Northern Prawn Fishery

Northern Prawn Fishery Management Advisory Committee (NORMAC)

Special meeting Chair's summary

6 April 2002

To all SFR Holders,

NORMAC held a special meeting in Brisbane on 19^th March 2001 to give further consideration to the proposed at-sea monitoring project discussed at the workshop in Cairns in February. Two industry members of NORMAC could not attend the special meeting, however their advice was sought by telephone prior to the conclusion of the meeting. In considering the project design, NORMAC noted that the design team had taken account of the outcomes of the February workshop, input by the NPF Assessment Group and discussions at NORMAC 52.

NORMAC noted that the proposed monitoring project was divided into two components with the first component focusing on the development of an index of recruitment, especially for the two species of tiger prawns. That objective requires that the surveys be undertaken each year in late January/early February and the team recommended that at least two or three areas be surveyed to gain an understanding of stock based differences in recruitment.

The second component was to undertake research on changes to the extent of the fishery, best undertaken at the start of the second season so that a good index of biomass can be gained from the September survey. This index could be used as a spawning index, however a survey needs to be undertaken initially to clarify this aspect. The project would undertake preliminary analyses by including previous surveys in the desktop fishing power study with promising results. The project team did not see it as essential that the September survey be undertaken each year, but should be undertaken in at least two, but best three areas.

NORMAC agreed that on-going concerns about the tiger prawn stock assessments, the age of existing data, whether there were prawns in areas not fished, and the conclusions of the Deriso review had all led to the survey design focussing on both tiger and banana prawns. NORMAC noted that the main purpose of the project is to add extra data collected through the fishery independent survey to the catch/effort data base which will decrease the uncertainty in the current model to make the stock assessment more reliable.

NORMAC recognised that the at-sea monitoring project would be an on-going project which would require the long-term commitment of industry to the project and its funding, and reaffirmed its commitment to the collection of fishery independent data.

NORMAC agreed that the January survey should be done in the first year in four areas of the GOC being Mornington Island, Groote Eylandt, Vanderlins and Weipa and that the survey would collect information on brown and grooved tiger prawns and banana prawns. It was agreed not to undertake the January survey in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf as this was a separate, discrete banana prawn fishery. NORMAC agreed that the January survey would be undertaken annually, however the number and scope of the areas to be surveyed in subsequent years is to be reassessed each year in April when preliminary data from the January survey is available. It was noted that at least 3 areas would need to be surveyed in each subsequent year.

NORMAC members supported the September survey being undertaken in the first year in the three areas as recommended being Groote, Vanderlins and Mornington with the survey to collect data on brown and grooved tiger prawns. Given the CSIRO advise that the survey need only be undertaken every three years, NORMAC agreed to review the timing and areas to be surveyed in subsequent years after the results of the first year are known.

Discussion took place on whether or not the bycatch components of the surveys should be included. It was noted that whilst the bycatch work was important, other projects had been developed and submitted for funding to monitor bycatch. NORMAC resolved that bycatch should not be a primary focus of the project and that the bycatch module would not be specifically included in the final project design. However it was agreed that if bycatch samples could be collected for minimal additional cost these should be collected and stored for later analysis.

In considering funding, NORMAC recognised that the long term monitoring project would require on-going industry funding due the nature of the project (ie that it is a monitoring, not a research project). However it was noted that there would be a 'research' component in the development phase of the project (in the first year only) which may attract some funding from other sources including CSIRO, FRDC and AFMA.

NORMAC resolved that the surveys are to be carried out by commercial charter selected through a tender process. Options for reducing the costs of surveys such as reducing commercial tender costs, investigating alternative ways of paying for charter vessels, possible savings in the CSIRO competitive neutrality levy, and paying costs out of MIRF so as not to incur overheads will be further pursued before the project proceeds.

NORMAC also considered whether there was potential to offset the costs of the surveys though sale of the catch. It was noted this would only be relevant to the September survey as the prawns targeted in the January survey would be juveniles and not of commercial size or value. In considering this issue, it was noted that NORMAC had a long-standing policy of not permitting retention of catch to fund research surveys as such an approach had caused both operational and perception problems in the past. NPF(Qld) TA Inc have queried the basis for this policy and it has since been agreed that NORMAC will discuss this matter at its forthcoming meeting in August.

Attachment 1 (below) summarises the project package agreed to at the special meeting of NORMAC. This includes estimates of industry levies required to fund the project. It should be noted that these are estimates only and reductions in industry levies will occur if any additional funding is provided by other sources (AFMA, FRDC etc) and/or other savings are identified.

The proposed package adopted at the special meeting has subsequently been considered by Ean Casey and Les Lowe. Both members have indicated support for the package as proposed. Ean Casey has proposed that all data collected during the surveys is assessed each year to ensure that the surveys are providing the information required. If they are not, they should be stopped until the strategy has been revised. Les Lowe has queried the NORMAC policy of not selling the catch to fund research projects. As indicated above, this matter has been placed on the agenda of NORMAC 53 scheduled to take place in August. NPF QTA have indicated they will hold will further discussions on the proposed package at an Association meeting on 12 April.

Other issues discussed at the special meeting of NORMAC were a monitoring program for mud bugs taken in the NPF, the proposed compliance program and budgets for the NPF for 2002-2003 and an approach by the Northern Regional Gulf Management Group to liaise with NORMAC on issues affecting various stakeholders in the Southern Gulf.

NORMAC agreed to implement a cost effective industry-based monitoring program to establish an optimum size for mud bugs. Further information on this will be provided when the project design has been finalised. The management costs committee has been delegated to further review the NPF budgets and proposed compliance plan and report to NORMAC by 12 April 2002. I will provide a report on the outcome of that review to SFR holders in due course.

Yours sincerely,
Stuart Richey
NORMAC Chairman

Attachment 1 - Summary of NORMAC "In Principle" recommendation on the proposed At- Sea Monitoring Project for the Northern Prawn Fishery 19 March 2002

NORMAC recognised that the at-sea monitoring project would be an on-going project and would require the long-term commitment of industry to the project and its funding.

NORMAC reaffirmed its support for the on-going at-sea monitoring program and gave ‘in principle’ support to the components of the proposed project as follows:

January survey

1. Support for the January survey to be undertaken in the first year in four areas only being Mornington Island, Vanderlins, Groote Eylandt & Weipa (JBG to be excluded). The survey will collect data on brown and grooved tiger, and banana prawns
2. January survey to be undertaken annually, however the number and scope of the areas to be surveyed in subsequent years is to be reassessed each year in April when preliminary data from the January survey is available
3. The survey to be carried out by commercial charter selected through a tender process
4. Potential reductions in costs of the January survey to be investigated in the area of overheads, the competitive neutrality levy, organisational responsibility for tender process and charter payments
5. Bycatch not be included as the focus of this survey however bycatch samples will be collected and stored for later analysis provided the cost of collection as part of the project is minimal

September survey

6. Support for the September survey in the first year in the three areas as recommended being Groote, Vanderlins and Mornington. This survey will collect data on brown and grooved tiger prawns.
7. CSIRO advice is that the survey need only be done every three years. NORMAC will review the timing and areas to be surveyed in subsequent years after the results of the first year are known
8. Survey is to be undertaken by the Gwendolyn May
9. Potential reductions in costs of the September survey to be investigated in the area of overheads, the competitive neutrality levy, etc
10. Bycatch not be included as the focus of this survey however bycatch samples will be collected and stored for later analysis provided the cost of collection as part of the project is minimal

Funding

NORMAC recognised that the long term monitoring project would require on-going industry funding due the nature of the project (ie that it is a monitoring, not a research project).

However it was noted that there would be a ‘research’ component in the development phase of the project (in the first year only) which may attract some funding from other sources including FRDC and AFMA and that these opportunities should be investigated to the fullest extent.

NORMAC noted that CSIRO would be prepared to contribute approximately $50,000 to the cost of the January survey and $30,000 to the September survey in the first year due to the ‘research’ component of the first year and in recognition of the long-term commitment of industry to fund the project.

NORMAC discussed whether or not there was an opportunity to fund the survey through the catch taken as part of the survey. It was noted that the prawns taken in the January would not be of commercial size or value. NORMAC noted that it (NORMAC) has a long-standing policy of not selling the catch to fund research projects.

The cost of the two surveys as proposed for the first year only is approximately $9.60 per SFR. However there is an option to reduce this by utilising $200,000 of the FRDC MOU funds which would bring the levy down to approximately $6.00 per SFR.

The cost of doing the January survey only in the following years would be approximately $6.90 per unit. An option for funding the September funding in subsequent years is through the FRDC MOU monies.

The above are estimates only and reductions in industry levies will occur if any additional funding is provided by other sources (AFMA, FRDC etc) and/or other savings are identified.

Note: the industry levies estimated to fund this project on an on-going basis are in addition to the compulsory 0.25% of GVP contribution to FRDC and the $100,000 contributed annually under the FRDC MOU.

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