Fish of the day: The Moonfish
The Moonfish (Lampris guttatus) sometimes called an Opah, is a large discoid (disk like) and deeply keeled fish with an attractive form and a conspicuous coloration. They can reach a maximum length of 2 m and weight of 270 kg. The one pictured left was picked up this winter […]
Searching for school shark pups in South Australia
Matt McMillan is a PhD candidate working on school shark (Galeorhinus galeus) at the University of Adelaide. He needs your help to find school shark pupping grounds that may exist in South Australian waters. School shark numbers declined in the 1990s and conservative total allowable catches (TACs) have been set to help them recover. School […]
Fish of the Day: Cookie Cutter Shark
Today’s fish of the day is Isistius brasiliensis, the Cookie-cutter shark. Found throughout the world’s deep oceans and growing to only 50 cm long, this tiny shark packs a surprisingly nasty set of teeth. It can open its jaws almost 90 degrees forming its mouth into a suction-cup. Though no-one has […]
New Industry Liaison Officer
Danait Ghebrezgabhier has been appointed as the new AFMA-SETFIA Liaison Officer. Her arrival follows Andrew Trappett’s departure after a successful 15 month tenure. Danait has worked at AFMA since 2009, has come from a zoology background and has experience working in compliance planning, research administration and several fisheries. She is currently studying towards a Masters of Applied Science in […]
Fishermen call for use of new technology to reduce effects on seabirds
The South East Trawl Fishing Industry Association and the Great Australian Bight Fishing Industry Association (GABIA) have developed world leading technology that reduces interactions between trawlers and seabirds by up to 96%. Plans are in place to roll this technology out across the trawl fleet. Trawl fishermen from both Commonwealth managed trawl fisheries in South Australia are committed to […]
NSW and the NT Committed to Seafood Country of Origin Labelling
NSW Deputy Premier Troy Grant (pictured left) has unveiled a new labelling scheme which will see seafood in NSW restaurants labelled according to its country of origin. The Australian fishing industry welcomes the announcement. The industry has been campaigning for truth in labelling either by mandating the now voluntary Australian Fish Naming Standard and/or by removing the […]
Diesel fuel rebate guaranteed
SETFIA is pleased that in the lead up to the election there is bipartisan agreement about retaining the fishing industry’s rebate of the diesel fuel tax. A tax long associated with road users. This rebate is crucial to ensure the ongoing viability of our fisheries. On April 15 The Australian newspaper ran a story titled, Labor […]
Lost buoy finds its way home
SETFIA member Wayne Cheers was recently out seining for flathead 50 kilometers east of Lakes Entrance (Victoria) and was stumped when his gear tangled with a strange plastic yellow device floating freely on the surface . Wayne retrieved the barnacle encrusted plastic cone and set out to find why a black cylinder attached to it was beeping […]
Electric Torpedo Ray – Fish of the Day
Today’s fish is known to pack a shocking surprise – the Short-tail Torpedo Ray (Torpedo macneilli). The Short-tail Torpedo Ray has rows of modified muscle cells, known as electocytes, throughout its disc. These cells act like miniature batteries and are capable of releasing a series of shocks equivalent in voltage to four car batteries. There are […]
Quotas above average & industry set to land more fish in 2016-17
Quotas in the trawl fishery over the previous five years have averaged just over 20,000 tonnes per annum. Trawl quotas for the upcoming season which starts in May have been finalised and are 21,830 tonnes. Blue eye trevalla, blue grenadier, elephant fish, western gemfish, ocean perch, smooth oreo, pink ling and school whiting quotas have […]