Small pelagic fishers will benefit from a brighter future for their fishery with the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) determining the Small Pelagic Fishery Management Plan 2009, says AFMA.
The plan was accepted by Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Tony Burke, on 30 December 2009.
The Plan allows for the allocation of Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) Statutory Fishing Rights (SFR).
This provides operators with rights to a percentage of the Total Allowable Catch each year, rather than annually renewing permits. It also allows operators to make their own decisions in structuring their business for maximum efficiency.
AFMA has now started the multi-step process of allocating ITQ SFRs to concession holders.
The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts is finalising the environmental assessment of the fishery under the new plan.
Small pelagic fishers target the healthy stocks of Jack Mackerel, Blue Mackerel, Redbait and Australian Sardine by purse seine and mid-water trawl methods in southern Australian waters and waters off southern Queensland.
A copy of the Plan is available on AFMA's website.
