The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) has reinstated closures in the Seiner’s and Everard horseshoe areas off the Victorian coast within the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery.
The closures have been implemented as a precautionary measure to protect pink ling and upper-slope dogfish stocks.
The closures apply to all fishing methods in the fishery, and were effective from 25 May 2010.
In 2007 and 2008 pink ling was classified as subject to overfishing.
In 2009, the Seiner’s and Everard horseshoes closures were formally implemented by AFMA on a 12-month basis until April 2010, with the intent of reducing pink ling catches and assisting to prevent further overfishing.
After this period, the effectiveness of the closures was to be reviewed with respect to meeting this objective. A workshop to review these closures in relation to pink ling is scheduled for June 2010.
The Seiner’s and Everard horseshoes have also been identified as offering protection to upper-slope dogfish species, three of which are currently being considered for listing as threatened species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
The closures have been included in Stage 1 of the Upper-slope Dogfish Management Strategy and were due for implementation on 30 June 2010.
However, given the Seiner’s and Everard closures expired on 30 April and their effectiveness has not yet been fully assessed in relation to both pink ling and dogfish, AFMA considered it precautionary to reinstate the closures as soon as possible.
The closures will be reviewed for their capacity to protect pink ling spawning stock and upper-slope dogfish populations throughout this year.
