Estimated Catch: Confidential

Stock status of target species

Source: Patterson, H, Williams, A, Woodhams, J and Curtotti, R 2019, Fishery status reports 2019, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, Canberra. CC BY 4.0.

MANAGEMENT PLANS/ARRANGEMENTS

There is no formal management plan for the North West Slope Trawl Fishery or the Western Deepwater Trawl Fishery. The fisheries are managed by granting a limited number of fishing permits consistent with the provisions provided by the Fisheries Management Act 1991 and the Fisheries Management Regulations 1992.

There are 11 permits allowed in the Western Deepwater Trawl Fishery and seven in the North West Slope Trawl Fishery, all of which are valid for a maximum of five years. Fishers must adhere to a number of permit conditions aimed at protecting stocks and ecosystems. The permit conditions include specific gear limitations to reduce bycatch and move on provisions if fishing gear interacts with sponges or corals.

The permit conditions in both fisheries were reviewed at the end of 2018-19 and permits re-granted for a further five years.

ANALYSIS OF PERFORMANCE

During the past five years, North West Slope Trawl and Western Deepwater Trawl Fisheries have experienced low but stable levels of fishing effort with modest increases recorded in 2017-18 and the 2018-19 season. The limited levels of effort are due in part to permit holders accessing more lucrative fisheries that are adjacent to the North West Slope Trawl or Western Deepwater Trawl fishery areas. Recent increases in catch have occurred in the North West Slope scampi fishery as market opportunities improve.

In December 2017 the North West Slope Trawl and the Western Deepwater Trawl fisheries were declared as approved Wildlife Trade Operations for three years until December 2020.

Stakeholders in the North West Slope and Western Deepwater Trawl fisheries met during October 2018 to consider management arrangements. Key recommendations emerging from the meeting included support for reviewing the harvest strategy in 2019-20 and updating the statement of management arrangements.

These updates will be guided by the revised Commonwealth Harvest Strategy Policy and Guidelines and will include a review of the Ecological Risk Assessment and Ecological Risk Management framework for the fisheries. Under the existing harvest strategy, analysis of catch and effort data is conducted annually to assist in the management of the fisheries.

EXTERNAL REVIEWS

No external reviews were completed during 2018-19.