Amorous roughy respond to fishing
A scientific paper (Pitman, Haddy and Kloser) has been released assessing the impact of commercial fishing on the reproductive capacity (fecundity) of orange roughy. Data from when exploitation began (1987–1992) is compared with current observations from the eastern Tasmanian stock. Findings show that fecundity is negatively related to stock size, meaning that as the population […]
Fishermen collect 2,000 blue warehou lengths
In 2011 industry began to collect length data on blue warehou during the SETFIA run blue warehou fishery independant survey. The aim of the collection is that the information could be used in a future stock assessment. Industry avoids blue warehou in an effort to allow it to rebuild but in doing so has lost […]
Quotas in the South East increase 600 tonnes
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) have stated that increasing productivity of wild fish stocks has allowed an increase in the sustainable seafood harvest catch limits for a number of key species in the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF). The South East Trawl Fishery is part of the SESSF. Catch limits for […]
Will SPR analysis help assess blue warehou?
An Australian breakthrough in stock assessment science looks to solve the problem of assessing data-poor fisheries and make assessment processes affordable. The approach estimates the proportion of spawning occurring relative to unfished levels rather than estimating sustainable catch levels directly, simply indicates whether fishing pressure should be incrementally increased or decreased until stocks and catches […]
Australia’s fish stocks in great shape
In December 2012 the Australian Government released the first ever national snapshot on the status of all major Australian commercial fish stocks. The report found that Australian fisheries are healthy and well managed. Only a tiny fraction of the 150 stocks reviewed were found to be “overfished”. The report was compiled by the Australian Bureau […]
A better solution for unavoidable snapper by-catch
Snapper is an iconic recreational species with around 550 tonnes caught annually by Victorian recreational fishermen. Fisheries in Australia are managed either by the State or the Commonwealth. In waters adjacent to Victoria, non-trawl caught snapper are managed by Victorian but snapper caught by trawlers are managed by the Commonwealth. South East Trawl (SET) vessels […]
Monster pink ling
Crew member Richard Knox couldn’t believe his eyes when this massive pink ling was hauled on board the Petuna Endeavour. The average pink ling is 1m long and weighs less than 10 kg’s. The maximum reported weight for pink ling is 25 kg’s at which time it would be 30 years old. However, the pink […]
Industry manage eastern gemfish
Prior to management under the Harvest Strategy, eastern gemfish were depleted in southern NSW when in the 70’s and 80’s when catches were as high as 7,000 tonnes a year. Eastern gemfish spawn in June, July and August and most by-catch is taken in winter as the fish undertake their spawning run on NSW’s south […]
Commonwealth fish stocks continue to improve
The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) has released the 17th edition of Fishery Status Report (2011). This annual report is similar to the ground breaking national snapshot report released in December but the latest Fishery Status Report covers all fish species managed by the Commonwealth Government (not those managed by […]