The 2023 black teatfish fishing season has been a resounding success. The season closed on Thursday, 18 May, after the total allowable catch was caught just three and a half days after opening.

Our Corporate Plan has a four-year focus. It tells stakeholders what our outcome and outputs are, and what indicators will be used to measure successful delivery of the outcome. The Corporate Plan also outlines factors that are likely to influence the operating environment in the future, priorities for improvement and what our future directions are over the remaining period of the plan. Our Annual Operation Plan is included on the final page of the Corporate Plan. This plan has a one-year focus.

Inmarsat C Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) devices have now reached ‘end of life’.The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) advises all Commonwealth fishers to replace these devices before 22 March 2024 as they are not permitted for use in Commonwealth Fisheries as a VMS device after this time.Operators are advised to replace any remaining Inmarsat C devices, fitted/used to meet Commonwealth VMS requirements, as soon as practical, and by no later than 22 March 2024.

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) is undertaking a six-month trial (to December 2023) of the use of the EM ObserveTM E-monitoring device to meet standard VMS requirements inside the Australian Fishing Zone (AFZ).

The 2023 black teatfish fishing season has been a resounding success, due in part to the combination of traditional knowledge and Western science. The season opened and closed in May, after the total allowable catch was caught in just three and a half days. Mer Islander Michael Passi, a commercial fisherman and member of various fisheries advisory groups, said the positive outcome demonstrated a new way of working together to connect traditional knowledge with Western science in the Torres Strait.

Yang Wu, one of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority’s (AFMA) Senior Fisheries Officers, has been successful in securing a place in the National Seafood Industry Leadership Program (NSILP). 

Download the final research report below.