The Tropical Tuna Resource Assessment Group is the key research and scientific committee for management of the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery and the Western Tuna and Billfish Fishery. The Tropical Tuna Resource Assessment Group was formed in 2010 and two or three meetings are generally held each year.
The group provides advice to the Tropical Tuna Management Advisory Committee on the status of fish stocks, sub stocks, species (target and non-target), the impact of fishing on the marine environment and the type of information needed for stock assessments. They also evaluate the impact over time of different harvest strategies, stock depletion and recovery rates, confidence levels for fishery assessments and risks to the success of fishery objectives. Compliance and economic factors affecting the fishery are also evaluated and reported on by the group.
This group provides an avenue for consultation between industry members, fishery managers, fishery economists, fishery scientists and other interest groups.
- Discussion on stock structure of Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery (ETBF) target species
- Formation of the Recommended Biological Commercial Catch advice
- Development of new harvest strategies for Swordfish and Striped Marlin
See the Tropical Tuna and Billfish Fisheries Resource Assessment Group (TTRAG) 36 minutes September 2022.
- Data management, provision of fishery indicators and implementation of the harvest strategies for Australia’s tropical tuna fisheries.
- Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery size monitoring program 2016 onwards.
- Determination of Swordfish growth and maturity relevant to the southwest Pacific stock.
- Developing innovative approaches to improve Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) standardisation for Australia’s multi-species pelagic longline fisheries.
Past minutes, recommendations and advice can be found on the Tropical Tuna Resource Assessment Group past meetings page.
Members are appointed for the period 1 July 2022 until 31 December 2023.
- Dr Cathy Dichmont – Chair
- Ms Kate Martin – AFMA member
- Dr Ash Williams – scientific member
- Dr Ian Knuckey – scientific member
- Dr Julian Pepperell – scientific member
- Dr Rich Hillary – scientific member
- Dr James Larcombe – scientific member
- Mr Gary Heilman – industry member
- Mr Pavo Walker – industry member
- Dr Robert Curtotti – economics member
- Dr David Ellis – invited participant (industry)
- Mr Terry Romaro – invited participant (industry)
Lachlan Farquhar
Executive Officer
Tel: 02 6225 5555