Attachment One
South Coast Trawl Fishery
Description and Scope of Fishery
The South Coast Trawl Fishery is located off the south coast of Western Australia.
There are currently four fishing boat licenses that have licence conditions that allow
them to operate in this fishery. The target species are scallops (Amusium balloti) and
associated by-products, taken by twin-rig otter trawl.
During the mid 1980’s, several small trawlers operating out of Esperance and Albany
discovered beds of saucer scallops in south coastal waters. Scallop landings for the
fishery have varied dramatically over the years, depending primarily on the strength
of recruitment. While the fishery has theoretical access to a large section of the coastal
waters, it is effectively restricted to small areas of higher scallop abundance.
The Australian Government Department of Environment and Heritage has assessed
the fishery under the provisions of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 1999, and has conditionally granted a special exemption allowing
product from the fishery to be exported from Australia until August 2008.
Research into the biological and environmental aspects of WA scallop stocks and
commercial exploitation, has been carried out by the Department of Fisheries since
the late 1960s.
Current Research Focus
Research monitoring of the scallop stocks in this fishery is currently undertaken
utilising fishers’ monthly returns data to monitor activities. However, the draft
management plan for this fishery will stipulate the requirement to fill in compulsory
daily logbooks.
Some information on bycatch levels and composition will be required to meet the
future requirements of the EPBC assessments.
2011/12
2010/11
2009/10
Research
Status
2008/09
SC trawl Fishery Research Project
1. Retained Species Stock
Analysis
2007/08
South Coast Trawl
1.1 Basic Biology of indicator
species (Growth, Reproduction,Diet,
nat. mortality)
Scallop biology Completed
1.2 Other Biology
Recruitment dynamics
Other fish species biology
Comments
Completed in 1980’s
Possible
Possible
1.3 Stock Assessment
Ongoing
    
CAES returns
Ongoing
    
Daily logbooks
Future
C&E Assessment
1.4 Fishery Monitoring
   
Will be a requirement as part of new
management plan (currently in draft)
2. Habitat & Ecosystem
2.1 Bycatch
Bycatch monitoring Underway
2.2 Listed Species

   
Future
2.3 Habitat
Habitat mapping and videoing –
sensitive habitats Completed
2.4 Ecosystem/Environment
NHT (MF) Funding for 07/08

2.5 Oceanography
Leeuwin Current monitoring
2.6 Other impacts on fishery
3. Management Analysis
3.1 Socio-economic
3.2 Resource Access (Shares)
3.3 Compliance
Ongoing
    
Any interactions will be listed in
logbooks in the future – Low Risk
Limited areas NHT (MF) Funding for
07/08
4. Industry Development
4.1 Production Technology
4.2 Post Harvest
4.3 Marketing
2011/12
2010/11
2009/10
2008/09
Research
Status
2007/08
SC trawl Fishery Research Project
3.4 Management Systems
Comments