Queensland the Smart State

River and Inshore Beam Trawl Fishery2009 Progress against DEWHA conditions and recommendations

On 26 March 2009, the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries was amalgamated with other government departments to form the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation. © The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2009. Except as permitted by the Copyright Act 1968, no part of the work may in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or any other means be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or be broadcast or transmitted without the prior written permission of the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The copyright owner shall not be liable for technical or other errors or omissions contained herein. The reader/user accepts all risks and responsibility for losses, damages, costs and other consequences resulting directly or indirectly from using this information. Enquiries about reproduction, including downloading or printing the web version, should be directed to ipcu@deedi.qld.gov.au or telephone +61 7 3225 1398.

Progress in implementing Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) conditions and recommendations for the River and

Inshore Beam Trawl Fishery. DEWHA made a range of recommendations to Fisheries Queensland (formerly Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries) a service of the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation during its initial assessment of the River and Inshore Beam Trawl Fishery in 2006, in order to address perceived risks or uncertainties. DEWHA’s assessment of progress against these recommendations can be found at http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/fisheries/qld/river-beam-trawl/pubs/river-beam-trawl-report.pdf In 2009 the fishery was reassessed and a new Wildlife Trade Operation granted, along with a new set of conditions and recommendations. Details of the progress Fisheries Queensland has made in relation to the current conditions and recommendations are outlined in this document.

----------------------------------------------------------------- Condition 1: Operation of the fishery will be carried out in accordance with the Fisheries (East Coast Trawl) Management Plan 1999 in force under the Queensland Fisheries Act 1994 and the Queensland Fisheries Regulation 2008.

PPrrooggrreessss:: Ongoing

Fisheries Queensland is compliant in this regard.

Condition 2: The Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) to inform the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) of any intended amendments to the RIBTF management arrangements that may affect the assessment of the fishery against the criteria on which EPBC Act decisions are based.

PPrrooggrreessss:: Ongoing

No changes to management arrangement were made in 2008 that negatively impacted on resource

sustainability. Management changes included: implementation of a Performance Measurement System

for the fishery (a copy was forwarded to DEWHA on 30 June 2009 for information); introduction of a new

minimum legal size for Moreton Bay bugs; and a proposal for a more detailed definition of turtle excluder

devices required for use in the fishery (since implemented by way of regulatory amendment in 2009).

Condition 3: Fisheries Queensland to produce and present reports to DEWHA annually as per Appendix B to the Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries – 2nd Edition.

PPrrooggrreessss:: Ongoing

This progress report on conditions and recommendations as part of DEWHA approvals for the RIBTF, the

Annual Status Report for the 2008 effort year and covering letter demonstrate that Fisheries Queensland

is compliant in this regard.

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Condition 4: By 1 July 2009 Fisheries Queensland to:

(a) finalise and implement the Performance Measurement System (PMS) for the East Coast Trawl Fishery in consultation with the Trawl Management Advisory Committee; and

(b) ensure that the PMS incorporates performance measures, triggers and reference points that relate specifically to the RIBTF.

PPrrooggrreessss:: Completed

A Performance Measurement System is in place for the ECTF and is a major component in the routine

sustainability assessment framework for RIBTF harvested species. A copy was forwarded to DEWHA on 30

June 2009 for information. Fisheries Queensland intends to evaluate performance measures for retained

species, bycatch and the fishery ecosystem as part of the Review of the Trawl Plan and its commitment to

regular validation of sustainability benchmarks in the RIBTF. Progress in this regard will be reported in a

future RIBTF Annual Status Report.

Recommendation 1: Fisheries Queensland to implement: (a) a system adequate to monitor interactions with protected species and other bycatch; and (b) management measures if appropriate to reduce the capture and mortality of protected species and other bycatch in all areas of the RIBTF.

PPrrooggrreessss:: Ongoing

To assist fisheries meet their obligations under the EPBC Act, Fisheries Queensland administers the

species of conservation interest (SOCI) logbook that provides RIBTF fishers with a systematic way of

recording interactions with protected species that occur during fishing operations. Fisher awareness of

reporting requirements for interactions with protected species is enhanced through education by

Fisheries Queensland onboard observers. In 2008, the absence of fisher recorded interactions with SOCI

indicates minimal within-trawl mortality rates because the RIBTF: operates largely in rivers and creeks

where turtles are in low numbers; must use a turtle excluder device when fishing outside rivers and

creeks; and typically has short trawl times that turtles and sea snakes survive well.

The most recent observer data in 2009 reported no SOCI interactions in the fishery, confirming that the

RIBTF is indeed a low impact fishery on SOCI. Despite this, Fisheries Queensland deploys observers on

RIBTF boats on a rotational basis not only to further demonstrate that this is the case, but also to gain

information on the retained and discarded catch, and on fishing practices that may change following the

introduction of new management arrangements (e.g. BRD refinements, discarding practices etc). Under

the current Fisheries Observer Program format, observer coverage in the RIBTF has intensified over the

past three years, with a proposed 40 day target for 2010.

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Recommendation 2: Fisheries Queensland to investigate the minimum level of observer coverage required to validate logbook data in the RIBTF. If coverage falls below this level DPI&F should increase the level of coverage or investigate alternative methodologies able to validate logbook data.

PPrrooggrreessss:: Proposed

Fisheries Queensland has lifted the 2010 observer coverage in the RIBTF to 40 days. This coverage is a

significant increase compared to past levels & will be assessed for adequacy in validating fisher logbook

data when this next occurs. The results of fisher logbook data validation will in turn inform and guide

future decisions about the frequency and appropriate level of observer coverage in the RIBTF.

Recommendation 3: Fisheries Queensland to work with industry to determine species composition of “bay prawn” catch in the RIBTF.

PPrrooggrreessss:: Ongoing

While in 2008 there was no observer coverage in the RIBTF, in 2009 limited species composition data

indicate that the species making up the ‘bay prawn’ catch category were greasyback prawns

Metapenaeus bennettae (98% by weight) & Metapenaeus macleayi (2% by weight). With the further

cooperation of industry, expanded observer coverage in 2010 will provide additional data to determine

the precision of this estimate, both temporally and spatially.

Recommendation 4: Fisheries Queensland to implement the research priorities identified in the East Coast Trawl Fishery Five Year Research Plan, strategic and emergent issues as they relate to the RIBTF.

PPrrooggrreessss:: Completed

Since 2006, Fisheries Queensland has been implementing high priority research identified in the East

Coast Trawl Fishery Five Year Research Plan 2006-11, relating to the RIBTF. In 2006 Queensland banana

prawn stocks were assessed considering catches from the RIBTF & the ECOTF. Findings indicated that

banana prawn stocks were not overfished in the period 2000-04. This & other RIBTF harvested species

(e.g. greasyback prawns, school prawns & squid) & bycatch species, & impacts on habitats & the

ecosystem will be included in ecological risk assessments in 2010-11.

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Recommendation 5: Fisheries Queensland to cooperate with other relevant jurisdictions to pursue complementary management and research priorities, which may impact on species harvested in the RIBTF.

PPrrooggrreessss:: Ongoing

Fisheries Queensland is committed to ongoing consultation with other jurisdictions to ensure sustainable

management of shared fish stocks across their native range. Fisheries Queensland meets annually on

fisheries matters with NSW Fisheries and participates in stock status forums where inter-jurisdictional

management of shared stocks (including RIBTF target species e.g. greasyback prawns & school prawns)

are discussed and harmonised.

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