APPLICATION TO THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT ON THE
WA BECHE-DE-MER FISHERY
Against the Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of
Fisheries
June 2014
TASMANIAN SEAFOODS P/L
13-17 REDGUM DRIVE DANDENONG SOUTH VIC 3175
Ph: (03) 9768-3615
E: dandenong@tasmanianseafoods.com.au
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. BACKGROUND
3
2. KEY CHANGES IN THE BECHE-DE-MER FISHERY SINCE LAST
ASSESSMENT
3
3. PROGESS IN IMPLEMENTING RECOMMENDATIONS
4
4. CONCLUSION
8
APPENDIX 1. –
9
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1. BACKGROUND
The purpose of this report is to update the Department of Environment (DoE) on
changes in the Beche-de-mer Fishery to enable the reassessment of the fishery
against the Guidelines for Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries.
In June 2011, the WA Department of Fisheries (DFWA) submitted an application to
SEWPaC (formally the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
and currently the DoE) for assessment of the fishery against the Guidelines for the
Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries, seeking continued listing of the
six species taken in the fishery on the section 303DB list of exempt species under
the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. (EPBC Act)
In September 2011, the fishery was declared an approved Wildlife Trade Operation
(WTO) and exempt from the export regulations of the EPBC Act for a period of three
years. This approval now requires renewal for the continuation of export of the
product from the fishery.
The declaration was subject to a number of recommendations and conditions to
further strengthen the effectiveness of the management arrangements for the WA
BDM Fishery, and minimise environmental risks in the medium and longer term.
A copy of the DFWA’s application and DoE’s previous assessment are available on
the SEWPaC website at:
http://www.environment.gov.au/topics/marine/fisheries/wa/beche-de-mer
This document outlines the developments in the fishery since the last assessment,
and the responses to the recommendations of the original assessment. Further
information on the Beche-de-mer Fishery can be obtained from the DFWA’s annual
‘State of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Report’, available at:
http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/About-Us/Publications/Pages/State-of-the-Fisheriesreport.aspx
2. KEY CHANGES
ASSESSMENT
IN
THE
BECHE-DE-MER
FISHERY
SINCE
LAST
Recent developments in the Beche-de-mer Fishery include:


Assessment of the fishery in accordance with the Marine Stewardship
Council’s Principle 1.
Imposition and subsequent lifting of a voluntary industry closure on the
Barrow Island Deep-water Redfish (Actinopyga echinites) stock which was
successfully in place for over three years (fishing has resumed this season).
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




This closure was in place to test an adaptive management approach on the
stock to see how well they rebounded and gain further knowledge of the
growth rates of the species.
The development of a long range harvesting vessel with extra accommodation
to allow for an extended fishing campaign.
Continued work on the monitoring of the spatial extent of fishing effort and the
effect spread of fishing mortality within the stocks boundaries. This is currently
being done by use of the program i-pinpoint with the skipper providing reports
every two days.
Renewed emphasis on data collection within the industry with several new
methods being tested for the monitoring of dories.
The inclusion of two species of Curryfish (Stichopus Herrmani and Stichopus
varigatus) into the fishery although some taxonomic uncertainty needs to be
resolved (a third species Stichopus ocellatus may be the most prevalent in
Western Australia). As greater knowledge of this taxonomic group has
become available, industry has sought to ensure that catches are recorded
against the correct species name.
Opening of the former closed area between Cape Preston and Cape Lambert
with the exception of areas earmarked to become no take marine reserves.
Objective for future management changes within the fishery:



Movement to a formally managed fishery from ‘interim management’
Marine Stewardship Council accreditation
Implementation of catch trigger points system
The fishery continues to be managed by a condition of WA Fishing Boat Licences.
There are six authorisations to operate in the fishery; these are all currently held by
Tasmanian Seafoods. The operator is actively undertaking a developmental fishing
program, including the use of data loggers to collect real-time information, and
conducting stock surveys and assessments (Appendix 1.). Tasmanian Seafoods
intends to work closely with the DFWA for the management of the WA BDM Fishery
to progress to fully managed fishery status by the end of the year.
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3. PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING RECOMMENDATIONS
Condition/Recommendation
Progress
Condition 1: Operation of the WA Beche de mer
Fishery (BDMF) will be carried out in accordance with
the management regime made under the Western
Australian Fish Resources Management Act 1994.
Since 2007, the BDMF has continued to operate in accordance with the
management regime in force under the Fish Resources Management
Act 1994. Further management arrangements will be developed as the
fishery progresses to being a Formally Managed Fishery.
Condition 2: Department of Fisheries Western
Australia (DFWA) to advise the Department of
Environment (DoE) of any intended material change to
the BDMF legislated management regime and
management arrangements that could affect the criteria
on which Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) decisions are
based.
Since 2007, there have been no changes to the BDMF legislated
management regime.
Condition 3: DFWA to produce and present reports to
DoE annually as per Appendix B of the Guidelines for
the Sustainable Management of Fisheries – 2nd Edition
A description of the status of the BDMF, catch and effort information,
performance of the BDMF against performance indicators is reported
annually in the Department’s State of the Fisheries Report. The BDMF
State of the Fisheries Reports since 2007 can be found at Appendix X
or via the following link:
State of the Fisheries Report, Western Australia, Department of
Fisheries
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The report “North Coast Beche-de-mer Managed Fishery Resource
Assessment Document. MSC Principle 1 Beche-de-Mer stock (Hart et
al. 2013). Provides a great deal of information and is included as an
appendix to this report.
1. The Western Australian Department of Fisheries to
continue to monitor catch, effort and spatial
information collected from logbooks. Based on this
information, the Western Australian Department of
Fisheries to implement management measures as
appropriate to:
a. reduce the risk of localised and serial depletion of
target sea cucumber species; and
b. limit the catch of other species of sea cucumber to
sustainable levels.
Further to this data collection, industry has been using the tracking
program i-pinpoint for monitoring of mother vessel movement. Further
development on the GPS tracking of dory movement is progressing
through the development of 3G technology that is available in some
locations in Western Australia.
An analysis of the special and temporal catch rates for A. ecinites
during the 2010 season provided no indication of within season
depletion. This led the authors to suggest no evidence of significant
impact on stock biomass (Hart et al, 2013). Indeed for both species fine
scale special and temporal catch and effort data show cpue rates to be
consistent over the same fishing areas.
The Department of Fisheries also is implementing catch trigger limits as
part of the move towards formalised management.
2. The Western Australian Department of Fisheries, as
stock information becomes available, to review and
refine performance indicators for redfish (Actinopyga
echinites) to ensure harvest levels are sustainable.
The initial (incomplete) estimates of stock for this patch was
approximately 300t Bo with an estimate of 0.4M as being the trigger
point for sustainable exploitation (Skewes and Plangani-Lloyd
pers.comm.), catches have been previously voluntarily limited to
0.1MBo. This is well within the confines of sustainable management.
Size at first maturity
Size at first sexual maturity for this species was measured to be LT 50 =
120 mm with a drained weight of DW 50 = 75 (Conand 1993a). ***Also
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check Ramofafia et al. (2001). J. Mar. Biol. Assoc. U.K.***
Growth
Shelley (1985) reported A. echinites to grow at a rate of 0.6 – 0.9 cm
month-1 (19-27g month-1. Comparable to Actinopyga miliaris.
Fine scale special data, available since 2007, continues to show fishing
is taking place in the same areas and catch rates are maintained at an
acceptable level (Hart et al, 2013). Hart et al.
3. The Western Australian Department of Fisheries to
investigate and facilitate collaborative research and
complementary management arrangements for
sea cucumber resources with all relevant jurisdictions
across northern Australia.
Further research that has been coming to light from the Queensland
East Cost Bech-de-Mer Fishery has been considered in the document:
“North Coast Beche-de-mer Managed Fishery Resource Assessment
Document. MSC Principle 1 Beche-de-Mer stock (Hart et al. 2013).
Continued liason with other jurisdictions will occur at such fora as the
Australia Fisheries Management Forum.
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4. CONCLUSION
The information presented is intended to provide DoE with adequate information to
allow for the re-assessment of the WA Beche-de-mer Fishery against the Guidelines
for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries under part 13A of the
EPBC Act. Should any clarification or further information be required, please
contact:-
Katie Green
Fisheries Management Officer
Department of Fisheries WA
P: 08 94827306 katie.green@fish.wa.gov.au
Luke Turner
Tasmanian Seafoods P/L
PO Box 38795, Winnellie, Northern Territory
P: 08 89423283 | F: 08 89423509 | M: 0408135795
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APPENDIX 1.
Hart, A.M., Hesp, A.M, Murphy, D., Caputi, N., Fletcher, R.J., Gaughan, D.J. and Travaille
K.L. (2013). North Coast Beche-de-Mer Managed Fishery. Resource Assessment DocumentMSC Principle 1 Beche-de-Mer stock. September 2013.
Department of Fisheries Instrument of Exemption to 2016
Please find attached the new Instrument of Exemption 2386 that was signed on the 27
January 2014 and expiring on 28 February 2016
The key changes under the new Exemption include:
Schedule 4 Condition 1: An additional two (2) species have been included into the list,
the brown curry fish Stichopus vastus and the curry fish Stichopus hermanni at a target length
of 280 mm;
Schedule 4, Condition 3: No more than 4 dinghies (subsidiary licensed fishing boats)
may be used in conjunction with the Licensed Fishing Boat named on the Fishing Boat
Licences listed in Schedule 1;
Schedule 4, Condition 4: No more than 10 crew members are permitted to operate on
each Licensed Fishing Boat named on the Fishing Boat Licences listed in Schedule 1 and;
Schedule 4, Condition 7: The exemption holder must advise the Department of Fisheries
by calling 1800 815 507 at least 6 hours prior to commencing fishing under the exemption,
of:
a. the Exemption number;
b. the Exemption holder’s name;
c. the Exemption holder’s contact numbers;
d. the nearest Department of Fisheries office;
e. the species to be retained under the authority of the
Exemption;
f. the proposed place and time of landing any fish retained
under the authority of the Exemption; and
g. the name and number of any boat/s and the registration of
any vehicle/s used to transport any fish retained under the authority of
the Exemption.
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