Volume 4, Issue 1, 19 January 2007 [see previous editions]
Toothfish fishing rights granted for Macquarie Island
Statutory Fishing Rights (SFRs) have been granted for the Macquarie Island Toothfish Fishery in the remote sub-Antarctic, following allocation of half the SFRs through a competitive tender process.
This is the first time that a competitive tender has taken place for granting SFRs in any Australian fishery.
Statutory Fishing Rights give fishers greater security than annually renewable permits by providing an access right for the life of the management plan for the fishery. The granting of SFRs is part of the allocation process under the new management plan for this fishery which came into effect on 9 February 2006.
The SFRs have now been granted to two companies and will come into force on 1 July 2007.
Austral Fisheries, as a pioneer of toothfish fishing operations in this region, received half of the available SFRs. The remaining 50% of SFRs were available through the tender process and have been secured by Austral Fisheries and Petuna Sealord. Both companies operate vessels in Australia’s other sub-Antarctic Fishery around Heard Island and McDonald Islands.
The Macquarie Island Toothfish Fishery, which is located approximately 1,500 kilometres south-east of Hobart, is managed in a compatible manner to the fishery around Heard Island and McDonald Islands.
The Management Plan for the Macquarie Island Toothfish Fishery adopts stringent fishery management measures, including setting sustainable catch levels and the use of strict environmental protection measures. In addition, operators are required to carry two independent observers to monitor fishing operations and collect data on target and non-target species.
The total allowable catch for the 2006/2007 season is set at 341 tonnes across the two sectors of the fishery.
Swordfish and albacore management
The AFMA Board has approved a continuation of the management arrangements for swordfish in the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery (ETBF) into 2007. A swordfish total allowable catch (TAC) of 1,400 tonnes therefore applies from 1 January to 31 December 2007.
From 1 January 2007, pelagic longline ETBF permits have new conditions relating to albacore. The Board approved an albacore tuna TAC in the defined albacore area of 3,200 tonnes for 2007 and a trip limit of 100 albacore on all permits that do not hold an exemption that allows them to fish in the albacore area.
A letter sent to all ETBF longline permit holders detailing the albacore permit variations can be found on the AFMA website. Should you have any queries please contact Wez Norris, Manager, Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery on (02) 6225 5312, AFMA Direct 1300 723 621 or email Wez.Norris@afma.gov.au.
Seasonal trading cut off reminder for the SESSF
This is a reminder to all concession holders in the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF) that all seasonal trading (leasing) for the 2006 season, including that to cover any over-quota status closes at 5PM Eastern Standard Time on 29 January 2007.
AFMA requires that all concession holders/operators have sufficient quota to cover any catches for the 2006 season by leasing in additional quota or by making sure that any over-quota position does not exceed the allowed percentage of 10% (excluding school shark, gummy shark, elephant fish and saw shark, for which the overcatch percentage is set at 0%).
If your over-quota position for a species is 10% or less (excluding those species that are set at 0% overcatch), AFMA will deduct this amount from your 2007 quota holdings in late February. Note that for these four shark species the undercatch (carry-over) is set at 10%.
Please note that to receive your undercatch (carry-over) on your 2006 holdings you must hold at least one Statutory Fishing Right for that species on 28 February 2007.
If you have any questions regarding any end of season processes, please call Licensing and Quota Management on AFMA Direct, 1300 723 621.
WARNING – Trading after shark snapshot
Individual Transferable Quota Units for school shark, saw shark, gummy shark and elephant fish are being granted as Statutory Fishing Rights (SFRs) in the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF) shortly.
On 22 December 2006, AFMA took a “snapshot” of the SESSF register in order to ascertain an eligibility list for the grant of SFRs for shark species within the SESSF. This “snapshot” is a requirement of the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery Management Plan 2003.
If you are thinking of purchasing any quota units for school shark, saw shark, gummy shark or elephant fish before they are granted as SFRs, you need to be aware that you will NOT be entitled to any SFRs for these species under the SESSF Management Plan. It is the person (or company) that held the permanent quota units on the day of the “snapshot” (22 December 2006) that will be granted the SFRs under the SESSF Plan.
To protect your rights during the period between the snapshot date and the granting of the SFRs, you should seek independent legal advice prior to undertaking a transaction involving the transfer of permanent shark units.
If you have any questions regarding this matter please call the Licensing Section on AFMA Direct,
1300 723 621.
As a result of the “snapshot”, AFMA has introduced a new Shark and Deepwater Species (SDW) Attachment form to be used in conjunction with the current LC and TC forms. The new form incorporates a warning to industry about permanent trading of shark ITQ units after 22 December 2006. The new forms are to be used to transfer and/or seasonally lease shark and deepwater species in the SESSF.
The new application forms are available on AFMA’s website or by contacting the Licensing Section on AFMA Direct 1300 723 621.
