Observer Register
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority is responsible for managing Commonwealth fisheries for ecological and economic sustainability. As part of this responsibility AFMA administers a program for observers to travel on industry boats to record data on quota species, discards, bycatch as well as non-target species.
The AFMA Observer Program provides a data collection and verification service to management, researchers and industry. The Program includes developing project plans, training and deploying Observers, collecting fishery independent data and samples, data management and production of reports and data summaries.
It is essential for vessels to carry observers to ensure adequate data is collected for their fishery which is required for the setting of quotas or Total Allowable Catches (TACs).
Wherever possible, AFMA sends advice to operators by mail that they have been nominated by AFMA to carry an observer during a particular period. This notice is given with as much warning as possible but is likely to be in excess of four weeks and possibly as much as twelve months in advance. Some operators may be contacted at short notice where unforseen circumstances arise, such as breakdown to existing boats. Where possible this will be done by mail or email however telephone calls may be the only way to contact operators at short notice.
Written notice will not be possible during the east coast Southern Bluefin Tuna (SBT) season where observer coverage is mandatory but dependent on the number of SFR’s assigned to the boat. In this case it is the responsibility of the operator to notify AFMA they are fishing in the core and buffer zones to enable AFMA to allocate observers.
AFMA recognises those boats and their owners, skippers and crews who participate in the observer program by listing Observer-friendly boats on the below Observer Register.
Where an operator refuses or fails to carry an observer as required, an ‘Observer Compliance Notice’ will be issued in relation to the boat. The notice will specify when an observer is to be carried, such as within a specified time period, the next fishing trip, or on a specified number of fishing trips. Failure to meet the terms of the notice may lead to suspension of the fishing concession or other enforcement action. The boat will then be removed from the Observer Register.
Where an operator refuses or fails to participate in the Program, by not carrying an observer as required, an AFMA Compliance Notice is issued and the operator is removed from the Observer Register.
Observer-friendly boats
Bass Strait Central Zone Scallop Fishery
| ANMAROPA |
| ANNE B |
| ANTARONA ROSE |
| BARBARA |
| BRID VENTURE |
| BRID VOYAGER |
| CAPE KIMBERLEY |
| CAROLINA ANNE |
| CHRISTA LEANNE |
| DELL RICHEY II |
| EMNICUS |
| KARUMBA GULF |
| KILLARA |
| LYDIA RUTH |
| MELAS STAR |
| MELINDA 1 |
| NEA-ARTAKY |
| NEREIS |
| NORTHERN STAR |
| PANAGIA |
| PINTA 3 |
| RACHEL MAREE |
| SAN ANTONIOS |
| SEAPREMACY |
| SHANDARA |
Coral Sea Fishery
| ANDIRINA PEARLE |
Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery
| ANTARCTIC CHEIFTAIN |
| AUSTRAL LEADER II |
| SOUTHERN CHAMPION |
Northern Prawn Fishery
| ADELAIDE PEARL |
| ARNHEM PEARL |
| AUSTRAL |
| BEACHLANDS |
| BOUNTIFUL LADY |
| BRAHMAN |
| BRAMPTON |
| CENATOR |
| CINDY ANN |
| COMAC ENDEAVOUR |
| COMAC ENTERPRISE |
| DAMPIER PEARL |
| DOLPHIN PEARL |
| EMSERVE |
| EYLANDT PEARL |
| FLINDERS PEARL |
| FV CAPE YORK |
| GNARALOO |
| GULF BOUNTY |
| INVINCIBLE II |
| JALAURA |
| KARUMBA PEARL |
| KFV HERON |
| KFV SANDPIPER |
| KFV SHEARWATER |
| KODIAK T |
| LADY SERENE |
| MUNDORA |
| NEWFISH I |
| NEWFISH II |
| NORTHERN PEARL |
| OCEAN EXPORTER |
| OCEAN MISS |
| OCEAN PRODUCER |
| OCEAN THIEF |
| OCEAN WILD |
| PERPETUA |
| PROTEUS |
| RAPTIS PEARL |
| ROSEN-C |
| RUBY ENTERPRISE |
| SAMANTHA J |
| SEA THIEF |
| SENHORA DE FATIMA |
| SHELL-LEE-N |
| SHOMAC |
| TERRITORY FORCE |
| TERRITORY SPIRIT |
| VENTURA |
| VOLTAIRE |
| VULCAN |
| XANADU 1 |
Small Pelagic Fishery
| ELLIDI |
| MARKANE |
| VIOLET |
Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery
| AJAX |
| ALANAH AMBER |
| ALMA V |
| ANDREW K |
| ANGELICA |
| ANNANDALE |
| ANNE LOUISE |
| ANNE MARIE IV |
| ANNE MARIE V |
| ARAKIWA |
| ARCTIC GULL |
| ASH-DARS |
| ASSASSIN |
| BARONESS |
| BELLE MAY |
| BELUGA |
| BIANCA B |
| BLUE MISTRESS |
| BLUE MOVES |
| BURROWEE |
| CALIBRE |
| CAPE EVERARD |
| CASTELLA ROSA |
| CATHERINA J |
| CELTIC ROSE |
| CHARISMA |
| CHARLES WHITTON |
| CHRISTINE CLAIRE |
| CJDJ |
| CLAUDARAH |
| COOVARA |
| CORVINA |
| CORVINA |
| CUTTING EDGE |
| DARYL R |
| DEBRA MAREE |
| DEMI MADDISON |
| DERWENT VENTURE |
| DEVOCEAN |
| DIANA |
| DIANA |
| EMNICUS |
| EMPRESS PEARL |
| ENDEAVOUR |
| ERIN JAY |
| ESBJORN |
| ESTER J |
| EXPLORER S |
| FIG TREE BAY |
| FISCO 1 |
| FORTUNA II |
| FOSSICKER |
| FRANCESCA |
| FULL FORCE |
| GAME REASON |
| GIUSEPPA |
| GO |
| GOOD INTENT |
| GRACIE P |
| HAPUKU II |
| ILANA |
| ILLAWARRA STAR |
| IMLAY |
| IMLAY |
| JAMES KERLIN |
| JANAS |
| JAPARA |
| JEAN BRYANT |
| JENNY SUE |
| JORDAN KATE |
| JOYLEEN |
| JUPANA |
| KARALINGA |
| KARLENE MAREE |
| KAYBEANNA |
| KENDEAN |
| KENDON B |
| KENDON B |
| KIELLA |
| KIMOCEAN |
| KINGFISHER |
| KYEEMA |
| LADY CHERYL |
| LADY MIRIAM |
| LE-TIGRE |
| LIDIA C |
| LOCHIEL |
| LORD HOWE ISLAND TRADER |
| LUTARNA |
| LYN TRA LEE |
| M MALAGUERRA III |
| MAKO |
| MALIBU |
| MARALA |
| MARGARET GOULDEN |
| MARGARET PEARL |
| MARIAN H |
| MARLEY POINT |
| MARY H |
| MARY H |
| MARY JANE STELLA |
| MENRAE |
| MIRANDA BAY |
| MOIRA ELIZABETH |
| MOJO |
| MOONSTRIKER II |
| MORRIE D |
| NEPHELLE |
| NIMROD |
| NOBLE PEARL |
| NUNGURNER |
| OCEAN EXPLORER |
| OCEAN MYST II |
| OPAL STAR |
| ORIGIN |
| PAPANUI |
| PATRICIA J |
| PEGASUS IV |
| PELAGIC |
| PETER CROMBIE |
| PETUNA ENDEAVOUR |
| POTTS II |
| PROPHECY |
| RAHI AROHA |
| REHUA |
| RETURN |
| RETURN |
| ROCKFISH 1 |
| RUBICON |
| RUBY |
| RUMMAGE |
| SALVATORE V |
| SAMURAI |
| SAN TANGAROA |
| SANDGROPER |
| SANTA LUCIA |
| SANTO ROCCO DI BAGNARA |
| SARAH J |
| SARDA |
| SAXON ONWARD |
| SAXON PROGRESS |
| SCORPION II |
| SEA ANGEL |
| SEA CHALLENGE III |
| SEA PORT |
| SEAFARER |
| SHARBEN |
| SHELLEY H |
| SHIOME |
| SHIRA |
| SHIRLEY ROSS |
| SHOALHAVEN |
| SILENT VICTORY |
| SILVER PHOENIX |
| SNIPER |
| SOUTHERN CHAMPION |
| SOUTHERN HUNTER |
| SOUTHERN IMAGE |
| ST BERNADETTE |
| STAR TREK |
| STRAIGHT SHOOTER |
| STRIKE FORCE |
| TALISMAN IV |
| TAMBO BAY |
| TAMDALJA |
| TAMDALJA |
| TARA LYN |
| TARPEENA |
| TASHA’S CHOICE |
| TASMAN EXPLORER |
| TAURANGA |
| TEEPOOKANA |
| TEMPTATION |
| TERRITORY PEARL |
| THE SCROUNGER |
| TIWI PEARL |
| TOTAL |
| TOTAL |
| TRILOGY |
| TRINITY |
| TULLABERGA |
| TUNAMOON |
| VALKYRIE |
| VENESSA S |
| VERONICA S |
| WELLINGTON CAPE |
| WENDY BELLE |
| WESTERN ALLIANCE |
| WESTERN LIGHT |
| YUKON |
| YUKON |
| ZEEHAAN |
Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery
| APOLLO S |
| BELUGA |
| BIANCA B |
| DELAMERE |
| DEVOCEAN |
| ESBJORN |
| FISCO 1 |
| FORTUNA II |
| GRACIE P |
| JORDAN KATE |
| KAYBEANNA |
| KINGFISHER |
| LUKINA I |
| MAKYBE BJ |
| MALIBU |
| MARIA LUISA |
| OCEAN DYNASTY |
| SALVATORE V |
| SANTA LUCIA |
| SANTO ROCCO DI BAGNARA |
| SCORPION II |
| SEA ANGEL |
| SNIPER |
| SOUTH SEAS 1 |
| STRIKE FORCE |
| TALISMAN IV |
| THYLACINE |
| TUNAMOON |
| VENESSA S |
Southern Squid Jig Fishery
| ANNE B |
| MELAS STAR |
| NEREIS |
| PANAGIA |
| SAN ANTONIOS |
| SANDGROPER |
| VETERAN |
Western Tuna and Billfish Fishery
| DISCOVERY III |
| OCEAN WILD II |
| TAISEI MARU |
