Antarctic Fisheries
SouthMAC meeting 14, 21 November 2001, Hobart
Chair's summary
Attendance
Members
- Mr Bill Nagle - Chair
- Mr Geoff Richardson, AFMA
- Dr Keith Sainsbury, CSIRO
- Ms Margaret Moore, WWF
- Mr Martin Exel, Austral Fisheries
- Mr Les Scott, Petuna
- Mr Joseph Pirello, Everfresh
- Mr Dennis Witt, DPIWE
- Mr Ian Hay, AAD
- Ms Sarah Scott - Executive Officer
Observers
- Ms Viki O'Brien, AFMA
- Dr Andrew Constable, AAD
- Mr Quentin Hanich, Greenpeace
- Mr Dave Williams, HIMI (Longlining)
- Fishery Management Ltd (HIMILL)
- Mr James Mace, HIMILL
Apologies
Introduction
The fourteenth meeting of the Sub-Antarctic Fisheries Management Advisory Committee
(SouthMAC) was held in Hobart on 21 November 2001. The primary objectives of
the meeting were to recommend Total Allowable Catches (TACs) for both the Heard
Island and McDonald Island (HIMI) and the Macquarie Island fisheries for the
coming fishing seasons and to consider the comments submitted on the draft HIMI
Fishery Management Plan and Strategic Assessment Report.
A public meeting of SouthMAC was also held on the afternoon of 20 November
2001. Approximately 25 people attended the meeting including SouthMAC and SAFAG
members and representatives from Defence, ABARE, University of Tasmania, Acquaro
& Co, the commercial fishing industry and Greenpeace. Following the Chairman's
Report to the public meeting, AFMA and AAD representatives explained their roles
and the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
(CCAMLR) operating framework. This was followed by presentations from CSIRO
and AAD scientists on ecosystem management in the CCAMLR context, the tagging
program, and the research and stock assessments programs for the Macquarie Island
and HIMI fisheries.
Attendees expressed their appreciation for the contributions and found the
session to be informative and highly valuable.
Report from SAFAG 13
The thirteenth meeting of SAFAG was held in Hobart on 19 and 20 November 2001.
Major issues considered by the Group included the outcomes of CCAMLR XX and
the TAC levels to be recommended for the HIMI and Macquarie Island fisheries
for the coming seasons.
HIMI
The twentieth meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine
Living Resources (CCAMLR XX) was held in Hobart from 22 October to 2 November
2001. CCAMLR XX prescribed TACs for the HIMI Fishery for 1 December 2001 to
30 November 2002 at 2,815 tonnes for Patagonian toothfish and 885 tonnes
for mackerel icefish. This represents a reduction of 180 tonnes or 6% on last
year's toothfish quota resulting from refinements in the stock assessment model,
which has occurred through the collection of additional survey data. The mackerel
icefish quota has decreased by 265 tonnes or 23% reflecting the recruitment
pulses observed in this icefish fishery. Bycatch quotas for grey rockcod (80
tonnes), unicorn icefish (150 tonnes) and other species (50 tonnes each) have
remained constant.
The Committee recommended that the TACs prescribed by CCAMLR XX be endorsed
by the AFMA Board.
SouthMAC also endorsed SAFAG's and CCAMLR's recommendation that interim precautionary
measures should be adopted for all CCAMLR fisheries for the forthcoming year
to place upper limits on the by-catch of Macrourus spp. and skates and
rays to reduce the potential for local depletion of these species groups. This
decision was taken in light of the by-catch levels being recorded in a number
of longline fisheries.
With respect to Macrourus spp. and skates and rays, the Commission agreed
that if any vessel catches more than 1 tonne of a by-catch species in a longline
set or haul, it should move on. Similar by-catch provisions were adopted for
the HIMI Fishery, that is:
- if in the course of directed fishing, the by-catch in any one haul of an
assessed by-catch species (that is, grey rockcod or unicorn icefish) is equal
to, or greater than 2 tonnes then the vessel must move on 5 n miles for
a period of five days; or
- if in the course of directed fishing, the by-catch in any one haul of any
other by-catch species (that is, other than grey rockcod or unicorn icefish)
is equal to, or greater than 1 tonne then the vessel must move on 5 n
miles for a period of five days; or
The move on limit for all by-catch species in the HIMI Fishery was previously
set at 2 tonnes.
SouthMAC noted improvements in the consultation processes undertaken by AAD
to review their stock assessment work in the lead up to CCAMLR this year. The
Committee thanked AAD for their efforts.
Macquarie Island Toothfish Fishery TACs
Northern Valley TAC for 2002
SouthMAC noted that during 2001 only about 2% of the 420 tonne TAC was taken
from the Macquarie Island Fishery's Northern Valley Fishery.
SAFAG has developed two hypotheses for the Macquarie Island Toothfish Fishery toothfish
stocks outside of Aurora Trough. One based on all fish being part of a single
stock, including those that may be regarded as resident on the trawl grounds
and those that may be regarded as transient to the trawl grounds. The second
hypothesis is based on there being a resident local stock in the northern valley
and a transient stock occasionally available to the Fishery. These two hypotheses
have very different yield implications.
The Committee noted that the overall the situation for the Northern Valley
is largely unchanged from that reported last year. There is no indication that
the transient fish under either hypothesis have been seen since the 1996/97
season.
SouthMAC recommends (consistent with SAFAG's advice) that the toothfish TAC
for the Northern Valley for the period 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2002 be
set at 242 tonnes.
The recommended TAC is a constant annual yield of 10% of the initial (unfished)
available biomass of the resident stock. The available biomass is that available
to the trawl fishery, and consists of a relatively restricted number of year-classes
of mainly immature fish. Some population parameters were altered to be consistent
with most recent CCAMLR assessments including using a natural mortality rate
of 0.16.
The previous TAC for the stock in the Northern Valley was set at 420 tonnes.
This level was higher than the sustainable yield for the resident stock, however,
it was considered acceptable as the catch rates in the fishery would not be
high enough to make it economically viable to take this amount. The TAC was
set at this level to allow enough fish to be taken to trigger the higher TAC
which would apply if the transient stock reappeared. After re-examination, SAFAG
determined that it was possible to trigger the higher TAC within the sustainable
yield for the resident stock.
To allow the transient stock to be fished, if it becomes available, SouthMAC
also recommends that a TAC of 782 tonnes be triggered if catch rates reach a
threshold of an average catch rate of 10 tonnes/square km over 3 consecutive
fishing days. This was a conservative TAC for the combined transient and resident
stocks set at 10% of the lower 95% confidence interval of the abundance estimated
to be initially present (ie in 1996). If catch rates were to fall below this
10 tonnes/ square km over 3 consecutive days the TAC would revert back to 242 tonnes
or if more than 242 tonnes had already been taken the Fishery would be closed.
Aurora Trough
SouthMAC noted SAFAG's advice that there has been a modest positive recruitment
to Aurora Trough's toothfish population in each of the last three years. The
biomass is now estimated either at or below the target level needed to allow
for commercial fishing to resume. However, there is a large amount of uncertainty
associated with these estimates as a result of the low number of trawls and
the fact that there was only a few tagged fish recaptured. SouthMAC recommends
that the Aurora Trough remain closed to commercial fishing and that a research
TAC of 40 tonnes be set for the coming year.
In previous years there were additional constraints in taking the research
catch including that only one trawl per day was permitted. SouthMAC recommends
that these restrictions be removed so as to encourage the taking of the full
research quota. This level of catch is expected to give enough tag recoveries
to allow for more precise assessment of the population.
HIMI Management Plan
SouthMAC considered comments received on the draft HIMI Management Plan and
Strategic Assessment Report and AFMA's preliminary responses to these. Greenpeace
and HIMILL, who provided original submissions, attended the meeting and provided
additional comments to the MAC.
SouthMAC responses and recommended actions are contained in the attached document.
SouthMAC recommends no changes to the draft HIMI Management Plan in response
to the comments received. However, SouthMAC recommends a number of wording changes
and the inclusion of additional material to sections of the Strategic Assessment
Report proposed by AFMA and others through the consultation process.
Regulatory Impact Statement
SouthMAC members provided comments on the draft Regulatory Impact Statement
(RIS) for the HIMI Fishery. The RIS will be updated to incorporate SouthMAC's
suggestions prior to seeking endorsement of the RIS by the Office of Regulation
Review (ORR). Members noted the ORR's initial positive response to the draft
RIS.
HIMI Marine Protected Area
SouthMAC members noted progress on the proposed HIMI Marine Protected Area
and agreed to provide comments on CSIRO's independent assessment of the conservation
report on the HIMI region.
Bill Nagle
Chairman
SouthMAC
November 2001
Page last updated
12 July, 2005
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