Draft Port Phillip Scallop Dive
Fishery Management Plan
September 2015
Fisheries Victoria Science Report Series No. xx
Draft Port Phillip Scallop Dive
Fishery Management Plan
October 2015
Fisheries Victoria
Science Report Series No. xx
Published by the Victorian Government, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources
(DEDJTR),October 2015
© The State of Victoria, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources Melbourne October
2015
This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the
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Printed by DEDJTR Queenscliff, Victoria.
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Fisheries Victoria Science Report Series No. XX.
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ISSN
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Draft Port Phillip Scallop Dive Fishery Management Plan
ii
Contents
Introduction
5
Overview of fishery
Objectives for the fishery
Term of this fishery management plan
5
5
6
Description of the fishery and management arrangements
7
Fishery area and management arrangements
Sectors accessing the resource
Aboriginal
Commercial
Recreational
Other users
7
9
9
9
9
9
Legislative and policy framework
10
Victorian legislation and regulation
Ecologically sustainable development
10
10
Scallop stock structure, biology and life history
11
Stock structure of the scallop resource
Scallop biology and life history
Scallop stock status
11
11
12
Monitoring and assessment
13
Fishery independent survey design
Fishery-independent survey analysis and assessment
Fishery dependent information
Additional (non-mandatory) data
Additional data analysis and assessment
Economic characteristics of the fishery
Monitoring ESD
13
13
14
15
15
15
15
Harvest Strategy
17
Operational objectives
Stock performance indicators
Reference points
Level of risk
Monitoring stock performance
Management decision rules
Annual TACC setting process and timeline
17
17
17
18
18
18
19
Acknowledgements
20
Draft Port Phillip Scallop Dive Fishery Management Plan
iii
References
21
Appendix A: Data collection, analysis and assessment for a fully developed commercial
scallop fishery
23
List of Tables
Table 1. Summary of management arrangements for the Port Phillip Scallop Dive Fishery
8
Table 2. Fishery level objectives, indicators, and performance measures for the Port Phillip Scallop
Dive Fishery
16
Table 3 Stock performance indicators and reference points
17
List of Figures
Figure 1. Port Phillip Bay showing the commercial fishing zones and two Scallop Commercial Fishing
Exclusion Zones
7
Draft Port Phillip Scallop Dive Fishery Management Plan
iv
Introduction
Overview of fishery
This plan applies to the commercial and recreational Port Phillip Scallop Dive Fishery of which the target species are the
commercial scallop (Pecten fumatus) and doughboy scallop (Chlamys asperrimus). Commercial and recreational scallop
fishing activities in Victorian waters are managed under the provisions of the Fisheries Act 1995 and the Fisheries
Regulations 2009. A single commercial fishery access licence was issued in 2013 for the Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay)
Fishery. The licence holder can engage one or more people to carry out any activity authorised on the licence if they are
listed on the licence. Recreational scallop fishers must hold a valid Recreational Fishing Licence unless they are exempt.
Port Phillip Bay is a largely enclosed marine bay in Victoria, south-east Australia. The commercial Scallop Dive (Port
Phillip Bay) Fishery can harvest scallops from Port Phillip Bay with the exception of exclusion zones (Rye and Indented
Head; Figure 1) and those areas where other types of commercial fishing are excluded (e.g. marine parks, shipping
channels). The commercial fishery is managed spatially by zone (six zones) in order to manage sustainability risks
(Figure 1). Recreational fishers can harvest scallops from all areas of Port Phillip Bay with the exception of those areas
where recreational fishing is excluded (e.g. marine parks).
The Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery is subject to a Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) which will be
managed using the established quota management system. All quota is linked to the single commercial licence. There
are six quota units for P. fumatus (one unit per zone) and six quota units for C. asperrimus (one unit per zone). The
quantity of scallops comprising an individual quota unit may be amended at any time through the publication of a further
quota order. Recreational fishing is subject to a daily bag limit of 100 scallops.
Recreational fishing contributes $2.3 billion to our social and economic wellbeing (Ernst and Young 2009) and it
encourages families to get outdoors and learn more about our environment. The development of the commercial fishery
will drive economic development through job creation, local investment and provision of local quality seafood.
This management plan outlines the arrangements for the Port Phillip Scallop Dive Fishery to be managed in an efficient,
effective and ecologically sustainable manner, in accordance with the requirements of the Fisheries Act. The
management objectives for the fishery are to maintain the long term sustainability of the resource, provide equitable
resource access and use, and cost effective and participatory management. This fishery management plan will replace
the Baseline Management Arrangements for the commercial fishery (DEPI 2013) developed prior to the commencement
of the Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery.
Objectives for the fishery
The fishery management objectives for the Port Phillip Scallop Dive Fishery are:
1.
Long-term sustainability of the scallop resource:
-
Ensure that the recreational and commercial harvest is kept within limits that are consistent with the long term
sustainability of the fishery; and
-
Allow fishing for scallops in a manner that has minimal ecological impact; and
2.
Equitable resource access and use:
-
Maintain access to the fishery for recreational and commercial fishers; and
-
Provide for developing commercial and recreational fishing opportunities.
3.
Cost effective and participatory management:
-
Maximise the economic and social benefits from the fishery to the Victorian community.
-
Ensure that the management of the fishery and the provision of associated services are efficient, effective and
responsive using regulatory approaches that are enabling and incentive-based;
-
Apply the principle that users of the commercial fishery pay for the cost of services from which they benefit and
for services that address risks created by their activities; and
-
Enable participation by fishers and other relevant stakeholders in fisheries management, taking account of the
respective responsibilities of government and fishers.
Draft Port Phillip Scallop Dive Fishery Management Plan
5
Term of this fishery management plan
This management plan was prepared by Fisheries Victoria, a division of the Victorian Department of Economic
Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR), in consultation with a stakeholder-based steering committee,
and in accordance with Part 3 of the Fisheries Act. It came into effect following its declaration in the Victoria Government
Gazette and remains in effect for a period of at least five years or until it is replaced or cancelled in accordance with the
requirements of the Fisheries Act.
The DEDJTR, in collaboration with stakeholders, will arrange an annual stock assessment workshop to review progress
against the objectives of this plan.
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6
Description of the fishery and management
arrangements
Fishery area and management arrangements
The spatial extent of the Port Phillip Scallop Dive Fishery is shown in Figure 1. The two Scallop Fishing Commercial
Exclusion Zones (SFCEZ) have been identified as areas most valued by recreational fishers. The six commercial spatial
management zones were established based on an amalgamation of the historical strata and the catch and effort grid
system. The Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery Access Licence holder has access to commercial scallops greater
than or equal to 90 millimetres shell length and doughboy scallops in Port Phillip Bay with the exception of the two
Scallop Fishing Commercial Exclusion Zones. Recreational fishers have access to commercial doughboy scallops
throughout Port Phillip Bay subject to a 100 scallop per person bag limit.
A summary of the current commercial and recreational management arrangements is provided in
Draft Port Phillip Scallop Dive Fishery Management Plan
7
Table 1.
Figure 1. Port Phillip Bay showing the commercial fishing zones and two Scallop Commercial Fishing Exclusion
Zones.
Draft Port Phillip Scallop Dive Fishery Management Plan
8
Table 1. Summary of management arrangements for the Port Phillip Scallop Dive Fishery.
Feature
Commercial
Recreational

Fisheries Act 1995

Fisheries Act

Fisheries Regulations 2009

Fisheries Regulations

Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery
Access Licence – licence conditions

Objectives contained in the Fisheries Act


Fishery-specific management objectives
Objectives contained in the Fisheries
Act

Port Phillip Bay

Port Phillip Bay

Commercial exclusions zones apply

Commercial scallop (Pecten fumatus)

Commercial scallop

Doughboy scallop (Chlamys asperrimus)

Doughboy scallop

No other species can be retained

One Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay)
Fishery Access Licence

A Recreational Fishing Licence is
required unless a person is exempt

All quota is linked to this licence

Limit of 100 scallops per day
Gear

Underwater breathing apparatus and
hand-collection only

Underwater breathing apparatus,
snorkel and hand-collection only
Total Allowable Commercial
Catch (TACC)

The TACC will be managed using the
established Quota Management System
Spatial Management

Six zones


Two Scallop Commercial Fishing
Exclusion Zones
Recreational fishers can fish
throughout Port Phillip Bay except in
marine protected areas.
Fishing year

1 April to 31 March the following year

Year round
Legal minimum length

A legal minimum length of 90mm shell
length applies to P. fumatus

No legal minimum length

No legal minimum length applies to C.
asperrimus

Real time reporting

No reporting required

Daily Catch Record Book

Catch Disposal Record and sales
receipts

Annual Report
Food safety requirements

The licence holder will be responsible for
ensuring all food safety requirements are
met prior to the sale of scallops for
human consumption.

No food safety requirements
Occupational health and
safety

The licence holder will be responsible for
complying with relevant legislation

Responsibility of fisher
Fishery costs

Costs to manage the fishery as detailed
in the Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay)
Fishery cost recovery schedule

Recreational licence fees are paid
into the Recreational Fishing Trust
Account which is used to fund
activities that benefit the fishery.
Compliance

Fisheries Regulations

Fisheries Regulations

Licence conditions

All nominated vessels will be required to
be fitted with an operational Vessel
Monitoring System (VMS)
Legislative framework
Management objectives
Geographical context
Target species
Licence
Reporting
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Sectors accessing the resource
Aboriginal
There are no Traditional Owner groups recognised around Port Phillip Bay under either the Native Title Act 1993 or the
Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010. The Victorian Government recognises that Aboriginal people have a strong
connection to country that is central to their culture, both traditionally and today, and is committed to working together
with the Aboriginal community and other fishing sectors to sustainably manage fish resources in freshwater and saltwater
country.
The Victorian Aboriginal Fishing Strategy is focused on achieving three key outcomes:

Recognition of Aboriginal customary fishing rights for Recognised Traditional Owner Groups;

Better economic opportunities for all Aboriginal people in fishing and related industries; and

Sustainable fisheries management in collaboration with Traditional Owner Groups.
There is currently no information on catch history of scallops by Aboriginal fishers.
Commercial
Access to the commercial scallop dive fishery is authorised by the Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery Access Licence
issued under Section 38 of the Fisheries Act. One licence is allocated for this fishery which commenced in 2014 and all
quota is linked to it. The number of Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery Access Licences is capped at one by the
Fisheries Regulations.
The licence holder can engage one or more people to carry out any activity authorised by the licence but these
individuals must be listed on the licence. The Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery Access Licence is subject to all
provisions under the Fisheries Act including:

The Secretary of the DEDJTR must renew the licence for a further period if the licence holder has a record of
compliance with the Fisheries Act.

The licence may be cancelled if the Secretary considers that the person has ceased to be a fit and proper
person to hold the licence, has ceased to satisfy any relevant eligibility criteria and/or has ceased to be actively,
substantially and regularly engaged in the activities authorised by the licence.
The Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery Access Licence also has the following characteristics:

The licence is transferable with the quota.

The licence is subject to any conditions that the Secretary deems appropriate and that are expressed or
referred to in the licence.
Recreational
Port Phillip Bay supports a large and valuable recreational fishery (Ernst and Young 2009). There is, however, very
limited information regarding recreational scallop fishing in the Bay (DEDJTR 2015). Recreational fishing is popular on
the south east coast of Port Phillip Bay, particularly around Rye, and around parts of the Bellarine Peninsula.
Recreational scallop fishers are subject to daily bag limit of 100 scallops (P. fumatus only) per person. There is no size
limit for recreationally caught scallops (DEPI 2013).
The only study that has quantitatively estimated recreational diving harvest in Victoria was the 2000–2001 National
Recreational and Indigenous Fishing Survey which estimated that approximately 5.7 tonnes were harvested from Port
Phillip Bay annually between 1999 and 2001 (Henry and Lyle 2003).
Other users
There are a number of industries supplied by or reliant on the scallop fishery. This includes scuba diving businesses and
charter operators that provide equipment and/or access to the scallop resource for recreational divers. In the commercial
sector, there are employment opportunities for divers, vessel skippers, managers, scientists, drivers and factory hands.
Businesses that supply vessels, diving equipment and associated fishery infrastructure are supported by the commercial
fishery as are wholesalers, retailers, processors and restaurants. The commercial fishery supplies the domestic seafood
market, with export opportunities to be explored as the fishery develops.
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Legislative and policy framework
Victorian legislation and regulation
The Port Phillip Scallop Dive Fishery is managed in accordance with the Fisheries Act and the Fisheries Regulations.
The Fisheries Act provides the legislative framework for managing Victoria’s fisheries resources and sets out the general
provisions applicable to all recreational fishing activities and commercial access licences including the Scallop Dive (Port
Phillip Bay) Fishery Access Licence.
The objectives of the Fisheries Act are:

to provide for the management, development and use of Victoria's fisheries, aquaculture industries and
associated aquatic biological resources in an efficient, effective and ecologically sustainable manner;

to protect and conserve fisheries resources, habitats and ecosystems including the maintenance of aquatic
ecological processes and genetic diversity;

to promote sustainable commercial fishing and viable aquaculture industries and quality recreational fishing
opportunities for the benefit of present and future generations;

to facilitate access to fisheries resources for commercial, recreational, traditional and non-consumptive uses;

to promote the commercial fishing industry and to facilitate the rationalisation and restructuring of the industry;
and

to encourage the participation of resource users and the community in fisheries management.
The Fisheries Regulations provide the general detail regarding the activities authorised by a recreational fishery licence
and specific detail regarding authorised activities and the obligations of the Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery
Access Licence holder and persons acting on their behalf. In addition, there may be further conditions which will be
expressed or referred to on the licence itself.
Management of the Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery will be consistent with other key legislation, including, but not
limited to:

Environment Protection Act (Victoria) 1970;

National Parks Act 1975;

Historic Shipwreck Act 1976;

Marine Act (Victoria) 1988;

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (Commonwealth) 1999;

Seafood Safety Act 2003;

Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004; and

maritime security legislation for ports and harbours.
Ecologically sustainable development
A precautionary approach is being implemented in the development of the commercial fishery as outlined in this
management plan and the baseline management arrangements prepared prior to commencement of commercial fishing.
The selective harvesting practices will have minimal impacts on the surrounding environment and other fisheries. The
only species to be harvested in the Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery are the commercial scallop and the doughboy
scallop. No other species can be retained and the selectivity of hand-only harvest means that by-catch is insignificant.
There is a small risk that limited damage to the seafloor and the organisms living on and within it could occur if divers
rest on or their fins disrupt the bottom. Significant and long-term damage is, however, unlikely. Kennelly (2013)
concluded that it was difficult to identify any scenario where the commercial dive scallop fishery would have a detrimental
impact on the Port Phillip Bay snapper stock or fishery. The risks associated with this fishery have been assessed and
the management plan has been produced to mitigate against them.
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11
Scallop stock structure, biology and life history
Stock structure of the scallop resource
The commercial scallop, Pecten fumatus, occurs along the coast of southeast Australia from central New South Wales
through Victoria to South Australia and around Tasmania. Populations are found in Port Phillip Bay, Jervis Bay (New
South Wales) and Coffin Bay (South Australia) as well as more exposed coastal waters (Young and Martin, 1989). In
Port Phillip Bay, scallops occur mainly in water of 10 to 20 metres depth but they may be found considerably deeper than
this in Bass Strait (Stivala 2005). Commercial scallops can usually be found at least partially buried within the sediment,
with only the flat, right valve visible and frequently aggregate into beds, the orientation of which is influenced by the
strength and direction of tidal current flows.
The Victorian, Bass Strait and Tasmanian forms of Pecten are a single species and possibly a single stock (Haddon et al
2006). Recent research from Tasmania suggests that there may be a mosaic of genetic stocks in the region and that
genetic exchange is limited when distances exceed 300 kilometres (Sen 2011).
The doughboy scallop, Chlamys asperrimus, also occurs along the southeast coast of Australia from New South Wales
to Western Australia including Victoria and Tasmania. It is smaller than the commercial scallop (maximum recorded shell
length of 137mm) and both valves are convex (DEPI 2013).
Scallop biology and life history
The commercial scallop is a functional hermaphrodite and the gonads are divided into both male and female portions.
Individuals generally mature at about 12-18 months of age. Once maturity has been reached (fecundity increases with
age), spawning occurs typically from June to November and there are periods within this range when spawning may
peak. The timing of these peaks may vary according to location and environmental conditions but appears to be in spring
in Tasmania and Victoria (Haddon et al 2006; Stivala 2005).
There is some evidence that smaller, partial spawning events that are followed by gonadal redevelopment may occur in
this species (Young et al 1999). Under laboratory conditions, gonad development and spawning can be induced at any
time of the year by controlling food supply and water temperature (Young et al 1989), suggesting that the timing of
spawning within wild populations is controlled by environmental influences (Haddon et al 2006).
Commercial scallop larvae are planktonic and go through a number of larval stages before eventually settling and
metamorphosing to the adult form. The duration of the planktonic phase is influenced by environmental factors including
temperature and food availability but is generally around 30 days. Larvae initially settle by byssal attachment to
filamentous weed but become free moving at about 4 to 5 millimetres shell length (Coleman et al 1997a; Stivala 2005).
The timing and duration of spat settlement varies according to location. Settlement in Port Phillip Bay occurs mainly
between December and January (Coleman et al 1997a). Research suggests that as well as controls on the production
and survival of larvae to metamorphosis, there are additional controls on the settlement and survival of recently settled
juveniles on the seabed, such as adverse small-scale hydrodynamic processes, the absence of suitable settlement
substrata and predation. There are also indications that the distribution of larvae is greatly affected by the strength and
direction of winds. In calm summers, beds may be largely self-recruiting but during windy summers, settling larvae may
originate from beds some distance away (Sen 2011).
In their first year of growth, commercial scallops can reach a shell height of around 60 millimetres (approximately 70
millimetres shell length; Dix, 1981; Sause et al 1987) but growth is highly variable (Fairbridge 1953; Young et al 1989). In
Port Phillip Bay and in areas adjacent to Lakes Entrance, scallops can grow to marketable size in 18 months (Coleman
et al 1997b). Growth variations have been attributed to food availability and density-dependent restraints (Young et al
1989). Although P. fumatus have been shown to live for up to 14 years (Fairbridge 1953), most individuals living in wild
populations probably live for between 5 and 9 years, reaching sizes between 90 and 140 millimetres.
The doughboy scallop occurs in similar habitats to the commercial scallop between 1 and 136 metres deep where it
remains attached to solid objects but can break its byssus and swim short distances by clapping its valves together. The
doughboy scallop has separate sexes and spawning occurs between June (South Australia) and mid-October
(Tasmania; DEPI 2013).
Eleven armed sea stars (Cosctinasterias calamaria), horse conchs (Pleuroploca australasia) and octopus predate on
commercial scallops (Woo and Woodburn,1981; Kailola 1993) and probably doughboy scallops. Mudworm (Polydora
websteri) (Dix 1981) and a number of parasites have been reported to cause mortality of P. fumatus but the impacts of
these species on population levels have not been determined (Stivala 2005).
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Scallops have highly variable levels of natural mortality that are attributable to density dependent food shortages, seabed
bottom type, disease, environmental conditions and predation but also to inexplicable causes. Only one study has
specifically investigated natural mortality in populations of commercial scallops. Gwyther and McShane (1988) reported
an annual instantaneous natural mortality rate in Port Phillip Bay of 0.52 which is equivalent to an annual mortality rate of
approximately 40 per cent (Sen 2011).
Scallop stock status
Scallop populations are generally highly variable, with the biomass available on an annual basis heavily influenced by
environmental conditions that affect recruitment and condition. Scallop stocks must be regularly assessed to ensure that
harvest levels are set at levels that reduce the risks of serial and spatial depletion (DEPI 2013).
Victorian scallop stocks in 2014 were classified as undefined based primarily on assessment of the Victorian (Ocean)
Scallop Fishery (FRDC 2014). The scallop abundance surveys undertaken in 2014 in four of the six Port Phillip Bay
commercial fishing zones and the two Scallop Fishing Commercial Exclusion Zones were used to determine the biomass
available to commercial and recreational fishers.
Based on the biomass estimates and current management arrangements, the Port Phillip Bay scallop stock would be
classified as sustainable because the biomass is at a level that is sufficient to ensure that, on average, future levels of
recruitment are adequate and that fishing pressure is adequately controlled to avoid the stock becoming recruitment
overfished.
More information on the biological status of Victorian scallop stocks is available at:
http://www.fish.gov.au/Pages/SAFS_Report.aspx.
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Monitoring and assessment
Fishery independent survey design
Annual fishery-independent surveys using a random sampling design of six strata provide an estimate of scallop
abundance for the commercial scallop fishery to inform the TACC. The design of the fishery-independent surveys is
based on the survey design used to estimate scallop abundance for the commercial scallop dredge fishery from 1982 to
1996. The boundaries of the strata are based on bathymetry and historical scallop abundances in Port Phillip Bay
(Coleman 1998).
The number of sampling sites in each stratum is based on historical abundance with more sites allocated to those areas
where scallops were previously most abundant. Fisheries Victoria, in consultation with the licence holder, will approve a
minimum number of sites for each zone which are to be surveyed prior to the survey commencing.
The sites are located by using random numbers to generate pairs of grid co-ordinates. The positions thus selected are
plotted until the required number of sites has been allocated in each stratum. Sampling sites are located in the field using
GPS. At each survey site, two transects of 50x 1 metres are surveyed.
Scallops down to 25 millimetre shell length are brought on board the research vessel and measured to the nearest
millimetre. Scallops measuring less than 90 millimetre shell length are returned to the water, but scallops of 90
millimetres or greater are measured and weighed for each 50 metre transect prior to them being returned to the water.
This information is used to determine the total number of scallops and the weight of legal scallops per 100 square metres
and size-frequency information for each site.
The licence holder must make provision on board for an independent observer at the request of Fisheries Victoria.
This survey design may be refined over time by the licence holder, subject to departmental approval and in accordance,
but not limited to, the following principles:

a statistician will review the properties of the data and, where possible, perform a power analysis to estimate
how many survey sites would be required to obtain statistically significant comparisons over time;

the number of sites sampled per zone should be such that the standard error of the mean, a measure of
precision, shall be used, noting that Coleman (1998) estimated that the standard error of the mean for 70
stratified random sites was typically 15 to 30 per cent;

5 sites will be surveyed by Fisheries Victoria in order to validate the results from the annual survey. The results
from the validation survey and the annual survey will be reviewed with the licence holder; and

Annual surveys will be conducted for the life of this management plan.
Fishery-independent survey analysis and assessment
Fishery-independent surveys provide fishery managers with information on density and size structure of a population.
Using the size information and a known growth rate (Sause et al 1987), the number of scallops that will be of harvestable
size (i.e. 90 millimetres or larger) in the season following the survey is predicted using a simple model based on the vonBertalanffy growth equation (Gwyther and Burgess 1986).
The estimated abundance of scallops per strata is calculated as the mean number of scallops per square metre
multiplied by the total area of the strata. Estimating abundance this way allows for comparisons with historical data,
which is useful because it provides the opportunity to compare the abundance predicted by the survey with the actual
yield of the fishery in the season following the survey. Historically, the results of the dive surveys have generally provided
a high level of accuracy in predicting the quality of the following fishing season (Coleman 1998).
For the purpose of setting a TACC for the Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery, the estimated abundance of scallops
per zone is considered to be the same as the estimated abundance of scallops within each stratum.
Estimated biomass in each zone will be calculated using the mean weight of scallops over 90mm per 100 square metres
and scaled by the area of that stratum.
For zones where the coefficient of variation (CV) of the mean available biomass is 25% or less, then 20% of the
estimated biomass may be taken. For zones where the CV is greater than 25%, then 10% of the estimated available
biomass may be taken.
Draft Port Phillip Scallop Dive Fishery Management Plan
14
Setting the proportion at a relatively conservative level of 10 to 20 per cent ensures sustainable harvest in the event of
high mortality and/or slow growth. It also ensures, in combination with the size limits, that sufficient future reproductive
potential is retained.
A variation to estimating biomass is undertaken for zone 3. The method employed between the early 1980s and mid1990s to estimate the whole-of-bay scallop biomass for the Port Phillip Bay dredge fishery, used survey site stratification
(i.e. surveys are focused on areas of high abundance/biomass) and the mean (i.e. the average of the samples). The
Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery, however, has separate quotas for each zone and survey site locations are not
stratified (i.e. they are random) within the 10-20 metre depth zones.
The use of the mean for the Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery is not a reliable parameter for estimating zonal
biomass in Zone 3 because the zone covers a large area that contains many areas where there are no scallops and
areas where there are high numbers. As displayed in Figure 1, a more practical way of calculating the available biomass
in Zone 3 is to stratify survey sites within the zone based on expected abundance, treat the low and high density areas
separately (zone 3a and 3b), and then combine the estimates to provide a total estimate for the zone.
The Zone 3 biomass will therefore be calculated using the formula:
Estimated Zone 3 biomass = (Mean biomassZone 3 X AreaZone3) + (Mean biomassZone 3a X AreaZone3a)
Fishery dependent information
Fishery dependent information for the commercial scallop fishery is collected at the commercial fishing zone level
through legislated reporting requirements including:

catch (i.e. landed scallops, expressed as whole weight in kilograms);

effort (i.e. bottom time in minutes); and

fishing location via VMS.
The catch limits specified for each zone ensure that effort is spread across the fishery. Catch and effort information is
collected via the real-time notifications and logbook reporting. Vessel location information, including duration at each
location, is acquired from the on-board vessel monitoring systems that the boats operating in the fishery are required to
have.
Real time information is critical to ensure compliance with the TACC and with zone restrictions. Real time reporting
allows for an up-to-date tally of catch against quota to be maintained and communicated to the Department and the
licence holder. The prior-to-launching report commits the licence holder to a commercial fishing trip.
Mandatory real time reporting includes notifications by the licence holder:

prior to starting a fishing trip;

prior to landing scallops harvested under the licence; and

following landing.
Reporting is undertaken using the electronic reporting application which is being trialled in this fishery. The aim of this
system is to minimise disruption to fishing, streamline reporting and reduce reporting errors.
The licence holder or person(s) acting on their behalf are also required to submit daily catch and effort reports for each
fishing trip using the electronic reporting application.
Tracking catch through the supply chain and the information recorded electronically are validated using Catch Disposal
Records (CDR) and sales receipts. A CDR must be completed before scallops are sold or consigned. Where catch is
split between two or more purchasers at the point of landing, a separate CDR is required for each buyer. Sales of
scallops beyond the point of landing must be accompanied by a sales receipt to provide evidence that the scallops came
from a legal source. The Department provides CDR books to the licence holder; sale receipts must be issued in
accordance with the Fisheries Regulations.
The licence holder must submit no later than 31 May each year an annual performance report in accordance with the
Fisheries Regulations (Regulation 413X) outlining the performance of the fishery for the previous twelve months
This report will be published on the departmental website, (subject to the Government’s privacy policy) to provide a
transparent account of the fishery progress.
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Additional (non-mandatory) data
There is also a unique opportunity to collect data at the commencement of fishing that will be invaluable in the future
research and management of the species. Information from the start of exploitation provides a critical baseline of data
against which the progress of the developing fishery can be compared.
This additional data could include:

additional details on catch and effort including dive depth, GPS location and catch for each dive;

size structure of the catch; and

length-to-weight relationship for the catch.
Electronic data acquisition represents a low cost method for accurate and precise geospatial monitoring of commercial
catch and effort. Hand-measured data is an acceptable alternative but is slower, prone to operator error and will incur
additional labour costs associated with transcribing data from datasheets into an electronic database.
Additional data analysis and assessment
Fishery-dependent, geo-referenced catch and effort data logging provides highly resolved and accurate information that
can be used to gauge the performance of the fishery in a spatially explicit manner. Spatial resolution is important
because it provides information that can be used to address issues that may arise among competing user groups and
supplements information about scallop distribution and abundance from fishery-independent surveys. Detailed catch and
effort data also provides a baseline from which target and limit reference points for performance indicator(s) can be
determined (e.g. catch-per-unit-effort).
Information on the size structure of the catch and of the population indicates the number of year classes that are present
in the whole and the harvestable proportions of the population and thus the potential of the fishery.
Economic characteristics of the fishery
The economic characteristics of the fishery are currently unknown as it is a new and developing fishery. Economic
information will be collected consistent with the annual reporting requirements detailed in the Fisheries Regulations
(Regulation 413X).
Monitoring ESD
The performance measures that will be used to track progress towards achieving the fishery management plan
objectives and to ensure that it is developed in a sustainable manner are summarised in Table 2.
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Table 2. Fishery level objectives, indicators, and performance measures for the Port Phillip Scallop Dive Fishery
Risk
Indicator
Performance measure
Ensure that the recreational and commercial harvest is kept
within limits that are consistent with the long term sustainability
of the fishery




Biomass
Catch
Size frequency

Allow fishing for scallops in a manner that has minimal
ecological impact



TEP interactions
Code of practice

Number of TEP species
interactions per annum

Code of Practice
implemented to prevent
damage on substrate and
associated biota

Annual biomass survey
results
Effective TACC process
Implementation of
management arrangements
Fishery level objective for the fishery
1.
Long-term sustainability of the scallop resource


2.
Effect of fishery on scallop populations from
harvesting for sale
Effect of fishery on scallop recruitment
Impact on other threatened, endangered
and protected (TEP) species
Impact on substrate and associated biota
Equitable resource access and use
Maintain access to the fishery for recreational and commercial
fishers

Interaction between recreational and
commercial fishers
Provide for developing commercial and recreational fishing
opportunities
3.

Annual biomass survey
results
TACC




Biomass
Catch
Size frequency
Spatial management

Size limit (commercial)

Bag limit


Data in annual report
Economic study of
recreational fishing in
Victoria
Stock assessment
workshop


Cost recovery
schedule of services


Total cost of
management


Fisher participation
Total cost of
management


Cost effective and participatory management
Maximise the economic and social benefits from the fishery to
the Victorian community



Impediments to maximisation of economic
efficiency by industry
Provision for job creation, operational
certainty and market development
Effect of fishery on local and regional
economy
Ensure that the management of the fishery and the provision of
associated services are efficient, effective and responsive using
regulatory approaches that are enabling and incentive-based


Regulatory changes
Management effectiveness
Apply the principle that users of the commercial fishery pay for
the cost of services from which they benefit and for services that
address risks created by their activities

Broader community (all tax payers) paying
the costs for commercial fishing activities
Enable participation by fishers and other relevant stakeholders
in fisheries management, taking account of the respective
responsibilities of government and fishers


Management effectiveness
Consultation
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


Stakeholder participation in
stock assessment and quota
setting workshops
Total cost of management
Economic benefit to
community
Management plan
developed and reviewed by
all relevant stakeholders
Harvest Strategy
The following section outlines how the commercial fishery will be managed to achieve the specified objectives over the
life of the plan.
Operational objectives
1.
Maintain scallop biomass at sustainable levels by ensuring the commercial harvest does not exceed 20% of the
estimated available biomass.
A conservative approach for commercial harvesting (i.e. 10 to 20 per cent of the estimated biomass per annum) is being
taken during development of this fishery. Setting the harvest fraction at a relatively conservative level ensures the
harvest remains sustainable in the event of high mortality and or slow growth. It also ensures, in combination with size
limits, that sufficient reproductive potential is retained and accounts for the vulnerability of scallops, which are sedentary
and aggregated in beds, to fishing (DEPI 2013). The commercial legal minimum size limit has therefore been set at 90
millimetres to ensure that the majority of harvested scallops have spawned one to two times.
Stock performance indicators
Performance indicators measure and track the performance of the stock against the operational objectives.
The primary performance indicators include:
1.
Average estimated available biomass (of scallops 90mm or larger) managed by zone; and
2.
Total allowable commercial catch and zonal quotas.
Additional data collected through commercial fishing activities, other relevant information and expert advice will be also
be considered at the annual stock assessment and TACC forum to inform the recommended TACC.
Reference points
Reference points are the benchmarks of performance.
The target reference point defines the level or value of an indicator that is considered ideal or desirable and at which
management should aim.
Trigger reference points are the level or value of an indicator at which a change in management is considered or
adopted.
Table 3 Stock performance indicators and reference points
Performance
indicator
Available biomass
Type
Frequency
Target reference
Calculated
from annual
FIS
Annual FIS of
commercial
fishing zones
(July – October)
10-20% of
estimated biomass
(with a coefficient
of variation (CV2) ±
25%)
Commercial catch
data
Actual
Real time
reporting of
fishing activities
Trigger
reference
75 % or greater
of TACC to be
harvested in
each fishing year
Total allowable
commercial catch
Annual TACC
cannot exceed 750 t
1
The TACC ceiling is a condition of the current fishery management plan and may be revised in future management plans
2
TACC ceiling1
The CV is defined as the standard error over the mean and expressed as a percentage
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Level of risk
A conservative approach for commercial harvesting is being taken during development of the commercial fishery with a
maximum harvest of 10-20% of the average estimated biomass or 750 tonnes, whichever is lower. The TACC ceiling
only applies for this five year management plan.
Monitoring stock performance
Monitoring of stock performance occurs through the annual biomass survey and the collection of fishery dependent data.
Current monitoring and assessment arrangements are detailed in the monitoring and assessment section of this
management plan.
Further requirements for data collection, analysis and assessment may be required when the fishery is fully developed
and these are provided in Appendix A.
Management decision rules
The commercial fishery will be developed using a staged approach in which the annual abundance survey is the
cornerstone. The annual abundance survey will be used to determine the six zonal quotas subject to the following rules:

the harvest fraction will be 10 percent of the mean biomass of scallops equal or greater than 90 millimetres in a
zone if the coefficient of variation, a measure of the precision of the data, for that zone is greater than 25 per
cent;

the harvest fraction will be 20 percent of the mean biomass of scallops equal or greater than 90 millimetres in a
zone if the coefficient of variation for that zone is 25 per cent or less; and

the zonal quota will be two tonnes if an annual abundance survey was not undertaken for a zone.
The zonal quotas will be added to establish a ‘biomass envelope’ for the coming fishing year. The TACC each year must
remain within the biomass envelope.
The licence holder will receive an increasingly greater proportion of the biomass envelope subject to:

the harvest of at least 75 per cent of the TACC in the previous fishing year; and

a maximum TACC of 750 tonnes a fishing year (except 2016/17 where the maximum TACC is 250 tonnes).
The maximum TACC for Year 1 (2016/17) will be 250 tonnes. Seventy-five per cent of 250 tonnes, or 188 tonnes, must
be harvested in Year 1 for there to be a TACC increase in Year 2.
If biomass estimates for Years 2 to 4 results in a decline in the TACC from the previous year, the per cent of the biomass
envelope may be increased from the agreed amount to maintain the TACC at the same level as the previous year to the
extent that it remains within the biomass envelope.
This process is summarised in the following table:
Year 1
2016/17
Per cent of the biomass envelope
Per cent of the TACC that must be harvested to
obtain an increase in the proportion of biomass
envelope
75
Year 2
2017/18
Year 3
2018/19
Year 4
2019/20
Year 5
2020/21
65
75
90
100
75
75
75
75
The licence holder may propose that the TACC be distributed amongst the six commercial zones provided that the
distribution does not exceed each zonal quota. Seasonal redistributions must be proposed prior to the start of
consultation on the draft further quota order and will remain in place for that fishing season.
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Annual TACC setting process and timeline
The following table details how the TACC will be set each year and the timelines for this to occur.
Action
Timeframe3
Licence holder undertakes the collection, analysis and assessment of fishery
information according to requirements detailed in this management plan
June – September (or sooner if
available)
The results of the analysis and assessment are used to formulate a request
for change in the TACC. The data, analyses and assessment are provided
to DEDJTR for review and audit
mid-October (or sooner if
available)
Licence holder submits application to DEDJTR for a change in the TACC.
The application will include a nomination detailing how the TACC will be
divided amongst the zones.
DEDJTR convenes an annual stock assessment and TACC advisory forum
with all relevant stakeholders.
All of the available information on commercial and recreational fishing, and
stock status will be presented at the annual stock assessment and TACC
advisory forum, including the performance indicators used to measure and
track the performance of the stock against the operation objectives, other
relevant data, information and expert advice.
3
November (or one month after
receipt of data, analysis and
assessment)
DEDJTR prepares a draft further quota order for statutory consultation
(minimum 2 weeks), with the quota for each zone included.
10 business days after the
TACC Forum and before 15
December (note that no
statutory consultation occurs
from 15 Dec – 15 Jan)
The Minister (or delegate) makes a decision regarding the TACC, following
consideration of all available information and consultation submissions
January
Annual TACC gazetted and published on DEDJTR’s website. DEDJTR
writes to all stakeholders to inform them of the decision.
January
All efforts will be made to ensure that a decision is made within the agreed timeframes however there is some flexibility in the delivery dates but time is of
the essence.
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Acknowledgements
DEDJTR would like to thank the following organisations for their contribution to the development of this management
plan for the Port Phillip Scallop Dive Fishery:
Stakeholder
Stakeholder group
Bruce Kefford
Role
Chair
Seafood Industry Victoria
Commercial fishing
Steering Group member
VRFish
Recreational fishing
Steering Group member
Port Phillip Scallops Pty Ltd
Commercial fishing
Licence holder, Steering Group member
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References
Coleman, N. 1998. Counting scallops and managing the fishery in Port Phillip Bay, south-east Australia. Fisheries
Research 38, 145-157.
Coleman, N., Walker T.T. and Peters, B.B. (Eds) 1997a. Scallop – 1995. Compiled by the Scallop Stock Assessment
Group. Fisheries Victoria Assessment Report No.6.
Coleman, N., Walker T.T. and Peters, B.B. (Eds) 1997b. Scallop – 1996. Compiled by the Scallop Stock Assessment
Group. Fisheries Victoria Assessment Report No.10.
DEPI. 2013. Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery (Port Phillip Bay) Baseline Management Arrangements. The Department
of Environment and Primary Industries, Melbourne. November 2013.
DEDJTR 2015. TACC Setting – Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery, Consultation Paper, The Department of
Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources.
Dix, T.G. 1981. Preliminary experiments in commercial scallop (Pecten meridionalis) culture in Tasmania. Tasmanian
Fisheries Research. 23: p18.
Ernst and Young 2009. Economic Study of Recreational Fishing in Victoria for VRFish, 20 November 2009.
Fairbridge, W.S.1953. A population study of the Tasmania “commercial” scallop, Notovola meridionalis (Tate)
(Lamellibrancuiata, Pectinidae) Aust. J. Mar. Freshw. Res. 4, 1-41
FRDC. 2014. Status of Key Australian Fish Stocks 2014. Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. Canberra.
www.fish.gov.au
Gwyther, D. and Burgess, D. 1986. Abundance of scallops in Port Phillip Bay and predictions of yields for the 1986
season. Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands, Victoria. Marine Science Laboratories Technical Report 59,
18pp.
Gwyther, D & McShane, P.E. 1988. Growth rate and natural mortality of the scallop Pecten alba Tate in Port Phillip Bay,
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Haddon, M, Harrington, J.J and Semmens, J.M. 2006. Juvenile scallop discard rates and bed dynamics: testing the
management rules for scallops in Bass Strait, final report to the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation,
project 2003/017, Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute, University of Tasmania, Hobart.
Henry, G. and Lyle, J. 2003, The national recreational and indigenous fishing survey, Australian Government Department
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Kailola PJ, Williams MJ, Stewart PC, Reichelt RE, McNee A and Grieve C. 1993.Australian fisheries resources. Bureau
of Resource Sciences, Australia & Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. 422 p.
Kennelly, S. 2013. Review of potential interactions between snapper and the proposed commercial scallop dive fishery in
Port Phillip Bay, May 2013
McShane, P.E. and Lester, R.J.G. 1984. The occurrence of a larval nematode in Pecten alba Tate from Port Phillip Bay,
Victoria, Marine Science Laboratories Technical report No. 37.
Sanders MJ and Lester R 1981. Further observations on a bucephalid trematode infection in scallops in Port-Phillip Bay,
Victoria. Aust J Marine Freshwater Res 32: 475–478
Sause, B.L., Gwyther, D. and Burgess, D. 1987. Larval settlement, juvenile growth and the potential use of spatfall
indices to predict recruitment of the scallop Pecten alba Tate in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, Australia. Fisheries Research 6,
81-92.
Sen, S. 2011. Options for improving management of the commercial scallop resource in southeast Australia, Fisheries
economics research and management, December 2011.
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Woo and Woodburn, 1981. Stock assessment of the commercial scallop Pecten Alba Tate in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria,
January 1981. Commercial Fisheries Report No. 3.
Young, P.C., and Martin, R.B. 1989. The scallop fisheries of Australia and their management, Reviews in Aquatic
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Appendix A: Data collection, analysis and assessment
for a fully developed commercial scallop fishery
Prior to the commencement of the Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery a set of precautionary baseline management
arrangements were developed (DEPI 2013). Development of the fishery was (and is) dependent on the licence holder
investing in the collection of fishery information that supports less conservative arrangements. Level 1 (fishery
commencement) requirements included collection of mandatory fishery dependent data. Level 2 (current management
arrangements) require Level 1 data plus annual fishery independent surveys and are described in this management plan.
Level 3 requirements are provided below for when the fishery is fully developed.
Level 3: Data collected at Levels 1 and 2 plus modelling to assess stock status
The fishery at Level 3 is represented by a time series of high quality data (fishery-dependent and fishery-independent
data) and a robust quantitative assessment. At this level, there is the least uncertainty regarding stock status and yield
from the fishery is optimised. This level also represents the highest cost to the licence holder as it has high data
collection and analysis requirements.
Modelling can be used to assess stock status, to determine management targets or limits, and to provide probabilities of
desirable or undesirable outcomes of fishing given different management strategies.
Several models are available to provide assessment advice for fisheries management, including surplus production and
dynamic pool (e.g. yield per recruit) models and virtual population analyses. Information requirements, assumptions,
advantages and disadvantages are itemised and discussed by Perry et al. (1999).
Initially, the simple deterministic yield model developed by Gwyther and Burgess (1986) for the scallop dredge fishery
could be modified, implemented and progressively refined. This model incorporates growth and allows for the seasonal
increase in scallop condition during the autumn-winter period. Biomass estimates, monthly dry meat weights and lengthto-weight morphometric parameters are inputs for this model that uses the von Bertalanffy growth function and
assumptions about natural mortality to estimate the amount that can be taken each month. The main output of the model
is a daily catch limit per vessel that can be converted to a monthly catch allocation as a means of temporally distributing
the TACC to maximise meat yield from the catch.
This method was designed to leave a residual stock of 70 million scallops on the seabed at the end of each season.
Whether or not the figure of 70 million scallops should still apply is equivocal and, like all new measures of performance,
would need to be tested as data accumulate during the development of the fishery. Nevertheless, at least initially, the
requirement for a residual mature biomass of 70 million scallops should be retained as a safety net.
The application of any model will need to be preceded by exploratory data analysis to determine if the input data satisfy
assumptions and conform to limitations imposed by its structure. Inclusion of an appropriate natural mortality rate for the
season will be critical to ensuring that model outputs result in a TACC that is commensurate with current stock status.
Any modelling for the fishery must be undertaken by person/s with the appropriate expertise so the licence holder will
need to engage consultants at their own expense. As noted earlier, the Department will require an audit of the data,
analyses and assessment so it is in the licence holder’s best interests to ensure that the collection, analysis and
assessment of fishery information is done correctly. The Department can provide ongoing guidance to assist in the
process.
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