NWSTF at a glance

The North West Slope Trawl Fishery (NWSTF) extends from 114°E to about 125°E off the Western Australian coast between the line approximating the 200 metre isobath and the outer limit of the Australian Fishing Zone, but taking into account Australian-Indonesian maritime boundaries.

At a glance
Principal species Australian Scampi, Velvet Scampit, Boschma Scampi
No. fishing permits as of June 2010 7
Main Market Domestic
Fishing methods Trawl
State of the resource Scampi – Not overfished, not subject to overfishing (ABARES 2010)
Offshore Constitutional Settlement arrangements Under the terms of the Offshore Consitutional Settlement arrangements with the Western Australian Government, AFMA has management responsibility for all marine species taken by the trawl method within the defined area of the fishery. The Western Australian government has responsibility for species taken with non-trawl methods in these waters (except tunas) and for all trawling in inshore waters.
Consultation and communication The Western Trawl Consultative Panel is the principal forum where issues relating to the Fishery are discussed.