Australian Sea Lion Management Strategy – Interaction reporting and current trigger levels

23 March 2012

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority put in place the Australian Sea Lion Management Strategy with effect from 1 July 2010.

The Strategy identifies Australian Sea Lion bycatch trigger limits which would see areas of the Australian Sea Lion Management Zone closed to gillnet fishing if predetermined numbers of sea lion mortalities were reached.

The Strategy was amended in January 2012 and new bycatch trigger limits identified (a total of 15 Australian Sea Lions across all zones).

Since the commencement of the Australian Sea Lion Management Strategy in July 2010, there have been ten reports of sea lion mortalities in the fishery. These are as follows

Season  Date Zone
2010/11 Season 9-Sep-10 C
13-Oct-10 F
2011/12 Season 22-Jul-11 G
15-Nov-11 A
3-Feb-12 B
9-Feb-12 B
10-Feb-12 B
11-Feb-12 C
23-Feb-12 D
10-Mar-12 E

*An additional report was received about a minor interaction on 8 October 2010 in which a sea lion briefly contacted fishing gear but was unharmed.

Current ASL bycatch triggers (as of 23 March 2012) are as follows:

ASL Zone Seasonal Trigger Remaining Trigger
A 1 Closed
B 2 Closed
C 2 1
D 1 0*
E 2 1
F 2 2
G 5 4

*AFMA is currently consulting with the South East Management Advisory Committee on a potential closure of this zone.