Australia’s South East Trawl Fishery has welcomed AUD 24 million from the Federal Budget to support the structural adjustment of the fishery, with AUD 20 million used to buy back vessel permits.
The package has been delivered in response to quotas set in March for the 2022/23 fishing year by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA).
South East Trawl Fishing Industry Association (SETFIA) members met in February to discuss how to ensure the long-term sustainability of the fishery. They resolved to write to Assistant Minister Jonathon Duniam and call on the Australian Government to provide structural adjustment assistance.
“These tough management steps are only possible with less but more profitable vessels. The speed at which the fishery manager AFMA, the Australian Government and industry have acted in partnership, is testament to the sustainability of Australia’s fisheries,” SETFIA’s Simon Boag said.
“None of the fishery’s stocks are being overfished and this step ensures this remains the case.
“The request by industry and the response by government is a practical example of a system that works to protect and rebuild fish stocks and ensure that industry remains viable to supply all Australians with fish sourced from a completely transparent, world class management system.”
To safeguard the sustainability of the fishery, four stocks – silver trevally, john dory, redfish and jackass morwong – are to have quotas cut by a combined 609 tonnes or 86%, because they are not recovering or have declined due to external factors including changed climatic conditions.
Jackass morwong in particular has not recruited strongly for more than a decade.
These four stocks make up only a minor part of the fishery’s total catch but are unavoidable by-catches of other healthy fish stocks.
Future management interventions including closures and quota reductions may still be required to jeep catches of the four stocks at safe levels, acknowledges SETFIA.
