NPF at a glance

The Northern Prawn Fishery (NPF) is located off Australia’s northern coast, and extends from the low water mark to the outer edge of the Australian fishing zone in the area between Cape York in Queensland and Cape Londonderry in Western Australia.

At a glance

Target Species:

 The NPF targets nine commercial species of prawns including White Banana (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis), Red-legged Banana (F. indicus), Brown Tiger (Penaeus esculentus), Grooved Tiger (P. semisulcatus), Blue Endeavour (Metapenaeus endeavouri), and Red Endeavour (M. ensis). Scampi, squid, scallops and bugs are also taken.

Number of Boat SFRs available as of September 2012

 52

State of the Resource

 Banana Prawns – not overfished
Brown Tiger Prawns – not overfished
Grooved Tiger Prawns – not overfished
Blue Endeavour Prawn – not overfished
Red Endeavour Prawn – uncertain (BRS, 2010)

Estimated prawn catch (tonnes)

 2011
Banana Prawns: 7,141
Tiger Prawns: 749
Endeavour Prawns: 437 2010
Banana Prawns: 5,642
Tiger Prawns: 1,628
Endeavour Prawns: 429

2009
Banana Prawns: 5,881
Tiger Prawns: 1,250
Endeavour Prawns: 346

Estimated value of production

 $88.8 million (2009-10)

Principal fishing method

 Otter Trawling

Consultation and Communication

 The Northern Prawn Trawl Fishery Management Advisory Committee (NORMAC) is the principal forum where management issues relating to the NPF are discussed. This committee includes representatives from industry, management, scientists and conservation groups.

Management arrangements

 The NPF is managed through a combination of input controls (limited entry, seasonal closures, permanent area closures, gear restrictions and operational controls) which are implemented under the Northern Prawn Fishery Management Plan 1995 (the Management Plan).The Management Plan also provides for the grant of fully transferable Statutory Fishing Rights that determine the number of trawlers that can operate and the amount of gear that can be used in the NPF.

Environmental management

 The NPF is managed in line with the principles of ecologically sustainable development and the precautionary principle. To effect these, AFMA has developed a number of management arrangements and guidelines. These include:

  • The Management Plan which implements various fishery effort, target species and bycatch species limits. This plan has been accredited under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This accreditation acknowledges that the fishery’s actions will not have unacceptable or unsustainable impacts on the environment.
  • Ecological Risk Management
  • Northern Prawn Fishery Strategic Assessment Report
  • The Industry Code of Practice (PDF, 7.4MB)
  • The development and implementation of educational programs to inform skippers and crews of environmental and fishery issues. These are implemented via pre-season skipper briefings and the Crew Member Observer Program.
  • The NPF Bycatch and Discard Workplan 2012-2014 (Word, 427kb).
  • The implementation of turtle exclusion devices  (TEDs) in the fishery – this has decreased the incidental catch of turtles and large marine animals (rays and sharks) drastically. The NPF is also compliant with stringent TED guidelines established by the United States Government, which allows product from the NPF to be exported to the United States.
  • The implementation of bycatch reduction devices into the fishery. These are intended to reduce the bycatch of unwanted fish and crustacea species.