Zone B gillnet closure to further protect Australian sea lions

AFMA has closed an additional area of the Australian Sea Lion Management Zone (Zone B) to gillnet methods from 6 March 2012 through SESSF Direction No. 2 2012. The closure is being implemented under AFMA’s Australian Sea Lion Management Strategy because the maximum allowable bycatch of Australian Sea Lions for that zone has been reached. The closure will remain in force in this zone until 10 August 2013.

 Click on the links below for further information or see the Q and As on this page.

Questions and Answers

Q. How does AFMA’s Australian Sea Lion Management Strategy (the Strategy) work?

AFMA’s Australian Sea Lion Management Strategy (details here) establishes seven management zones across South Australia, each of which represents an area of Australian Sea Lion habitat and a number of breeding colonies. The strategy sets a maximum trigger limit for each of these zones based on the number of Australian sea lions living there and an acceptable level of mortality per fishing year that will allow the population of Australian sea lions to rebuild.

Q. Why is AFMA closing Zone B of the Australian Sea Lion Management Zone?

AFMA, in consultation with stakeholders including the Australian Sea Lion Working Group, published revised management zones and maximum bycatch triggers on 17 January 2012 (details here). The revised bycatch trigger for Zone B of the Australian Sea Lion Management Strategy is two Australian sea lions. Three Australian sea lion mortalities from gillnet fishing occurred in Zone B on 3, 9 and 10 February 2012, meaning that the bycatch trigger for this area has been reached, resulting in the closure of this zone. The additional mortality which occured in zone B following the two interactions activating the trigger will count towards the fishery-wide trigger limit of 15. A report on all Australian sea lion interactions under the strategy and the current remaining bycatch triggers is available on the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF) notices and announcements page here.  

Q. How long will the closure last for?

The closure to protect Australian sea lions in this area will come into effect on 6 March 2012 and continue to 10 August 2013. The closure lasts for 18 months (the approximate breeding cycle of the Australian sea lion) from the date of the interactions.

Q. Will other fishing methods be allowed in this area during the direction?

Direction No. 2 2012 excludes all fishing with gillnets in this area for its duration. Consistent with the existing management arrangements, eligible operators who hold a gillnet fishing concessions may have the option to fish using hooks in this area instead of gillnets.

Q. How will AFMA monitor compliance with this closure?

Operators fishing in the gillnet sector of the SESSF have been given written notice of this closure and will recieve an update through their vessel monitoring systems (VMS). AFMA will monitor compliance with this closure through mandatory VMS, which give real time position information. AFMA also requires 100 per cent monitoring of all gillnet fishing operations in South Australian waters (inclusive of all Australian Sea Lion habitat) using either on-board scientific observers or electronic monitoring systems (on-board cameras).