Western Tuna and Billfish Fishery

Notice - Independent Allocation Advisory Panel Factual Brief

January 2002

Prepared by AFMA, January 2002

Management controls for the Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands Fisheries

96. Waters within 12 nautical miles of the Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands are managed by AFMA in consultation with other Commonwealth agencies (Environment Australia and Parks North Australia). SWTBFMAC provides advice to AFMA on tuna management issues outside 12 nautical miles around the islands.
97. There has been historic fishing activity by Japanese longline vessels in the AFZ south of Christmas Island and north of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Until 1998/99, no Australian vessels had operated in the offshore waters around either Christmas Island or the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Commercial fishing for tuna (other than SBT) and related species between the 12 nm territorial water limit and the outer limit of the AFZ adjacent to both territories was part of the WTBF. At this time, arrangements in the WTBF did not permit an operator access to the Cocos/Christmas sub areas unless they had catch history for the area. As no Australian operator had catch history in these waters there was no opportunity for interested operators to obtain a permit to access these waters to fish for tuna or related species.
98. In the early 1990s, there was increasing interest from mainland fishermen in fishing the waters around the Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands, both offshore and inshore. This lead AFMA to initiate a three-year fishing program. The fishing program was designed to collect information required to assess the impacts of tuna longlining on the ecology of the area and address sustainability concerns relating to non-target species, particularly endangered seabirds. The Abbott's booby and the Christmas Island frigatebird are endemic to Christmas Island. The Abbott's booby has been listed as endangered and the Christmas Island Frigatebird as vulnerable under the ESP Act. North Keeling Island is internationally renowned as a major seabird rookery.
99. In November 1997 it was agreed in consultation with Western Tuna MAC that, given the isolation of the islands and their unique conservation values, it was appropriate for separate arrangements to be developed for tuna fishing in the region.
100. The 'Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands Offshore Tuna Fisheries Management Report' (attachment 37) was released in January 1998.
101. A maximum of three fishing permits for tuna fishing were made available during 1998 for the Christmas Island fishery and two fishing permits for the Cocos (Keeling) Islands fishery. AFMA accepted applications for the offshore tuna fisheries until 24 April 1998.
102. It was stipulated that permits for both fisheries would be issued on an annual basis and would be subject to performance criteria, notably the completion of 50 days fishing during the first year of operation. Fishing permits would be regranted following the successful completion of the performance criteria and the meeting of fishing permit conditions.
103. Fishing permit conditions were consistent with the draft TAP with minor modifications allowed to suit local conditions and size of operation. Fishing was restricted to offshore waters (ie outside 12 nm).
104. The permit period for the first year of fishing ended on 30 September 1999, with only one operator having undertaken any fishing. During the first year of the program, commercial activities were hampered by, among other things, delayed construction of the wharf facilities on Christmas Island. Only 25 fishing days (2 trips) were undertaken to the Cocos Islands region, one of which carried an observer. There has been no further fishing to date.
105. A review of the policy was undertaken following the completion of year one of the program. Stakeholder submissions focussed on the poor economies of scale achieved during the first year. These were due largely to the logistical difficulties associated with the remoteness of the fishing grounds, the restrictions inherent to individual operations (ie not part of a large fleet) and the lack of infrastructure on the islands.
106. In March 2000, AFMA prepared and distributed a policy paper entitled 'Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands Offshore Tuna fishing Program'. The report stated AFMA's policy in relation to the offshore fishing program and detailed the criteria against which applicants for the second year of fishing program would be assessed.
107. In the March 2000 edition of the 'AFMA News', AFMA invited eligible operators to apply to participate in the second year of the program, which was scheduled to begin in May 2000 (attachment 38).
108. In early 2000, in an attempt to improve the economic viability of the program in its second year, AFMA sought agreement from Environment Australia and Parks North Australia to increase the number of fishing permits issued under the policy. AFMA wanted an increase from six to eight permits and to allow for up to two permits to be granted to an individual company. Agreement was reached to allow the granting of one additional permit for the Christmas Island offshore fishery upon the proviso that all participating vessels carry VMS. This effectively provided four permits for the Christmas Island offshore fishery and two permits for the Cocos Island offshore fishery. These revisions were reported in the July 2000 issue of the 'AFMA News' (attachment 24).
109. The second year of the fishing program commenced in August 2000.
110. There are currently 3 offshore fishing permits for the Christmas and Cocos Islands Offshore Tuna and Billfish Fishery. A copy of the permit conditions is at attachment 39).
111. There are currently 6 Christmas Island inshore fishery permits for tuna and billfish. These permits allow operators to fish the waters around Christmas Island up to a distance of 12 nautical miles offshore by the methods of minor line, pole and pelagic longline (subject to specified conditions).
112. There are no Cocos Island Inshore fishery permits.
113. Christmas and Cocos fishing areas will be incorporated into the management plan.

Page last updated 12 July, 2005