Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery (Port Phillip Bay) Baseline … · Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery...
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Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery (Port Phillip Bay) Baseline Management Arrangements
September 2013
Published by the Victorian Government Department of Environment and Primary Industries Melbourne, November 2013
© The State of Victoria Department of Environment and Primary Industries Melbourne 2013
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ISBN 978-1-74326-517-8
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Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery (Port Phillip Bay) Management Arrangements November 2013
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Contents
Overview 2
Section 1: Baseline management arrangements 3
Legislative framework 3 Management objectives 4 Geographical context 4 Target species 4 Licence 4 Gear 5 Total Allowable Commercial Catch 5 Spatial management - zones 5 Spatial management – Scallop Commercial Fishing Exclusion Zones (SCFEZ) 6 Fishing year 6 Legal minimum length 6 Reporting requirements 6 Food safety requirements 7 Occupational health and safety 7 Fishery costs and cost recovery 7 Compliance 8 Commercial Fishery Plan 8 Summary 9
Section 2: Guidelines for developing the fishery 11
The nature of scallop fisheries 11 Process for decision making 12
References 13
Appendix A 14
Appendix B 17
Appendix C 21
Appendix D 22
Level 1: Mandatory fishery-dependent data 22 Level 2: Data collected at Level 1 plus fishery-independent survey data and additional (non mandatory) data. 22 Level 3: Data collected at Levels 1 and 2 plus modelling to assess stock status 25
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Overview
The purposes of the document are: to specify the baseline management arrangements
that will apply to the proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery at the commencement of
fishing; and to outline the process for potentially developing the fishery.
This document builds on the ‘Proposal to establish a commercial dive fishery for scallops in Port Phillip Bay’ which was
released for public comment in April 2013. Submissions on the proposal were collated and are being used to inform the
establishment of the proposed fishery.
Section 1 of this document describes a set of baseline management arrangements, which have been developed to
achieve compliance with relevant legislation and to meet fishery management objectives. These arrangements will apply
to the proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery at the commencement of fishing.
Existing knowledge of the scallop resource in Port Phillip Bay is limited. The baseline management arrangements are,
therefore, conservative. Note that the term ‘conservative’ here equates to exercising additional caution in favour of
conservation when information on stock status is absent or uncertain (Dowling et al. 2008).
There may be an opportunity for catch limits to be increased if this is supported by data collected by the licence holder.
Section 2 of this document outlines the requirements for data collection, analysis and assessment for each stage of the
fishery’s development. For instance, from Level 1 (data-limited, no reliable information on current biomass or exploitation
rate) when only mandatory, fishery-dependent data are collected, to Level 3 (highest quality data, robust quantitative
assessment and least uncertainty regarding stock status) where the fishery is fully developed.
The Department of Environment and Primary Industries (the Department) acknowledges that the collection and
interpretation of fishery information will incur costs. All such costs shall be borne by the licence holder. The licence
holder will, therefore, decide if, when and how much to progress the fishery (as described in Section 2). There will be no
requirement to develop the fishery beyond Level 1.
The Department makes no representation as to whether the fishery is capable of being further developed. For instance,
while additional information may support less conservative management (i.e. a higher catch limit), it may also indicate
that initial catch limits should be decreased to ensure the sustainability of the stock.
The proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery will continue to be managed under the baseline management
arrangements set out in this document until a draft ‘Commercial Fishery Plan’ is approved by the Department. The
licence holder will be required to develop the Commercial Fishery Plan within 12 months from the commencement of
fishing.
The licence holder will not be able to commence fishing for scallops until approval to sell scallops for human
consumption is obtained (i.e. relevant licences from Primesafe) and all compliance requirements (i.e. installation of
Vessel Monitoring System/s), are met.
It is important to note that the economic viability of this fishery is unknown, and that the Department gives no guarantee
about its profitability.
There are a number of known costs that are applicable to the fishery and that are outlined in this document (e.g. licence
fees and levies, Vessel Monitoring System – initial unit and ongoing monitoring costs). Potential licence holders should
familiarise themselves with these costs prior to the auction of the fishery access entitlement.
The contents of this document are subject to change pending the completion of the following steps:
The making of regulations to create the new class of access licence (i.e. a Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Access
Licence), associated fees and levies and to set out how the fishery will be regulated; and
Declaration by Ministerial Orders in the Government Gazette that the new fishery is to be managed by the allocation
of a quota and setting the Total Allowable Commercial Catch.
It is expected that these steps will be completed prior to the auction of the access entitlement.
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Section 1: Baseline management arrangements
The ‘Proposal to establish a commercial dive fishery for scallops in Port Phillip Bay’, released by the Department of
Environment and Primary Industries (the Department) in April 2013, provided information on the two target species, the
commercial scallop (Pecten fumatus) and the doughboy scallop (Chlamys asperrimus), and on recreational and
commercial fishing for scallops in Port Phillip Bay and Bass Strait. The Proposal provides the background for the
establishment of the proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery.
A set of precautionary baseline management arrangements for the fishery have been developed to achieve fishery
management objectives (see Management objectives). These arrangements will be specified via Fisheries Regulations
2009 and as conditions on the Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery Access Licence.
While the arrangements themselves cannot be altered (i.e. the fishery will be managed with a Total Allowable
Commercial Catch (TACC)), the parameters of the arrangements may be adjusted as part of the future development of
the fishery (i.e. the amount of the TACC may be changed as more information becomes available – see Section 2) if the
appropriate data collection, analysis and assessment supports a change.
The fishery would develop primarily through changes to catch limits, which can be effected annually. Other management
arrangements (i.e. the size limit) may be adjusted, but these changes would involve amendments to regulations so would
occur over a longer time scale.
The proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery will be managed through a TACC which is administered by the
established Quota Management System (QMS) and by a series of input controls including limited entry, gear restrictions,
a size limit and spatial closures.
Legislative framework
The proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery will be managed in accordance with the Fisheries Act 1995 (the Act) and
the Fisheries Regulations 2009 (the Regulations).
The Act provides the legislative framework for managing fisheries resources in Victoria and sets out the general
provisions applicable to all commercial access licences, including the proposed Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery
Access Licence.
The Regulations (which are made under the Act) will provide the specific detail regarding authorised activities and the
obligations of the licence holder, and persons acting on their behalf, when operating under the proposed Scallop Dive
(Port Phillip Bay) Fishery Access Licence.
In addition, there may be further conditions that the licence holder must adhere to which will be expressed or referred to
on the licence itself (licence conditions).
Management of the proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery will also 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.
The licence holder should be aware that there may be activities or development within Port Phillip Bay, managed under
other legislative frameworks, that could impact upon the proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery in the future (e.g.
further channel deepening).
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Management objectives
The baseline management arrangements have been developed to achieve compliance with the Act, the Regulations, and
Fisheries (Fees, Royalties and Levies) Regulations 2008.
The objectives contained in the Act require Victoria’s fisheries to be managed in an efficient, effective and ecological ly
sustainable manner. A number of fishery-specific, ‘guiding’ objectives are proposed for the Commercial Scallop Dive
Fishery that are consistent with these legislated objectives.
The fishery management objectives are:
Long-term sustainability of the scallop resource:
Ensure that the 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.
Equitable resource access and use:
Maintain access to the fishery for recreational fishers; and
Provide a new commercial fishing opportunity.
Cost effective and participatory management:
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.
Geographical context
The proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery (Port Phillip Bay) will be defined in Schedule 4 of the Regulations as
‘Port Phillip Bay other than exclusion zones specified in item 2 of Schedule 20’.
As well as the Scallop Commercial Fishing Exclusion Zones (see Spatial management), the proposed Commercial
Scallop Dive Fishery will be excluded from areas in Port Phillip Bay where other types of commercial fishing are
excluded, including but not limited to: marine parks and reserves, aquaculture zones, shipping channels and shipwrecks.
Port Phillip Bay is a largely enclosed marine bay in Victoria, south-east Australia. The surface area is approximately
1930 km2. There are some small areas of reef but otherwise the bottom is sand and mud. The central portion of the bay
is 20 to 24 m deep but about half of the bay is less than 14 m deep. Contact with Bass Strait is through a single, narrow
opening. Water temperature ranges from approximately 8o
C to 26o
C annually and salinity from 26o/oo to 39
o/oo.
Melbourne, Victoria’s largest city (population 4.25 million), is situated in the north of the bay. Suburbs extend along the
eastern and western shores.
Port Phillip Bay is extensively used for recreational pursuits such as swimming, diving, boating, windsurfing and fishing.
There are a large number of yacht clubs and surf lifesaving clubs located around the perimeter.
Water quality can be very variable as a number of rivers, as well as creeks and stormwater drains, flow into the bay from
a large catchment area.
Target species
The only species that will be able to be harvested in the proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery are the commercial
scallop (Pecten fumatus) and the doughboy scallop (Chlamys asperrimus). No other species will be able to be retained.
Licence
Access to the proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery will be authorised by the Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay)
Fishery Access Licence, which will be issued under Section 38 of the Act. There will be one licence for the fishery
(issued to an individual, a single corporation or a co-operative as per section 51(3A) of the Act).
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All quota (the quantity of scallops that can be harvested) will be linked to this single licence. The quantity of scallops
comprising an individual quota unit may be amended at any time through the publication of a further quota order
published in the Government Gazette.
The licence holder will be able to engage one or more people to carry out any activity authorised by the licence but they
must be listed on the licence.
The Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery Access Licence will be subject to all provisions under the Act including:
The Secretary of the Department of Environment and Primary Industries must renew the licence for a further period if
the licence holder has a record of compliance with the 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 will also have the following characteristics:
The licence will be transferable (with the quota).
The licence will be subject to any conditions that the Secretary deems appropriate and that are expressed or referred
to in the licence.
A draft of the Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery Access Licence has been provided in Appendix A. This is a sample
only and subject to change.
Gear
Commercial fishing for scallops will be by divers using underwater breathing apparatus and hand-collection only. No
devices, other than a measuring implement and a collection bag, will be allowed. Only hand collection is allowed to
avoid disturbing the seafloor and associated habitats during fishing activities.
Total Allowable Commercial Catch
The proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery will be subject to a Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) which will
be managed using the established Quota Management System (QMS). There will be 6 quota units for Pecten fumatus
(one unit per zone – see Spatial management) and 6 quota units for Chlamys asperrimus (one unit per zone).
An initial TACC of 12 tonnes whole weight will apply to P. fumatus for Port Phillip Bay, which represents the cumulative
total of 2 tonne from each of six zones (see Spatial management).
A TACC of 600 kgs whole weight will apply to C. asperrimus for Port Phillip Bay, which represents the cumulative total of
100 kgs from each of six zones.
In the future, an allowance of 10% of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) will be allocated to the recreational sector. The
TACC will therefore be the TAC minus 10%.
Information on the process for TACC setting is provided in Section 2.
Spatial management - zones
The proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery will be managed spatially by zone in order to manage sustainability
risks. Catch restrictions by zone will ensure that fishing effort is spread spatially and that information about the resource
is collected across the entire bay.
The zones will be a combination of the historical ‘strata’ used to determine scallop abundances during the historical
scallop dredge fishery (Appendix B, Figure 1) and the pre-existing grid system currently used to record catch and effort
data in Port Phillip Bay (Appendix B, Figure 2). ‘Blocks’ in the catch and effort grid system will be amalgamated to
approximate the boundaries of strata (Appendix B, Figure 3). A combination of the two systems will be used because the
boundaries of the individual strata are too convoluted to enforce catch limits within their borders and there are too many
blocks in the pre-existing grid system to set restrictions per block (Appendix B, Figure 3). The boundaries of the zones
will align with lines of latitude and longitude. For example, the southern border of Zone 1 and northern border of Zones 2
and 5 will all be at a latitude of 38o 0’ South.
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Spatial management – Scallop Commercial Fishing Exclusion Zones (SCFEZ)
Commercial scallop fishing will be excluded from two Scallop Commercial Fishing Exclusion Zones located off Rye and
Indented Head (Appendix B, Figure 4).
Rye: The SCFEZ will extend from Dromana Pier in the east to Point Nepean in the west and be bounded by the South
Channel to the north (see Appendix C for geographical co-ordinates)
Indented Head: The SCFEZ will extend from Portarlington Pier in the north to St Leonards Pier in the south (see
Appendix C for geographical co-ordinates).
The licence holder will not be able to possess, or use, commercial fishing equipment in these areas.
Fishing year
The proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery will be able to operate from 1 April to 31 March.
Legal minimum length
A legal minimum length (LML) of 90mm shell length (when measured in a straight line at the widest point across the
shell) will apply to P. fumatus. There will be no LML for C. asperrimus at the commencement of fishing.
Reporting requirements
Real time reporting
Real time information is critical in a quota-managed fishery 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.
Real time reporting will be mandatory:
Prior-to-launching;
Prior-to-landing; and
Post-landing.
All reporting will be done via a new electronic reporting system that will be trialled in this fishery. This will require the use
of a ‘reporting application’ that is downloaded on to a mobile device such as a compatible mobile phone. Fishers will be
provided with training on the use of this electronic reporting system. The new system aims to minimise disruption to
fishing and to streamline reporting.
Although the Department has funded the initial development of the reporting application, any modifications that are
required to develop the fishery in the future (see Section 2), will need to be funded by the licence holder.
Daily Catch Records
In addition to real time reporting, the licence holder, or person/s acting on behalf of the licence holder, will be required to
submit daily catch and effort information. The application provided for real time reporting will be used to collect this
information. Catch and effort information will be required for every fishing trip.
Catch Disposal Record
Catch Disposal Records (CDRs) provide information on the landed commercial catch for the purpose of tracking of the
catch through the supply chain and to verify information recorded electronically.
The licence holder, or operator, will be required to complete a CDR to account for, and to accompany from the landing
site, all scallops landed under the licence. The CDR will be required to 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 will be required
for each purchaser receiving scallop.
Sales of scallops beyond the point of landing will need to be accompanied by a ‘sales receipt’ to provide evidence that
the scallops came from a legal source.
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The Department will provide CDR books to the licence holder. Sale receipts will need to be issued in accordance with
the Regulations.
Annual Report
The licence holder will be required to submit an annual performance report, outlining the performance of the fishery for
the previous 12 months, no later than 31 May of each year. The report will be published on the Department website to
provide all stakeholders with a transparent and open account of the fishery’s progress.
The annual report will need to include the following:
Catch information (by zone and month);
Effort information (by zone and month); and
Information on data collection, analyses and assessments completed.
Food safety requirements
As bivalve molluscs, scallops have potential food safety risks when sold for human consumption. There are food safety
requirements that must be met by the licence holder in order to comply with the Seafood Safety Act 2003. The licence
holder will need to consider these requirements when determining the product they wish to market for human
consumption (e.g. adductor muscle only, roe on or whole). Since each of these products has a different risk profile,
different food safety requirements apply. The licence holder needs to be aware that meeting these requirements may
involve the investment of resources and a PrimeSafe Licence will be required. The requirements for this include the
implementation of a documented food safety management system that effectively controls food safety risks. The food
safety plan may be required to show compliance with the Australian Shellfish Quality Assurance Plan (ASQAP), which
includes, for example, classification of harvest areas and the implementation of a water quality monitoring program.
Other specific requirements for bivalve molluscs are described in “Standard 4.2.1 - Primary Production and Processing
Standard for Seafood” in Chapter 4 of the “Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code)”. The Code, and
Standard 4.2.1 is available on the Food Standards Australia New Zealand website at www.foodstandards.gov.au. The
licence holder needs to be aware of the requirements and the extent to which meeting these requirements may delay
fishing. Government may provide additional information, prior to the auction of the fishery access entitlement, that further
outlines the requirements for the licence holder in meeting food safety standards.
Licensing requirements
The licence holder will be responsible for obtaining the relevant licences from PrimeSafe. To be granted a PrimeSafe
Licence, the licence holder will need to demonstrate compliance with relevant Australian and Victorian Standards and
guidelines.
For seafood businesses that harvest seafood for human consumption (and that is landed in Victoria), a PrimeSafe
‘Wildcatch’ Licence is required. Depending on the business model and activities of the new fisheries licence holder, the
PrimeSafe Licence may need to include Seafood Wholesaler, Processor and/or Retailer provisions.
It is recommended that potential licence holders in the proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery engage with
PrimeSafe prior to the sale of the scallop dive fishery access entitlement in order to discuss their proposed business
model and to ensure that they will be able to comply with the requirements.
Occupational health and safety
The Occupational Health and Safety Act (2004) and Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (2007) places
obligations on employers, contractors, employees and self-employed persons to ensure a safe workplace. The licence
holder will be responsible for complying with relevant legislation.
The Australian/New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS) 2299.1:2007 provides detailed technical advice on how to safely
conduct an occupational diving operation and AS/NZS 2815 provides information on the training of occupational divers.
Fishery costs and cost recovery
The licence holder will be subject to recovery of research, compliance, management and administration costs attributed
to the fishery. Costs are recovered in accordance with cost recovery principles, such as:
Those who benefit from government services pay for the associated costs; and
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The design, nature and extent of services should take account of the risks posed to the fishery and the value of
production.
The initial, annual recoverable costs for the proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery are expected to be $11,000
annually at Level 1 (approximately $1,800 for research services, $2,300 for compliance, $5,400 for management and
$1,500 for administration of catch and effort, quota and cost-recovery).
These costs will increase if the licence holder decides to develop the fishery to Level 2 and beyond (see Section 2). As
an example, research services would be expected to increase from approximately $1,800 at Level 1 to approximately
$9,000 at Level 2 to cover the additional costs of overseeing and auditing the collection, analysis and assessment of data
as well as input into the harvest strategy (see Commercial Fishery Plan).
Levies will also be collected annually from the licence holder to cover contributions to Seafood Industry Victoria ($412.16
in 2014) and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC). The FRDC levy will be set at zero for the
first year as the value of harvest is not yet established and it is not known when harvesting will commence.
Compliance
The Department uses a comprehensive and transparent intelligence-led process for setting compliance priorities that
involves analysing compliance intelligence, data and information to help target resources. Annual strategic compliance
priorities are published on the Department website. The Department regularly assesses and evaluates its performance
in this area to ensure its approach to compliance risks and resourcing remains responsive and adaptive.
Regulations and licence conditions
A full set of regulations and licence conditions that will apply to the proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery will be
provided to registered parties (person/s who have expressed their interest in the Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery by
registering on the Department website) prior to the close of the Expression of Interest (EoI) application process.
A number of operating conditions to manage compliance risks will apply to the proposed Commercial Scallop Dive
Fishery, including, but not limited to:
Notification and reporting requirements;
Requirements around the landing of scallops (e.g. must be landed at a specified place, only whole scallops can be
landed);
Prohibition on transferring scallops at sea and between person/s;
No possession of recreationally caught scallops at the same premises as commercially caught scallops;
No recreational fishing from a commercially registered vessel; and
Any person operating on behalf of the licence holder must be named on the licence and will be required to pass a
requisite fit and proper check.
This is a summary only and subject to change.
Vessel Monitoring System
All vessels nominated on the Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery Access Licence will be required to be fitted with an
operational Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), which includes, or consists of, an automatic location communicator of a
type approved by the Secretary (refer to ‘Register of approved VMS units’ on the Australian Fisheries Management
Authority (AFMA) website as an initial guide).
The licence holder will be required to cover the cost of the unit/s as well as ongoing monitoring costs (expected to be
approximately $1000 per vessel per year but subject to change).
Commercial Fishery Plan
A ‘Fishery Management Plan’ as described in Part 3 of the Act includes the management of all sectors that may access a
resource, including recreational, traditional and non-consumptive uses. The Department will therefore be responsible for
developing a broader management plan for the scallop resource in Port Phillip Bay which includes resource sharing
considerations and management of the Scallop Commercial Fishing Exclusion Zones.
The licence holder will, however, be required to draft a ‘Commercial Fishery Plan’ which is the part of the broader
management plan that relates to the operation of the commercial fishery. The draft ‘Commercial Fishery Plan’ will be
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required from the licence holder within 12 months from the commencement of fishing and will need to include the
following:
A set of operational fishery management objectives (fishery-specific ‘guiding’ management objectives – see
Management Objectives - are translated into practical ‘operational’ objectives);
Proposed approach to developing the fishery (consistent with Section 2); and
Co-management arrangements with the Department.
If the fishery progresses to Level 2 and beyond, it is expected that the ‘Proposed approach to developing the fishery’
component of the Commercial Fishery Plan would become a ‘harvest strategy’. A harvest strategy is a structured
framework that guides fishery management decision making processes. It brings together all the monitoring,
assessment and management elements used to make decisions about the level of fishing that is applied to a fishery.
The licence holder would develop the harvest strategy with guidance from the Department and the ‘National Guidelines
to Develop Fishery Harvest Strategies’ (Sloan 2013).
The proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery will continue to be managed under the baseline management
arrangements until a draft Commercial Fishery Plan is approved by the Department.
Summary
Table 1: A summary of the baseline management arrangements for the proposed Commercial Scallop Dive
Fishery.
Feature Description
Legislative framework Fisheries Act 1995 (the Act)
Fisheries Regulations 2009 (the Regulations)
Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery Access Licence – licence conditions
Other key legislation
Management objectives Objectives contained in the Act
Fishery-specific management objectives
Geographical context Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, Australia
Exclusions will apply
Target species Commercial scallop (Pecten fumatus)
Doughboy scallop (Chlamys asperrimus)
No other species will be able to be retained
Licence Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery Access Licence – one licence
All quota (the quantity of scallop that can be harvested) will be linked to this single licence
Gear Commercial fishing for scallops will be by divers using underwater breathing apparatus and
hand-collection only
Total Allowable
Commercial Catch
(TACC)
The Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) will be managed using the established Quota
Management System (QMS)
An initial TACC of 12 tonnes whole weight will apply to P. fumatus for Port Phillip Bay, which
represents the cumulative total of 2 tonne from each of six zones
A TACC of 600 kgs whole weight will apply to C. asperrimus for Port Phillip Bay, which
represents the cumulative total of 100 kgs from each of six zones
In the future, an allowance of 10% of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) will be allocated to the
recreational sector
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Feature Description
Spatial management Six zones
Two Scallop Commercial Fishing Exclusion Zones
Fishing year From 1 April to 31 March
Legal minimum length
(LML)
A LML of 90mm shell length (widest diameter) will apply to P. fumatus
No LML will apply to C. asperrimus
Reporting Real time reporting
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
Occupational health
and safety
The licence holder will be responsible for complying with relevant legislation
Fishery costs and cost
recovery
The initial, recoverable costs are expected to be in the order of $11,000 annually at Level 1
Compliance A full list of regulations and licence conditions will be provided prior to the close of the
Expression of Interest application process
All nominated vessels will be required to be fitted with an operational Vessel Monitoring System
(VMS)
Commercial Fishery
Plan
A draft Commercial Fishery Plan will be required from the licence holder within 12 months from
the commencement of fishing
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Section 2: Guidelines for developing the fishery
Fishing in the proposed Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery will begin under a set of baseline management arrangements
to protect the scallop resource from overfishing, given the limited information available on stock status.
There may be an opportunity, however, for the licence holder to develop the fishery beyond the baseline management
arrangements if this is supported by data collected by the licence holder. As noted in Section 1, the fishery will develop
primarily through changes to catch limits, which can be effected annually.
The Department has specified the requirements for data collection, analysis and assessment that must be met in order to
develop the fishery beyond the initial catch limits. These are described for each level of the fishery:
Level 1: Mandatory fishery-dependent data. At the first level, the fishery is data-limited and information on current
biomass or exploitation rate is absent or uncertain. The only data that are collected are fishery-dependent data
mandated by reporting requirements. If mandatory fishery-dependent data are the only data collected, changes to
management arrangements (i.e. the Total Allowable Commercial Catch, TACC) would only be possible after a
minimum of three years of data collection.
Level 2: Data collected at Level 1 plus fishery-independent survey data and additional (non-mandatory) data.
To progress the fishery to the second level, fishery-independent surveys are conducted and additional (non-
mandatory) fishery-dependent data are collected. The survey allows for a TACC to be set based on the assessment of
empirical information about the resource.
Level 3: Data collected at Levels 1 and 2 plus modelling to assess stock status. At Level 3, the fishery is well
developed with high quality data (fishery-dependent and fishery-independent data), a time-series of fishery information,
a robust quantitative assessment and the least uncertainty regarding stock status. At this level, the yield from the
fishery would be optimised.
This multi-level approach to development allows a progressive ‘learning from doing’ situation so that data collection,
analysis and assessment evolves from the simple towards something more complex as more data are strategically
acquired and the fishery can afford the costs of additional information collection. Essentially there is a progression from
low cost, low yield, at Level 1 to higher cost, optimum yield, at Level 3.
This approach allows for higher potential catches as more is known about a stock but it also allows the licence holder to
make decisions about how much to invest in developing the fishery.
At any level, the licence holder will be responsible for the collection and analysis of the required data. The licence holder
may choose to do components of this work themselves, if they have the capacity (i.e. conduct the survey), or engage
others to do the work (i.e. analysis of the data).
There will be parts of the process for data collection, analysis and assessment that must be completed by person/s
independent of the licence holder. For example, the Department will specify that an independent observer must oversee
the survey and the Department will also require an audit of the data. The licence holder will be required to bear these
costs as well as any other costs associated with the collection and analysis of fishery information.
As a result, there will be a trade-off between the conservative arrangements that are set in the face of uncertainty against
the cost associated with gaining more information that may allow less conservative arrangements to be set.
Under any level, however, there can be no changes to the baseline management arrangements until a draft Commercial
Fishery Plan is approved by the Department (see Section 1).
It is important to note that the licence holder will decide if, when and how much to progress the fishery. There is no
requirement to develop the fishery beyond Level 1.
The requirements for data collection, analysis and assessment for each level of the fishery’s development are described
in Appendix D.
The nature of scallop fisheries
As noted above, additional information may support less conservative management (i.e. a higher catch limit). It may,
equally, show that the initial catch limits should not be changed or, if there is evidence to suggest that the initial catch
limit is unsustainable, decreased.
This is because scallop fisheries are characterised by naturally sporadic and fluctuating abundance and irregular,
episodic recruitment. Scallops aggregate in sub-populations (scallop beds) which vary temporally in size and location.
As a result, the amount of scallops that can be taken sustainably may vary considerably from year to year.
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Process for decision making
The process for decision making is provided to show how the collection, analysis and assessment of fishery information
can lead to change in the baseline management arrangements (i.e. catch limits).
1. The licence holder (or person/s engaged by the licence holder) undertakes the collection, analysis and
assessment of fishery information according to requirements described above. The Department provides
guidance and oversight of this process.
2. The results of the analysis and assessment are used to formulate a request for change in management. The
request is submitted to the Department.
3. The data, analyses and assessment are audited by the Department.
4. The Department may seek independent advice on the analysis and assessment from an independent panel
comprised of scientific, government and commercial fishery members, as well as representatives from
environmental and recreational sectors. The panel will be asked to consider the assessment prepared by the
licence holder (or person/s engaged by the licence holder) as well as catch and effort trends, risks and other
relevant factors and provide advice on the proposed change.
5. The Department may convene a public stock assessment workshop in order to provide transparency of process
for all sectors that access the scallop resource in Port Phillip Bay.
6. The Department will make a decision regarding licence holder’s proposal to amend the management
arrangements.
7. The decision is communicated to licence holder and other stakeholders.
The licence holder will be required to bear the costs associated with the process outlined above with the exception of:
seeking advice from an independent panel (No. 4) and convening a public workshop (No. 5). The Department will bear
the cost of these two items.
Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery (Port Phillip Bay) Management Arrangements November 2013
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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.
Dowling, N.A., Smith, D.C., Knuckey, I., Smith, A.D.M., Domaschenz, P., Patterson, H.M. and Whitelaw, W. (2008)
Developing harvest strategies for low-value and data-poor fisheries: Case studies from three Australian fisheries.
Fisheries Research 94, 380-390.
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.
Perry, R. I., C. J. Walters, and Boutillier, J. A. (1999) A framework for providing scientific advice for the management of
new and developing invertebrate fisheries. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 9, 125–150.
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.
Sloan, S., Smith, T., Gardner, C., Crosthwaite, K., Triantafillos, L., Jeffries, B. and N. Kimber (2013) National Guidelines
to develop fishery harvest strategies. FRDC Report - Project No. 2010/061. Fisheries Research Report. Primary
Industries and Regions, South Australia.
Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery (Port Phillip Bay) Management Arrangements November 2013
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Appendix A
Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Licence: SAMPLE ONLY
THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF CONDITIONS THAT MAY APPEAR ON THE LICENCE WHEN ISSUED
NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT A VALID LICENCE
Access Licence (SAMPLE)
FISHERIES ACT 1995
Issue Date: 1 April 2014 Expiry date: 31 March 2017
SMITH, JOHN
12 BROWN STREET
KOOWERUP VIC 3000
Personal File Number (PFN): 12345
Access Licence Licence Number Fee Paid
Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) EA1
Licence Operator Surname First Name PFN
JONES JACK 12222
Corporate Contact
In the case of a corporate entity holding the licence, the contact for the corporation is:
Mr Joe Bloggs Manager, Co-op for Scallop Diving 1 Blue Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Telephone: (03) 1111 2222 Email: [email protected]
Authorised Activities
The Licence Holder named above and the person(s) listed below are authorised under Sections 38 and 39(2) of the
Fisheries Act 1995 to carry out the following activities in marine waters in Port Phillip Bay, subject to the conditions set
out in the Fisheries Act 1995 and the Fisheries Regulations 2009 and those detailed below -
a. to collect scallop by hand using underwater breathing apparatus b. to take scallop for sale c. to process landed scallop.
Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery (Port Phillip Bay) Management Arrangements November 2013
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Additional Persons Authorised To Carry Out Fishing Activities Under This Licence
Surname First Name PFN
TAYLOR RON 18422
Conditions
General
1. This licence, or a true and accurate copy, must be carried by the Licence Holder and persons authorised to carry out fishing activities under this licence at all times when conducting any activities under this licence (divers are not required to carry a copy of the licence when in the water) and made available for inspection on request by any authorised officer of the Department of Environment and Primary Industries or member of the Police Force.
2. Activities conducted under the authority of this licence must cease at the direction of an authorised officer of the Department of Environment and Primary Industries or member of the Police Force.
3. The Licence Holder must allow a Department of Environment and Primary Industries appointed observer or researcher on board, upon request by an authorised officer or the Secretary’s delegate, to monitor adherence to licence conditions or to undertake or assist with research, survey or evaluation relevant to Scallop Dive (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery.
4. The Licence Holder and any persons authorised to carry out fishing activities under this licence must ensure minimal disturbance to the aquatic environment whilst operating under this Licence.
5. No boat other than a boat which is registered for commercial fishing in Victorian waters is to be used for taking scallop under this Licence.
6. The licence holder must not carry on board the boat scallops taken under a Commonwealth or any other State authorisation if notification to fish under this licence has been given.
Commercial Fishery Plan
7. The Licence Holder must prepare a draft ‘Commercial Fishery Plan’ relevant to the Scallop Dive (Port Phillip) Bay Fishery, to the satisfaction of the Secretary’s delegate, within 12 months of commencing fishing under this Licence.
8. The draft ‘Commercial Fishery Plan’ must include the following:
i. a set of operational fishery management objectives
ii. details of the proposed approach to developing the fishery
iii. an outline of the co-management arrangements with DEPI
9. A copy of the final ‘Commercial Fishery Plan’ must be provided to the following address:
Mr Ross McGowan
Executive Director, Fisheries Victoria
GPO Box 4440
Melbourne VIC 3001
Important Information
10. This authorisation does not absolve the Licence Holder or any persons authorised to carry out fishing activities under this licence from any legal obligation s/he may have under any other Act of Parliament.
11. In addition to the conditions set out in this licence, the Licence Holder and any persons authorised to carry out fishing activities under this licence must comply with the provisions of the Fisheries Act 1995 and the Fisheries Regulations 2009. For a copy of the Act or Regulations, please visit www.parliament.vic.gov.au.
Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery (Port Phillip Bay) Management Arrangements November 2013
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12. A failure to comply with any condition of this licence or any provision of the Fisheries Act 1995 or Fisheries Regulations 2009 may render the licence holder, or any and persons authorised to carry out fishing activities under this licence, liable to prosecution.
13. The Department of Environment and Primary Industries may vary or revoke a condition under this authority at any time following written notification to the licence holder according to the procedures set out in Section 54 of the Fisheries Act 1995.
14. The Department of Environment and Primary Industries may cancel or suspend this authority at any time by notice in writing to the holder according to the procedures set out in Section 58 of the Fisheries Act 1995.
15. Issue of this licence does not imply any right of reissue or on-going entitlement.
16. This licence confers no exclusive right to operate in any water body.
17. This licence does not preclude the need to obtain appropriate approvals from other agencies or authorities as required. The licence holder is responsible for obtaining all relevant approvals as required.
18. This licence does not confer the right to enter or take scallop in any area defined under the National Parks Act 1975 (this includes Marine National Parks and Marine Sanctuaries) or to enter any Fisheries Reserve or any other marine protected area.
19. Under Section 53 (2) of the Fisheries Act 1995, the licence holder may be held liable if a person acting on their behalf fails to comply with any licence condition.
20. Under Section 53 (4) of the Fisheries Act 1995, any person who does anything on behalf of the licence holder, must comply with all licence conditions.
Issued under and subject to the provisions of the Fisheries Act 1995 and subject to the conditions that are specified
above and any conditions that may be prescribed by Regulation or added to this licence in accordance with Sections 52
and 54 of the Fisheries Act.
Issued by
Executive Director, Fisheries Victoria and delegate of the Secretary
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Appendix B
Figure 1: Port Phillip Bay showing historical strata.
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Figure 2: Port Phillip Bay showing catch and effort reporting grids.
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Figure 3: Port Phillip Bay showing zones (an amalgamation of the historical strata and the catch and effort grid
system).
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Figure 4: Port Phillip Bay showing the two Scallop Commercial Fishing Exclusion Zones.
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Appendix C
Table 1: Geographical co-ordinates for Rye Scallop Commercial Fishing Exclusion Zone
Table 2: Geographical co-ordinates for Indented Head Scallop Commercial Fishing Exclusion Zone
Point Longitude Latitude
Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds
Point Nepean 144 39 9.24 38 18 5.73
South Channel entrance
beacon
144 41 8.58 38 17 42.53
No. 1 beacon 144 42 25.36 38 17 57.68
No. 3 beacon 144 43 42.66 38 18 19.91
No. 7 beacon 144 47 3.22 38 19 0.33
No. 9 beacon 144 48 42.74 38 19 20.03
No. 11 beacon 144 50 5.59 38 19 30.64
South Channel Pile 144 51 32.48 38 19 52.36
No. 15 beacon 144 52 29.06 38 20 1.45
No. 19 beacon 144 54 29.30 38 20 7.52
No. 21 beacon 144 55 38.13 38 19 28.89
Dromana Pier 144 57 49.86 38 19 50.34
Point Longitude Latitude
Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds
St Leonards Pier 144 43 17.46 38 10.00 12.37
No. 2Fl.R3s 144 44 26.17 38 9.00 0.10
1km east of No. 2Fl.R3s 144 45 7.23 38 9 0.10
1km east of No.4Q.R 144 44 56.76 38 7 40.85
1km east of Fl.R4s 144 44 53.18 38 6 24.59
Fl.R4s (Prince George
Light)
144 44 12.15 38 6.00 24.59
Aquaculture Zone NE
corner
144 42 11.13 38 6.00 11.06
Aquaculture Zone NW
corner
144 40 41.02 38 6.00 9.37
Portarlington Pier 144 39 8.29 38 6.00 37.93
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Appendix D
In order for the fishery to develop beyond the baseline management arrangements, the licence holder will need to invest
in the collection of fishery information that supports less conservative arrangements. The requirements for data
collection, analysis and assessment are described for each level of the fishery from Level 1 when the fishery commences
to Level 3 when the fishery is fully developed.
Level 1: Mandatory fishery-dependent data
Data
The only data that must be collected at the commencement of fishing are data acquired during fishing operations when
the fishery is subject to the baseline management arrangements. These include:
Catch (landed scallops, expressed as whole weight in kilograms);
Effort (bottom time in minutes);
Catch rate (calculated from Catch and Effort);
Gear used (e.g. SCUBA, hookah or snorkel); and
Spatial distribution of effort and vessel hours at sea (from the Vessel Monitoring System).
These data will be collected at the spatial level of zone. Catch restrictions are specified for each zone to encourage a
spread of effort across the fishery.
These data will be collected via the mandatory reporting requirements specified under the baseline management
arrangements. Catch, effort and gear information will be collected via the real-time notifications and logbook reporting.
Data on where the vessel is located during fishing operations, and its duration at each location, will be acquired from the
Vessel Monitoring System (VMS).
It is, however, in the licence holder’s best interests to collect additional (non-mandatory) data from the commencement of
fishing. This is discussed at Level 2.
Analysis and assessment
At Level 1, where only mandatory fishery-dependent data are available, the only information that can be obtained from
the data are spatial patterns in catch and effort and trends in catch rate (catch-per-unit-effort – CPUE expressed as
kilograms of whole weight per hour of bottom time / per hour of vessel time at sea / per unit area), standardised by gear
type.
It is likely the biomass of scallops will reduce during the initial phase of development, but this might not be detectable as
scallops appear to have relatively strong compensatory mechanisms for recovery in relatively short time frames when
environmental conditions are favourable.
It is, therefore, important that sufficient observations are made in each zone as values of the performance indicators
(catch, effort, catch rate) will change as more of a particular zone is fished for the first time. Within the first years, values
will fluctuate due to spatial heterogeneity in the pattern of effort. As a minimum, it is likely that a three year time period
would be required to establish a robust baseline of data.
Given this, no change to management arrangements will be possible, if the licence holder chooses to stay at Level 1,
until at least three years of mandatory fishery-dependent data have been collected and a baseline of data has been
established.
Level 2: Data collected at Level 1 plus fishery-independent survey data and
additional (non mandatory) data.
Data
To progress the fishery to the second level, fishery-independent surveys are conducted and additional (non-mandatory)
data are collected. This is in addition to the ongoing collection of mandatory fishery-dependent data.
A fishery-independent survey would provide data on:
Density (number of scallops per m2); and
Size structure of sampled scallops.
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These data would be combined with additional (non-mandatory) data such as length-to-weight relationships, size/age
structure and fine-scale spatial information, to covert the survey data into information that can be used to empirically set
TACC/s at the fishery and zone level based on current information (providing scope for a larger change to the TACC).
More information on the additional data required to support the fishery is provided in ‘Additional (non-mandatory) data’
below.
It is important to note that, due to the variable nature of scallop fisheries, the fishery-independent survey must be
conducted on an annual basis to inform the TACC. If a survey is not conducted prior to the season, the TACC reverts to
initial values.
Fishery-independent survey design
The design of the fishery-independent survey (FIS) is based on the survey design used to estimate scallop abundance
for the commercial scallop dredge fishery from 1982 to 1996. This survey design represents a starting point that can be
refined by the licence holder over time (see below).
The survey uses a random stratified sampling design of six strata (Appendix B, Figure 1). The boundaries of the strata
are based on bathymetry (the boundary of Stratum 2 is the 20m deep contour) and historical scallop abundances in Port
Phillip Bay (Coleman 1998).
The number of sampling sites in each stratum is based on historical abundance. Twenty five sites are sampled in strata
3, 4 and 5 and seven sites are sampled in strata 1, 2 and 6. 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. In the field, sampling sites are located by a global positioning system (GPS).
At each survey site, two divers, using underwater breathing apparatus, swim a 50m x 1m belt transect. The transect
pairs are situated roughly in parallel either side of the stern quarters of the vessel at anchor.
Scallops down to 25mm or less in shell length (when measured in a straight line at the widest point across the shell) are
collected and brought on board the research vessel. Scallops less than 90mm shell length are measured to the nearest
millimetre and returned to the water as soon as practicable. Scallops that are 90mm and larger are retained.
This provides a number of scallops per 100m2 and size-frequency information for each site.
On returning to port, retained scallops are weighed to provide a total whole weight retained and then each retained
scallop is measured to the nearest millimetre and weighed. This provides information on the length-to-weight
relationship for individual scallops of a harvestable size.
The licence holder must engage an observer (a person independent of the licence holder or associates) to oversee the
survey who must travel on board the vessel during the survey and oversee the measuring and weighing in port. The
observer must be approved by the Department prior to the survey commencing.
Ideally, surveys would be conducted across all strata initially. It may then be possible to eliminate strata with low scallop
abundances from future surveys if annual survey costs need to be constrained but the TACC would then revert back to
the initial value for these strata.
As noted earlier, this survey design represents a starting point and may be refined over time by the licence holder as
data are collected to inform improvements. The Department will need to approve any modification to the initial design
but, essentially, the following will apply:
Once data have been collected, a statistician will be required to review the properties of the data and, where possible,
to perform a power analysis to estimate how many survey sites would be required to obtain statistically significant
comparisons over time;
Replication should be such that precision (standard error/mean) does not exceed 25%, noting that Coleman (1998)
estimated that the standard error of the mean for 70 stratified random sites was typically 15 to 30%; and
The boundaries of historical strata must be maintained.
Two-tiered designs, where preliminary surveying is used to identify commercially viable sub-strata for more intensive
sampling, may be considered for inclusion once initial baselines have been established. Although sub-stratification has
merit in increasing the precision of abundance estimates, it may be substantially costlier than the standard approach, and
caution is required to ensure that scaling the observed densities to estimate absolute biomass avoids creating bias that
may inflate recommended TACC to unsustainable levels.
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Fishery-independent survey analysis and assessment
The survey would provide information on density and size structure of sampled scallops. Using the size information and
a known growth rate (Sause et al. 1987), the number of scallops that would be of harvestable size (i.e. 90mm or larger)
in the season following the survey is predicted using a simple model based on the von-Bertalanffy growth equation
(Gwyther and Burgess 1986).
It is likely that growth rates for scallops in Port Phillip Bay have changed over time so this is one area of research that
could be voluntarily undertaken by the licence holder (see Additional (non-mandatory) data).
The estimated abundance of scallops per stratum is calculated as the mean number of scallops per square metre
multiplied by the total area of the stratum. 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 generally provided a
high level of accuracy in predicting the quality of the following fishing season, although in some years high mortality
and/or slow growth diminished their accuracy (Coleman 1998)
For the purpose of setting a TACC for the current fishery, the estimated abundance of scallops per zone, rather than per
stratum, needs to be calculated. The estimated abundance of scallops per zone is calculated as the mean number of
scallops per square metre multiplied by the total area of the zone. As zone boundaries were set to approximate strata
boundaries, the number of sites set per stratum will be an appropriate number for zones.
The simplest way to then calculate biomass in each zone would be to use the scaled estimates of abundance for each
zone and the mean weights from retained scallops (whole fresh weight per individual) from a range of size categories
(90mm and larger) to estimate the percentiles of biomass in each category.
A proportion (e.g. 10 to 20%) of the average estimated biomass (of scallops 90mm or larger) for each zone would be set
as the TACC. Setting the proportion at a relatively conservative level of 10 to 20% ensures sustainable harvest in the
event of high mortality and/or slow growth (as observed during the historical dredge fishery). It also ensures, in
combination with the size limits, that sufficient future reproductive potential is retained, and accounts for the vulnerability
of scallops to fishing (sedentary and aggregated in beds).
Additional (non-mandatory) data
There is 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. Failure to collect data at the outset can limit assessment
options in the future, especially in any early stock reduction phase of the fishery.
It is, therefore, in the licence holder’s best interests to collect additional data at the lowest spatial scale possible (ideally,
at the scale of each dive location) from the commencement of fishing.
The additional data that can be collected include:
Additional details on catch and effort (recording dive depth, ascent time, descent time, GPS location and catch for each
dive).;
Size structure of the catch (measuring shell length - widest diameter in millimetres); and
Length-to-weight relationship for the catch (measuring shell length and weight of individual scallops).
The additional details on catch and effort would, ideally, be recorded for each dive, while information on size structure
and length-to-weight relationship would be recorded for part of the catch (sub-sample).
These additional data would need to be collected independently by the licence holder, either manually, or via electronic
devices.
Additional data on effort can be collected via electronic dive profile loggers and the size structure of the catch can be
collected via electronic GPS-enabled shellfish-measuring boards. The Victorian abalone industry has been using
electronic measuring machines coupled with data storage loggers for many years and these devices are eminently suited
to monitoring scallop catches.
Although not mandated, 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 it will be slower, prone
to operator error, and will incur additional labour costs associated with transcribing data from datasheets into an
electronic database.
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Other data can be collected to provide information on the status of the scallop resource in Port Phillip Bay and to provide
inputs for various stock assessment models (see Level 3) but collecting these data requires the destruction of animals
and/or experiments to be conducted. The Department can work with the licence holder to determine a suitable sampling
strategy for these data, at the licence holder’s request.
These other data include:
Age structure of the catch. This provides size-at-age information which is relevant to the setting of size limits;
Growth. Growth rate was determined during the 1980s (Sause et al. 1987) but is likely to have changed in the
intervening period. Growth rate information, in conjunction with survey data, is used to determine the TACC; and
Meat weight of individuals (weight of adductor and gonad dried to a constant weight – 60o
C for 48 hours) and the
condition of the gonad (visual inspection). This provides information on the condition of scallops (i.e. suitability for
harvest) which may affect the value of the TACC over the course of the fishing season. Monthly meat weight is one of
the inputs for a per-recruit model.
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. For example, one performance indicator for the proposed Commercial Scallop Dive
Fishery would be commercial catch rate (catch-per-unit-effort – CPUE expressed as kilograms of whole weight per hour
of bottom time / per hour of vessel time at sea / per unit area). Reference points are values of catch rate at which a
management response is required. For example, a Target Reference Point (TRP) is where the fishery aims to be and a
Limit Reference Point (LRP) is where there is an unacceptable risk to the stock. Reference points are accompanied by
decision rules (i.e. the TACC is automatically increased or decreased by a percentage) to ensure that there is clarity,
transparency and reproducibility in the management response.
Information on the size structure of the catch (fishery-dependent) and of the population (fishery-independent survey)
shows how many year groups are present in the both the population as a whole and in the harvestable proportion of the
population. This indicates the future potential of the fishery. For example, fluctuations in recruitment may result in
insufficient biomass to support the TACC from a preceding year, but this would be less likely if there are several cohorts
in the fishery compared with relying almost exclusively on 1+ aged scallops, as was the case during the final years of the
scallop dredge fishery.
The analysis and assessment of the survey and additional data must be undertaken by person/s with scientific capability,
which may be the licence holder or person/s engaged by the licence holder. The Department requires that the data,
analysis and assessment be audited prior to use in the broader assessment process (see Process for decision making).
It is, therefore, 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.
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 length-
to-weight morphometric parameters are inputs for this model that uses the von Bertalanffy growth function and
Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery (Port Phillip Bay) Management Arrangements November 2013
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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.
Commercial Scallop Dive Fishery (Port Phillip Bay) Management Arrangements November 2013
27
Table 1: A summary of the requirements for data collection, analysis and assessment for each level of the
fishery from Level 1 when the fishery commences to Level 3 when the fishery is fully developed.
Level of the fishery’s
development
1 2 3
Data type Mandatory fishery-
dependent data
As for Level 1
plus
Fishery-independent
survey data
Additional (non-
mandatory) data
As for Levels 1 and 2
plus
A time series of data
Data Catch
Effort
Catch rate
Gear used
Spatial distribution of
effort and vessel hours
at sea
As for Level 1
plus
Survey data (density,
size structure of sample
scallops)
Additional details on
catch and effort
Size structure of the
catch
Length-to-weight
relationship for the catch
Age structure of catch
Growth
Meat weight
Gonad condition
As for Levels 1 and 2
plus
A time series of data
Analysis and
assessment
Trends in data
Analysis and
assessment of survey
data and additional data
Modelling
Change to management
arrangements
No change until after
three years of data have
been collected
Based on empirical
information so scope for
larger change
Based on model outputs
Potential yield Low Moderate to high (if
supported by
assessment)
Optimised
Cost to licence holder Low Moderate Higher