During February and early March, CSIRO completed its pre-season stock survey of the Northern Prawn Fishery.
The survey is funded jointly by AFMA and CSIRO.
The surveys, conducted twice yearly, provide a recruitment index of the main commercial prawn species (banana, tiger, endeavour and king) in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
During the survey, a total of 304 trawls were completed at pre-determined sites covering fishing grounds from Weipa to north of Groote Eylandt.
Indications from the preliminary results of the survey are for a good 2009 prawn season.
These trawls were particularly aimed at prawns and byproduct, and were situated on and inshore of the trawl grounds.
