The Coral Sea Fishery (CSF) is a relatively small but diverse fishery, targeting a wide range of species with methods including line, trap, trawl and hand collection.
At a glance
Area of the fishery
The CSF covers waters from the east of Sandy Cape (Fraser Island) to east of Cape York. The Fishery commences east of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and extends to the edge of the Australian Fishing Zone. It excludes the areas of the Coringa-Herald and Lihou Reef National Nature Reserves. Together the Nature Reserves cover approximately 17,000 square kms of coral reef habitat.
Principal species
A wide range of finfish species are taken in the CSF, as well as sharks, lobsters, trochus, sea cucumbers and live rock (limestone encrusted with coralline algae and other encrusting species). Rosy jobfish, alfonsino and red emperor are the three most common species (by weight) taken for seafood markets in the CSF. In the aquarium sector, fishing is highly selective and the species targeted change in response to market demand.
Fishing technique
Line and trap sector – demersal longline, trotlines, droplines, setlines and handlines, and demersal finfish traps
Trawl and trap sector - otter board trawl gear for fish and crustaceans, and demersal finfish traps
Sea cucumber sector - hand collection
Aquarium sector – hand collection, barbless hook and line, scoop, cast and seine nets
Lobster and trochus sector - hand collection
No. fishing concessions
There are 18 fishing permits in total;
nine line and trap,
two trawl and trap,
two sea cucumber,
two aquarium, and
three lobster and trochus sector permits.
Estimated Catch and Value 2006-2007
The fishery landed approximately 192.2 tonnes of fish in 2006-07 as well as a number of aquarium species which (apart from live rock) are not weighed but recorded as numbers of individuals. The estimated value of the fishery was approximately $1.38 million.
Main Markets
Markets for the CSF are largely domestic, however export markets are also important for the sea cucumber and aquarium sectors.
Stock Status
Overall status uncertain[1]. Most stocks are not assessed.
Management of the Fishery
The Coral Sea Fishery is a relatively small but diverse fishery. Management arrangements are developed in consultation with stakeholders including industry members, scientific researchers and other fishery managers. The Management Arrangements booklet describes the arrangements in place for the fishery. In addition to these arrangements, the industry has also developed voluntary codes and policies to ensure responsible use of the fishery and its resources.
The CSF is a limited entry fishery managed in accordance with AFMAs harvest strategies. These harvest strategies include input controls (limited number of permits, gear and operator limits, spatial and temporal management regimes) as well as output controls (size limits, proportional and total catch limits).
AFMA manages the five sectors of the CSF in a precautionary manner in accordance with the objectives of the Fisheries Management Act 1991 and associated legislation.
The fishery is regularly assessed by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) and has been approved as a sustainable wildlife trade operation until 19 March 2009.
Bycatch Action Plan
Specific mitigation measures are in place for each sector and all species, including bycatch and discarded species, are managed under the harvest strategies for the CSF.
AFMA will be developing a bycatch and discarding work-plan and undertaking further ecological risk assessments during 2008-2009 to augment these management arrangements.
Hand collection sectors such as the lobster and trochus, aquarium and sea cucumber sectors are highly selective and do not discard catch.
Consultative mechanism
AFMA regularly consults informally with operators and other stakeholders in managing the CSF. A meeting for all stakeholders is held each year, typically in March or April, to discuss management arrangements for the fishery. AFMA also works closely with Queensland Scientific Advisory Groups (SAGs), seeking input and working to coordinate CSF management arrangements with adjacent state managed fisheries.
Priorities for the next 12 months
Current priorities for the CSF include:
implement and review the CSF harvest strategies,
further develop collaborative arrangements with Queensland SAGs,
undertake a level 2 (semi-quantitative) ecological risk assessment for the fishery,
develop a bycatch and discarding workplan for the fishery
continue to develop and rationalise data collection, collation and analysis for the fishery, and
facilitate DEWHA's strategic assessment of the fishery for wildlife trade operation and export approvals
Research objectives and priorities
AFMA is analysing logbook and observer data collected to date. Key future research priorities are likely to focus on stock assessment and minimising the environmental impacts of fishing.
