Trawl fleet makes 1 May baffler deadline
The 2017-18 fishing season started on 1 May and the newsletter can report that all board trawl vessels made the deadline to have new and improved seabird mitigations in place. Seabirds are attracted to fishing vessels by the sight and smell of fish and fish offal. They can be injured or killed when they collide […]
Why are bafflers so bright?
May has been a big month for the South East Trawl Fishery with 95% of the otter board trawl vessels installing bird bafflers. Bird bafflers use brightly coloured droppers that hang off the metal boom arms and backbone of rope. The droppers are typically made from orange or red pipe hose or sometimes even rope. There […]
SETFIA Interview with ABC – Seabird Bafflers
SETFIA Interview with ABC Radio Hobart Ryk Goddard 11 May 2017 Seabird bafflers
Press Release: Southern Trawl Fleet Invest in Seabird Safe Technology
8 May 2017. For immediate release. With the 2017-18 Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF) fishing season starting last week, the South East Trawl Fishing Industry Association (SETFIA) and the Great Australian Bight Industry Association (GABIA) are pleased to see the start of new seabird mitigation arrangements. Following an industry led initiative, the Australian […]
Seafood Industry Australia takes shape
The inaugural Board of Directors for Seafood Industry Australia (SIA) has been selected, marking a significant step towards the development of a new national peak body to represent all facets of Australia’s sustainable seafood industry. The Directors have seafood industry knowledge and networks across wild catch, aquaculture and post-harvest sectors and commercial experience in domestic […]
Trawl management levies released
AFMA has just released their draft cost recovered levy proposal for 2017. The latest levies will be recovered under a new cost recovery policy called the AFMA Cost Recovery Implementation Statement 2017 (CRIS2017). AFMA propose to recover $2.8m from industry in 2017 which includes $62,000 from fee-for-service activities such as the cost of processing paper log […]
Flathead quota down but it could be worse…
Every year AFMA’s Fishery Commission sets Total Allowable Catches (TACs or “quotas”) in the trawl fishery. These quotas are set based on stock sizes derived from scientific assessments. Through something called a harvest strategy these quotas aim to manage fish stocks at a set level called maximum economic yield (MEY). MEY maintains more fish in […]
How do Victorians want their fish?
By Ross Winstanley* In a previous article I advocated for the interests of domestic seafood consumers to be considered alongside those of recreational, commercial and indigenous fishers when resource allocation decisions are made. I used the current Victorian Government’s phase-out of commercial net fishing in Port Phillip Bay as an example of what’s happening around […]
Are There Several Blue-eye Stocks?
By Dr Alan Williams CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart Grilled with garlic, oven baked, or lightly pan fried with a hint of lemon, blue-eye trevalla is one of Australia’s premium fish, and an iconic fish species for commercial fishers and seafood lovers alike! Given its popularity, it’s then surprising to realise the extent of the […]
Six months on
It has been six months since I started as the AFMA-SETFIA Liaison Officer, based at SETFIA’s office in the beautiful port of Lakes Entrance. This position was created in 2015 by AFMA and SETFIA to help develop and work on projects that benefit both industry and AFMA. The saying goes that time flies when you […]