................................................................ 5
2. Overview of the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery ............. 5
3. Institutional Framework for Research in the SESSF.......................................... 7
3.1 Research management bodies .............................................................. 7
3.2 Sources of Funding for Research .......................................................... 9
3.3 Process for Commissioning SESSF-related Research ...................... 11
4. AFMA’s Research Program................................................................................... 14
5. Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery Strategic Research
Plan ................................................................................................................................. 15
5.1 Overview..................................................................................................... 15
5.2 Identifying research needs ...................................................................... 15
5.3 Research Priority Areas of SEMAC and GABMAC............................. 17
5.4 Research needs ........................................................................................ 18
5.5 Conclusion ................................................................................................. 20
Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery – Five Year Research Plan (2011-2015)
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Acronyms
AFMA
Australian Fisheries Management Authority
SESSF
Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery
CTS
Commonwealth trawl sector
GAB
Great Australian Bight
GHAT
Gillnet, Hook and Trap
RAG
Resource Assessment Group
MAC
Management Advisory Committee
GABMAC
Great Australian Bight Management Advisory Committee
SEMAC
South East Management Advisory Committee
TAC
Total allowable catch
SFR
Statutory Fishing Right
ITQ
Individual transferable quotas
GVP
Gross Value of Production
R&D
Research and Development
HSF
Harvest Strategy Framework
FIS
Fishery Independent Survey
ERA
Ecological risk assessment
ERM
Ecological risk management
TEP
Threatened, endangered and protected
EPBC Act
Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
FRDC
Fisheries Research Development Corporation
FRRF
Fisheries Resources Research Fund
ARC
AFMA Board’s Research Committee
CSIRO
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
COMFRAB
Commonwealth Fisheries Research Advisory Board
Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery – Five Year Research Plan (2011-2015)
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1. Introduction
The Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF) is a Commonwealth
fishery managed under the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery
Management Plan 2003 (the Management Plan). The South East and Great Australian
Bight Management Advisory Committees (MACs) are the principle advisory bodies to the
Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) on issues affecting the SESSF.
Achieving an adequate understanding of both the biological and economic issues within
the SESSF, by the identification of appropriate targeted research, is vital if the
management objectives for the fishery are to be met. This document provides a strategic
framework for the SESSF that identifies the key research needs in the fishery for the fiveyear period 2011-2015.
The purpose of this document is to assist the MACs identify and support research that will
help achieve the management goals for the SESSF, and ensure that endorsed research
projects fit within a comprehensive and strategic research plan for the fishery.
The research plan also provides a framework to assist industry, managers, scientists and
other interested parties to work together in a co-operative and open way to address the
management issues and research needs which are in the best interests of the fishery, its
participants and the wider community.
Research providers wishing to make use of the various funding opportunities which are
available for undertaking research on issues of relevance to the SESSF should consult
this document to ensure that their research proposals address the management needs for
this fishery. Interest groups wishing to investigate how research funds are spent in the
SESSF should also refer to this research plan.
2. Overview of the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and
Shark Fishery
The SESSF extends from the coast off Fraser Island in Queensland south and west to
Cape Leeuwin in Western Australia (see Fig. 1). The area of this fishery covers nearly half
of the waters within the Australian Fishing Zone off mainland Australia and Tasmania.
Over 20 ports are used by the fleet from New South Wales to Western Australia; however
the major ports are Ulladulla, Lakes Entrance, Portland, Eden, Hobart, Adelaide, San
Remo and Port Lincoln. The fishery operates in both Commonwealth and State waters
under different Offshore Constitutional Settlement arrangements with State governments.
The SESSF is comprised of the following fishery sectors:
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Commonwealth Trawl Sector (CTS)
The Great Australian Bight Trawl Sector (GABTS)
The Scalefish Hook Sector
Shark Hook Sector
The Gillnet Sector
The East Coast Deepwater Trawl Sector (ECDTS).
The Scalefish hook, Shark hook and Gillnet sectors are collectively referred to as the
Gillnet, Hook and Trap Sector (GHAT).
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In addition, there are smaller sectors which include the South Australian, Tasmanian and
Victorian coastal waters sectors.
A combination of methods is used in the fishery, including demersal otter trawl, Danish
seine, demersal longline and gillnet (see Table 1). The main target species in the CTS are
Tiger Flathead, Pink Ling, Blue Grenadier and Spotted Warehou. The main target species
in the GHAT are Gummy Shark, Blue Eye Trevalla and Pink Ling.
Fig. 1: Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery
Table 1: Sector and fishing methods
Sector
Method of fishing
Commonwealth Trawl Sector
Demersal otter board trawling
Mid-water trawling
Danish seine
Prawn trawling
Great Australian Bight Trawl Sector
Demersal otter board trawling
Mid-water trawling
Scalefish Hook Sector
Demersal longline (including automatic baiting equipment)
Dropline
Trotline
Gillnet Sector
Demersal gillnet
Shark Hook Sector
Demersal longline (hand baiting only)
NOTE: Fish traps are also used in the fishery.
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The SESSF is one of the most important Commonwealth-managed fisheries, with a gross
value of production (GVP) of $96 million in 2008-09. The relative contributions of the three
major fishery sectors to this GVP were: CTS (58%), GHAT (32%) and GAB (9%). In 200809 the CTS was the second most valuable Commonwealth fishery in value terms, with a
GVP of $55.9 million. The GVP trends over the past 4 years for the three major sectors of
the SESSF are shown in Table 2.
Table 2: GVP over 2005-2009 for the CTS, GAB and GHAT sectors
Financial year
CTS ($m)
GHAT ($m)
GAB ($m)
2005-06
43.6
21.5
15.5
2006-07
54.5
23.8
18.0
2007-08
46.4
27.5
12.8
2008-09
55.9
30.6
8.9
Source: ABARE Australian Fisheries Statistics 2010
The SESSF is managed under the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery
Management Plan 2003 (the Management Plan) and governed by the Fisheries
Management Act 1991. Under the Management Plan, output controls have been
implemented in the form of total allowable catch (TAC) limits allocated as individual
transferable quotas (ITQs), or quota statutory fishing rights (SFRs), which are fully
tradeable and can either be permanently transferred or leased. The SESSF is a limited
entry fishery, and operators require a boat SFR or fishing permit to access the area of the
fishery. Currently 34 species/species groups are managed through quota allocated as
ITQs or SFRs, with SFRs having been issued for 28 of these species/ species groups.
Other output controls used include trip limits, incidental catch limits and minimum size
limits for certain species, and prohibited take of other species. Input controls used include
limited entry; gear restrictions; and spatial and temporal closures.
Further information about the fishery and management arrangements can be found in the
SESSF Management Arrangements Booklet, which is available on the AFMA website.
3. Institutional Framework for Research in the SESSF
3.1 Research management bodies
Resource assessment groups
Resource assessment groups (RAGs) are the bodies responsible for providing scientific
advice to the management advisory committees (MACs) and the AFMA Commission on
the status of fish stocks, sub-stocks, species (target and non-target), and the impact of
fishing on the marine environment. They coordinate, evaluate and regularly undertake
fishery assessments, and provide recommendations on issues such as the setting of total
allowable catches, stock rebuilding targets, and biological reference points.
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Membership of the RAGs comprises representatives from the areas of fisheries
management, research, industry, fisheries economics and conservation. The broad
membership ensures that, in addition to scientific information on each fish stock, industry
knowledge and developments in management strategies, market prices and the costs of
harvesting are also taken into account.
The overarching resource assessment body in the fishery is the SESSF Resource
Assessment Group (SESSF RAG). This group coordinates four RAGs, which are:
• Slope Resource Assessment Group (Slope RAG)
• Shelf Resource Assessment Group (Shelf RAG)
• Shark Resource Assessment Group (Shark RAG)
• Great Australian Bight Resource Assessment Group (GAB RAG).
Each RAG provides an annual report on fishery/stock status, management implications,
information gaps and research needed to improve stock assessments and address any
management implications as appropriate. Whilst the RAGs report to the MACs
independently of one another, there is co-ordination and liaison through SESSF RAG to
identify research needs and information gaps.
Management advisory committees
Management advisory committees (MACs) are the main advisory bodies to AFMA. They
provide advice on a variety of issues including fisheries management arrangements,
research, compliance and management costs.
The MACs provide a link between AFMA and those with an interest in the fishery, with
membership generally comprising members from commercial industry, fisheries
management, the scientific community, the environment/conservation sector and, in some
instances, the State governments. They provide a broad perspective on management
options and are a forum where issues relating to a fishery are discussed, problems
identified and possible solutions developed.
The MACs consider the advice of RAGs and provide recommendations to the AFMA
Commission based on how the options will contribute to meeting the overall objectives for
a particular fishery and the pursuit of AFMA's legislative objectives. The South East MAC
(SEMAC) and the Great Australian Bight MAC (GABMAC) provide advice on issues
affecting the SESSF
AFMA Research Committee
Research managed by AFMA is overseen by the AFMA Research Committee (ARC), a sixmember committee drawn from AFMA Commissioners and executive management. The
Committee is responsible for:
• advising the AFMA Commission and other Commonwealth agencies on research
priorities; and
• advising the AFMA Commission on research policy and issues.
The ARC serves a double function as COMFRAB.
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Commonwealth Fisheries Research Advisory Board
The Commonwealth Fisheries Research Advisory Board (COMFRAB) is the body which
determines the research projects to fund for Commonwealth managed fisheries and the
sources of funding for these projects. COMFRAB advises the Fisheries Research and
Development Corporation (FRDC) on research priorities and makes recommendations on
applications for funding.
Division of responsibilities
The role of each research management body is as follows:
• RAGs – identifies research priorities for fishery sectors and potential research
investigators and funding sources, with a focus on stock assessments
• MACs – endorses research priorities/projects and assess the ability of them to
meet the management objectives of the fishery
• ARC – advises the AFMA Commission on research priorities and policy issues
• COMFRAB – advises the FRDC on research projects to be funded and the
sources of funding
• FRDC – determines the research projects to be funded and the sources of
funding
3.2 Sources of Funding for Research
Fisheries research projects in the SESSF may be funded through a range of sources,
which are described below.
a) Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC)
The FRDC is a statutory authority jointly funded by the Australian Government and the
fishing industry. It funds research and development (R&D) projects and facilitates the
adoption of R&D results which provide economic and social benefits for the fishing
industry and the people of Australia. There are four key programs to which funding is
allocated: Natural fish resources, Aquaculture, Harvesting and Marketing.
The FRDC is guided in its funding of research by AFMA’s recommendations on
Commonwealth fisheries research, as specified in a Memorandum of Understanding
between AFMA and the FRDC. All research funded by AFMA or the FRDC requires MAC
endorsement in the first instance.
The FRDC receives a total funding of up to 1% of the annual Gross Value of Production
(GVP) for any given fishery averaged over the preceding three years, which is made up of
the following contributions:
•
the Commonwealth Government provides unmatched funds at 0.5% of the average
GVP;
•
State, Territory and Commonwealth fishers and aquaculture operators provide
voluntary contributions; and
•
the Commonwealth Government matches the contributions by State, Territory and
Commonwealth fishers and aquaculture operators up to a maximum of 0.25% of
the average GVP.
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Industry funds raised from a particular fishery or region will generally be spent over a fiveyear period on projects of direct relevance to that fishery or region.
b) AFMA Research Fund
The AFMA Research Fund was established in 1995, and primarily provides government
funding for management-related fisheries research.
Industry pays a research levy which goes towards research projects and the
administration of AFMA’s research program. Under AFMA’s cost recovery impact
statement (CRIS), which was reviewed in 2010, the following government/industry funding
allocations apply:
•
fisheries management research and collection of verified data – 20% funded by
government and 80% by industry;
•
broader marine research – 75% funded by government and 25% by industry;
•
fishery independent surveys – government contribution of up to 20% where the
ARC agrees there is a public benefit;
•
resource assessment groups – 20% funded by government and 80% by industry.
AFMA has guidelines for categorising research costs in accordance with ‘AFMA’s
Research Policy 2010’.
c) Fisheries Resources Research Fund (FRRF)
The Australian Government established the Fisheries Resources Research Fund (FRRF)
in 1991 as a component of the 1989 “New Directions for Commonwealth Fisheries
Management in the 1990s” policy statement. The fund was established to provide the
Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) with the
capacity to undertake policy-related research and to provide expert, objective and
independent commentary on the status of Commonwealth managed fisheries to the
Minister (and the Australian community in general).
Whilst this role has gradually evolved, the major role of the FRRF continues to be the
provision of funding for:
•
a rolling program of assessments of the management of all Commonwealth
fisheries (which is considered necessary for the ongoing stewardship of those
fisheries); and
•
economic, social and biological research to underpin the Australian Government’s
effective response to current and emerging fishery policy and management issues
(on both a domestic and international basis).
Although the FRRF is managed by DAFF, AFMA is consulted on expenditure by the FRRF
through participating in an advisory committee that evaluates applications for funding.
Further information on the FRRF can be obtained from DAFF.
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d) Research funded through other sources
Many other organisations also invest in Commonwealth fisheries research, including
Australian Government agencies such as the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage
and the Arts (DEWHA), the National Oceans Office, and the Commonwealth Environment
Research Facilities (CERF). CSIRO and several State research organisations also provide
funding for research that assists in an increased understanding of the SESSF. These
organisations are responsible for developing their own research plans and research
priorities.
Where the research interests of AFMA and the FRDC or other research investors overlap
there may be opportunities for co-investment to obtain better leverage for research
outcomes.
3.3 Process for Commissioning SESSF-related Research
The process of commissioning SESSF-related research projects is as follows:
a) Call for Research Proposals
Between February and May each year a call for research applications is made. Research
bodies are publicly notified of the SESSF research priorities and are invited to submit
research proposals to address these priorities. The research proposals may be directed at
AFMA or the FRDC.
The notification includes details of the tendering process for research projects that will be
funded. The timetable for the MAC tendering process is shown in Table 3. Final research
proposals are generally sought from the researchers by August each year.
b) Endorsement of Research Proposals
Once received, research applications are evaluated by the relevant MAC and, based on
the nature of the research proposals and available research funds, recommendations are
made to endorse and rank selected projects. The MAC may request changes to the
proposals to better meet the needs of the fishery.
The MAC submits its endorsed proposals to COMFRAB and the ARC for consideration by
1 September. COMFRAB and the ARC review the recommendations, determine the
appropriate funding source for each project, and recommend the proposals to the
appropriate funding agency by early October.
The research proposals are evaluated according to the guidelines set out in the fishery
research plans and the AFMA Strategic Research Plan at both the MAC and AFMA
corporate levels.
Full research applications for FRDC funded projects are due on 1 November, although the
FRDC may consider applications out-of-session.
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c) Research Contracts
All AFMA and FRDC funded research is commissioned through the issue of research
contracts between the funding body and the researcher. Apart from terms and conditions,
these contracts specify the objectives of the research project, the outputs of the project,
milestone reports, communication and extension activities and final publication
requirements. Payments for research projects are contingent on milestones being met in a
timely manner.
The MACs annually review the status and progress of SESSF-related research.
Table 3: MAC tendering process and ComFRAB timetable
Date
Timing
Feb
SESSF Activity
ComFRAB Activity
SESSFRAG:
- planning meeting to review 5 year
strategic research plan and
research priorities for the SESSF
- review MAC funded research as
presented in milestone reports
- recommend research topics
MACs:
- determine research priorities and
develop project scopes
Feb March
MACs set
timeframes
March
April
FRDC set
timeframes
Commencement of SESSF project
tender process for AFMAComFRAB tactical research and
SESSF-prioritised projects.
MACs:
ComFRAB:
- advise research providers of
priority research areas
- call for research applications and preproposals
- call for research proposals
(tenders) according to MAC
priorities, for the following financial
year
- cross-fishery research priority setting
Close call for SESSF project
tenders
FRDC FRAB biennial workshop.
ComFRAB:
- Call for cross-fishery research
proposals (tactical research for current
year, and pre-proposals for following
year)
May
MACs set
timeframes
MACs/RAGs:
- assess and prioritise research
proposals submitted by research
providers, for submission to
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ComFRAB
June
ComFRAB
deadline
July
MACs set
timeframes
August
ComFRAB
deadline
Submit project proposals to
ComFRAB
•
tactical research applications
for current year and preproposals for following year
•
MAC assessment advice on
the tactical research
proposals and pre-proposals
MACs assess and rank full
research applications and RAG
workplans for following financial
year
ARC - policy issues, tactical research
applications, pre-proposals
Submit final MAC endorsed and
ranked project proposals to
ComFRAB
Deadline for electronic submission to
ComFRAB of:
September
November
Deadline for electronic submission to
ComFRAB of:
ComFRAB - tactical research
applications and pre-proposals
•
Full project proposals for
following financial year
•
MAC assessment advice of
endorsed and ranked full
proposals for following
financial year
ComFRAB - Research applications
assessed and funding recommendations
made to funding partners
FRDC deadline
Deadline for applications seeking
FRDC funding to be lodged with
FRDC
Deadline for submission to ARC of
RAG applications for following
financial year
December
ARC – policy matters, deferred research
proposals
Note:
1
These are nominally projects of a single year’s duration
2
The dates specified above are subject to change, but they are generally a good indicator of research
target dates. For confirmation of times and venues contact AFMA’s Research and Data Section.
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4. AFMA’s Research Program
AFMA has four research programs which are directed to meeting AFMA’s legislative
objectives and achieve the outcome of ecologically sustainable and economically efficient
Commonwealth fisheries. These are:
Program 1 – Fishery stocks and biology
• Stock monitoring
To collect appropriate information to support stock assessments, using a total
stock management approach.
• Understanding stocks
To underpin stock assessments with a knowledge of the stock biology and the total
stock accessed by all sectors.
Program 2 – Ecosystem-based fisheries management
• Impact monitoring
To base management decisions on a knowledge of impacts on fisheries
ecosystems.
•
Impact reduction
To minimise impacts on fisheries ecosystems.
Program 3 – Evaluation
• Management indicators
To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of existing management strategies.
• Management strategies
To development management and harvest strategies to ensure best-practice
management and the greatest return to the community.
Program 4 – Development
• Management development
To develop policies and technology to support the management of Commonwealth
fisheries.
• Industry development
To develop skills and knowledge of stakeholders involved in the fishing industry.
For further information on AFMA’s research programs, refer to the ‘AFMA Strategic
Research Plan’ which is available on the AFMA website.
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5. Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery
Strategic Research Plan
5.1 Overview
Broadly speaking, all research activities in AFMA focus on ensuring the attainment of
AFMA’s two primary management objectives, which are:
i) to ensure the ecological sustainability of the fishery; and
ii) to maximise the economic efficiency of the fishery.
Management towards each of these objectives requires an understanding of both the
impacts of fishing on target stocks and the broader ecosystem, and the fishing strategies
and performance of fishing vessels.
The SESSF research plan identifies the research needs and priorities for the fishery over
the next five years. Addressing these needs will provide the necessary scientific and
economic information to:
•
assist with the achievement of the management objectives for the SESSF, which
are consistent with the AFMA objectives;
•
enable the effective implementation and appraisal of management plans, including
amendments to the plan and the introduction of new quota species.
There are a range of legislative, management and assessment requirements which
influence research activities in the SESSF. Research priorities must be consistent with
AFMA’s research programs and the ‘AFMA Strategic Research Plan’. They are also
influenced by other assessments undertaken for Commonwealth fisheries, and any
obligations under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
(EPBC Act). Under the EPBC Act all Commonwealth fisheries are required to be
strategically assessed (similar to an Environmental Impact Assessment) against a set of
sustainability guidelines.
5.2 Identifying research needs
Drivers of research can be considered to fall into five categories:
a) Biological – information for stock assessments, multi-species fisheries issues etc.
b) Environmental – bycatch mitigation, protected species, ecosystem impacts etc.
c) Legislative – Harvest Strategy Policy, ERAs and ERMs, EPBC listing etc.
d) Economical – economic targets, market dynamics etc.
e) Social – access to resource, resource allocation issues etc.
Existing gaps in our current knowledge of the SESSF influence the levels of uncertainties
that need to be incorporated into stock assessment models. These gaps include a lack of
understanding of the stock structure of key SESSF species, and inadequacies in the core
information available on species biology. These inadequacies relate to the life-history
parameters of many of these species such as age and natural mortality rates, reproductive
capacity and age at which the species first reaches maturity. This lack of information
hinders our ability to adequately assess the stocks and estimate the size of sustainable
harvests from those stocks.
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While the sustainability of target species has been an ongoing priority for the SESSF,
consideration of non-target and bycatch species has received a higher priority in recent
years under the adoption of ecosystem-based fisheries management. An Ecological Risk
Management (ERM) framework has been developed which details a process for assessing
and progressively addressing the impacts that fisheries’ activities have on five aspects of
the marine ecosystem, namely:
•
•
•
•
•
target species
bycatch and byproduct species
threatened, endangered and protected (TEP) species
habitats
communities.
Ecological risk assessments (ERAs) are a central component of the ERM and are
conducted on all Commonwealth fisheries. The results of ERAs assist in identifying and
prioritising research needs regarding fishery impacts on the marine ecosystem, and in
guiding research investment, data collection, monitoring, and future management
decisions. The listing of target species on the list of TEP species under the EPBC Act also
guides the strategy required to manage the sustainability or recovery of these species.
The management of bycatch species in the SESSF is addressed explicitly through the
implementation of bycatch and discarding workplans. These have replaced the bycatch
action plans which were previously implemented from 2001 to 2006. A National Policy on
Fisheries Bycatch was introduced in 1999 to provide a framework for coordinating efforts
to assess and reduce the impacts of fishing on the marine environment. Consistent with
this National Policy, species that have received considerable attention in the SESSF
bycatch and discarding workplans include but are not restricted to: seabirds, seahorses
and pipefish, whales and dolphins, sharks, seals and seal lions.
In addition to the imperatives for biological and ecological research activities, there is a
need to conduct socio-economic research if AFMA's legislative objectives are to be fully
achieved. Many factors influence the overall economic performance of the fishery, and an
understanding of these factors and consideration of all components of the fishery are
required to manage the fishery effectively. Particularly, the biological and economic
interactions between the different components of the fishery require investigation, as well
as the impacts and effects of management strategies on industry. This research plan
identifies a number of priority research areas related to economic performance of
individual operators and of the fishery as a whole.
Resource Assessment Groups have recommended that appropriate performance
indicators for monitoring the success of fisheries management in the SESSF be identified.
These performance indicators (together with appropriate reference points) are related to
the management objectives and have identified actions associated with them. As the
SESSF is a complex multi-species fishery and covers a large spatial area, a range of
reference points is required to monitor temporal and spatial changes in catch rates, and
the age and size of fish within the catch.
Given the present legislative and management environment for the fishery outlined above,
ongoing research priorities for the SESSF can be grouped into the following four broad
areas:
• assessment of target stocks in the fishery;
• assessment of the impacts of the fishery on the surrounding ecosystem;
• assessment of the economic performance of the fishery; and
• identification, monitoring and appraisal of appropriate management actions.
Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery – Five Year Research Plan (2011-2015)
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A more comprehensive discussion of these priority areas is given below.
5.3 Research Priority Areas of SEMAC and GABMAC
To achieve sound scientific advice, which is central to the successful management of the
SESSF, it is necessary to obtain appropriate data for the research. Therefore, the
collection and analysis of data is considered to stand above all other research priorities.
The identification and evaluation of cost-effective data collection and monitoring strategies
for the SESSF is an important part of this process.
1
The following research areas have been identified as high priority needs for the next five
years. These are not listed in order of priority.
Assessment of target, bycatch and by-product species
•
Stock assessment studies, including the setting of reference points, catch rate
analyses, development of alternative assessment methods, and evaluation of
harvest strategies.
•
Assessment of levels of bycatch and discards.
•
Biological and ecological studies on individual species and groups of species.
•
Development of bio-economic models for selected species and the fishery.
•
Development and implementation of fishery-independent surveys (FIS) to estimate
abundance of key SESSF species.
•
Development of resource status indicators when catch per unit effort (CPUE) data is
not reliable.
Ecosystem-based management
•
Assessment of spatial/temporal closures on a per species basis and regional basis
to achieve a variety of ecological sustainable development (ESD) objectives.
•
Assessment of the impacts of commercial fishing on trophic levels and food chains,
including threats to protected species.
•
Development and evaluation of mitigation measures to reduce ecological impacts of
the fishery, including incidental catch and discards.
•
Identification of environmental and oceanographic factors influencing the availability
of fish.
•
Identification of environmental influences on species recruitment and movement
patterns.
Socio-economic considerations and management strategy evaluation
•
Evaluation of the effectiveness of management arrangements currently being
utilised in the SESSF.
•
Evaluation of the ecological and economic consequences of alternative harvest
strategies (eg. adjusting TACs annually or for multiple years) and decision
rules/harvest strategies.
1
These research areas have been interpreted from priorities and comments from the MACs and the data and
research workshop held in May 2005.
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•
Measuring and monitoring progress against economic efficiency targets.
•
Identification and cost-benefit analysis (including ecological and socio-economic) of
ancillary management measures such as spatial closures and gear restrictions.
•
Identification of factors which impact on the profitability of individual operators,
fishery sectors and the fishery as a whole.
•
Assessment of the impacts of markets, leasing and quota holding on catch rates.
Integration of data collection processes and dissemination to end users
•
Identification and evaluation of cost-effective data collection and monitoring
processes, including how this is disseminated to end users.
•
Assessment and evaluation of observer programs and scientific monitoring
programs to meet strategic management requirements in relation to data validation
and data quality.
•
Development of an industry education and awareness program regarding data
collection to enhance management outcomes, data quality, and industry participation
in research and monitoring.
5.4 Research needs
The following themes have recently been identified as research needs that are common
across the RAGs in the SESSF. The list has been compiled from future research areas
identified during the stock assessment process and from research issues discussed at the
RAGs. It is be no means comprehensive and serves as a guide only.
Assessment of target, bycatch and by-product species
o
Size composition – Improve the collection and analysis of size composition data,
including length frequency of catches and discards. Improve model fits to implied age
composition and discard length composition data, and CVs for discard rates.
o
Otoliths – Improve the collection and analysis of ageing data, including re-ageing old
otoliths and obtaining otoliths from missing year classes.
o
Catch histories – Review catch histories for all SESSF quota species, to help
overcome discrepancies in models.
o
Selectivity – Further examine the extent and impact of gear changes to assess its
affect on gear selectivity and discard rates. Incorporate selectivity changes into the
assessments and consider estimating selectivity patterns for various time-blocks.
o
Catchability – Further describe and quantify the nature of changes in fishing practices,
including whether any change is best modelled via catchability or is better done
through additional factors in the CPUE standardisation or other approaches.
o
Stock structure – Further explore spatial dynamics, differences in stocks and the
relationship between different stocks (e.g. east-west stocks). Examine the impacts of
over-lapping stocks, e.g. if some catches in the west come from eastern stocks.
o
Bycatch species – Examine how to set appropriate TACs for bycatch species,
including further research on companion species.
o
HSF control rules – Examine alternative Tier 4 rules for stock assessments, and how
to determine stock status indicators from Tier levels.
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o
Short-lived species – Investigate alternative control rules, indicators or harvest
strategies for short-lived species.
o
HSF meta-rules – Investigate whether and how to incorporate precaution into Tier 3
and Tier 4 assessments and further examine the application of the discount factor.
o
Fishery independent surveys – Conduct a FIS on a periodic basis to provide an
alternative index of abundance or other indicators of stock status for Tier 3 and Tier 4
species and bycatch species.
Ecosystem-based management
o
Impact of closures – Investigate the impact of closed areas on CPUE data and CPUE
standardisation and the level of protection to stocks afforded by such areas.
o
Mitigation measures – Develop and implement measures to mitigate the ecological
impacts of the fishery, such as trigger levels, gear requirements, seasonal and
temporal closures, and evaluate the effectiveness of such measures.
o
Climate change – Investigate the effects of climate change on stock dynamics,
movement patterns, species recruitment and the availability of fish.
Socio-economic considerations and management strategy evaluation
o
Management strategy evaluations (MSE) – Conduct MSEs for HSF rules and metarules in situations where the desired outcomes are not being produced.
o
Stability in TACs – Develop multi-year TACs for selected species in the SESSF.
Evaluate how best to implement changes to harvest strategies or decision rules taking
into consideration possible impacts on both the stocks and industry.
o
Economic targets – Investigate how to select economic targets for a multi-species
fishery, including the selection of targets for bycatch species and the use of bioeconomic models.
o
Risk-cost-catch – Consider the risk-cost-catch framework in the context of
implementing management measures and the cost-effectiveness of stock
assessments.
o
Fishing behaviour – Include changes in fishing behaviour in stock assessments, and
identify factors that affect catch rates and the profitability of industry.
Integration of data collection processes and dissemination to end users
o
Recruitment data – Improve recruitment data, and ensure that good length frequency
samples and representative ageing samples are collected.
o
Sampling – Improve the sampling regime to ensure appropriate data samples are
collected, and to improve the consistency of fishery-dependent data.
o
Reporting – Enhance industry reporting in logbooks, including bycatch and discards, to
improve the quality and accuracy of stock assessments.
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5.5 Conclusion
This research plan provides a framework for identifying the key research priorities in the
SESSF for 2011-2015. It will assist the MACs to identify and support research that will help
achieve the management goals for the SESSF, and ensure that endorsed research
projects fit within the strategic research plan for the fishery. Individual RAGs should
identify the research needs for their relevant species or stocks consistent with the
research priorities of the SESSF strategic research plan.
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