WA fisheries get top report card
Submitted by bod on Wed, 2011-10-19 20:31
Fisheries Minister Norman Moore said the latest State of the Fisheries 2011 Report showed the State Government’s management approach had been successful.
“The report contains detailed analysis of current fish stocks, plus their associated habitats and ecosystems being managed by the Department of Fisheries,” Mr Moore said.
“Given the comprehensive systems of fisheries management that are in place, fishing in WA generally does not present an unacceptable risk to fish stocks or to the marine, estuarine and freshwater ecosystems underpinning them.
“Notably, the fishing methods that may affect the habitat (for example trawling) are highly regulated with more than 90 per cent of coastline protected from these types of activities.
These activities are permitted under carefully managed conditions to protect the environment and ensure the sustainable supply of fresh fish to the public.
“WA is one of the first fisheries jurisdictions in the world to implement a management framework to consider all ecological resources and community values within various bioregions to determine what requires direct management intervention, so this is a very pleasing result.”
The Minister said the report also showed that the majority of the State’s significant fish stocks continued to be in a healthy condition.
“About 94 per cent of fisheries are targeting stocks where no additional management is required, to either maintain or reach acceptable egg production or breeding stock levels. In addition, 94 per cent of managed fisheries have catches considered to be appropriate based on the status of the stocks and the current environmental conditions,” he said.
“For example, the new management arrangements for West Coast Demersal Scalefish (including snapper and dhufish) have been successful in reducing the catch levels of these species by 50 per cent, which was required to ensure long term sustainability.”
Mr Moore said the report showed the overwhelming majority of WA’s fisheries had also been assessed as posing only negligible or minor risks to bycatch species, protected species, habitats or the broader ecosystem.
The Department of Fisheries also has a positive record of collaboration with industry and stakeholder groups and other science-based institutions.
WA fisheries gets top report card
- Scientific monitoring research and assessment shows healthy fisheries
- WA has world-leading initiative with ecosystem-based fisheries management
Fisheries Minister Norman Moore said the latest State of the Fisheries 2011 Report showed the State Government’s management approach had been successful.
“The report contains detailed analysis of current fish stocks, plus their associated habitats and ecosystems being managed by the Department of Fisheries,” Mr Moore said.
“Given the comprehensive systems of fisheries management that are in place, fishing in WA generally does not present an unacceptable risk to fish stocks or to the marine, estuarine and freshwater ecosystems underpinning them.
“Notably, the fishing methods that may affect the habitat (for example trawling) are highly regulated with more than 90 per cent of coastline protected from these types of activities.
These activities are permitted under carefully managed conditions to protect the environment and ensure the sustainable supply of fresh fish to the public.
“WA is one of the first fisheries jurisdictions in the world to implement a management framework to consider all ecological resources and community values within various bioregions to determine what requires direct management intervention, so this is a very pleasing result.”
The Minister said the report also showed that the majority of the State’s significant fish stocks continued to be in a healthy condition.
“About 94 per cent of fisheries are targeting stocks where no additional management is required, to either maintain or reach acceptable egg production or breeding stock levels. In addition, 94 per cent of managed fisheries have catches considered to be appropriate based on the status of the stocks and the current environmental conditions,” he said.
“For example, the new management arrangements for West Coast Demersal Scalefish (including snapper and dhufish) have been successful in reducing the catch levels of these species by 50 per cent, which was required to ensure long term sustainability.”
Mr Moore said the report showed the overwhelming majority of WA’s fisheries had also been assessed as posing only negligible or minor risks to bycatch species, protected species, habitats or the broader ecosystem.
The Department of Fisheries also has a positive record of collaboration with industry and stakeholder groups and other science-based institutions.
Department of Fisheries 19 October 2011
carnarvonite
Posts: 8667
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Report card
Thats like someone drawing up a set of questions, answering them and marking them, then sprouting to the world how good they are because they got them all correct.
IMO there needs to be a totally independent body to over see the results and do the setting of new KPIs
WADRay
Posts: 301
Date Joined: 20/12/09
Bravo
I agree completely and am glad someone else can see through fisheries being able to claim anything they want without any evidence. In order to fight new restrictions we actually need to know what is happening not what a polly tells us is happening.
Michael Yoni
Posts: 603
Date Joined: 02/01/11
So you have read the 359 page
So you have read the 359 page document.
Which of the 359 page report do you repudiate?
Care to directly quote some pages?
WADRay
Posts: 301
Date Joined: 20/12/09
Firstly, as has been said
Firstly, as has been said many times. You shouldnt be able to mark your own efforts. Without being an independant assessment we can never be sure of the results. This is why there are indipendant assessors.
Secondly, due to the fact that my highest understanding is in crayfish, as I used to work the pro boats and have kept a good finger on the pulse I will use that for an example. The data they use to assess the current fishing levels is the puerulus count. In the past this has proven accurate due to the current (the puerulus travel in the current toward south africa and then back landing at the AB's) hitting a very simmilar place every year. The results recently have swung north along with the current. This has resulted in the count being lower at the AB's and higher further north. Unfortunately unless they have changed they way they work this year, they count the results at the AB's with far higher concern and therefore the resulting higher numbers of crays in the surrounding areas dont "matter" to their results. In the above case it means a stronger fishery, it also means the results were slanted to what they wanted to say in that case.
This spin is why I have an issue with people with a vested interest in the results grading said results. It is never a good idea, including in this case. As for your question I have not read all 359 pages or the state of fisheries review, I have read a select 50 to 100 pages (26 to about 116)I see no reason to review the Gascoyne, South coast etc etc etc.
I take it you opened it up and just went to the end to get a page number to try to put in some disrepute? Or do you have a vested interest in the results?
Michael Yoni
Posts: 603
Date Joined: 02/01/11
Consultation
Consultation processes
Commercial
Rock Lobster Industry Advisory Committee (RLIAC)
Western Rock Lobster Council (WRLC)
Western Australian Fishing Industry Council (WAFIC)
Recreational
Recfishwest
Makes interesting reading.
So are you saying that the information provided by the people listed above (of which I assume you profess to have been part of some time ago - as you used to work on pro boats) have not provided them with correct info or have incorrectly consulted to the report?.
If you think the infomation in that secion is a crock or is false please say so.
Also what you say about the puerulus counts is echoed in their report: corrct me if I am wrong but care to read page 42 "external factors".
I not that the overall trend (line of best fit) of the puerulus count been downward since at least 1984/85. They also seem to be higher at 7 mile beach (which is south of the Abrolhos).
you say: "therefore the resulting higher numbers of crays in the surrounding areas dont "matter" to their results."
Interesting when they are actually stating that there is a likelyhood of lower numbers
....."Between 1975/76 and 2009/10 commercial catches have
averaged 10,951 t and ranged from 5,899 t in 2009/10 to
14,523 t in 1999/2000. The variations in catches result
primarily from varying levels of recruitment, which have
been largely associated with the environmental conditions
experienced by western rock lobster larvae and post-larvae,
and levels of fishing effort. The record low puerulus
settlement in 2008/09 which followed a series of low
settlement levels resulted in catch limits being imposed to
generate a carry-over rather than continuing the historical
strategy of catching a similar proportion of the available
stock each year. These actions are designed to ensure a
carryover of lobsters into what would have otherwise have
been low catch years (2010/11 - 2013/14). For the 2008/09
season this involved restricting the catch to below 7,800 t
which required significant effort reductions for both the
whites (ca. 35%) and reds (ca. 60%) portions of the season.
A similar strategy was adopted for the 2009/10 season with
the nominal catch target set at 5,500 t with the actual catch of
5,899 t falling within the 10% tolerance limits."
marble
Posts: 775
Date Joined: 03/09/09
If its so good we dont need
If its so good we dont need more marine parks then
PMY 25 Centre Console DF300 Suzuki
squidder
Posts: 457
Date Joined: 03/09/10
Amazing
how these reports appear when the FD is under pressure. Nothing more than propaganda by the minister.
Independant reports are the way to get a truthful measure on whats being taken.
snappermiles
Posts: 2100
Date Joined: 05/11/10
it all sounds great put he is a minster
just like that red head bitch who told us we wouldnt get a carbon tax!
but in saying that i have noticed a hell of alot of small duhies pinkies and black ass of late!
some of my spots have been unfishable due to the amount of small fish!!
ALL FISHERMEN ARE LIARS EXCEPT YOU AND ME! AND IM NOT SO SURE ABOUT YOU!
bod
Posts: 2319
Date Joined: 03/05/06
a ploy
Western Australia does not need a marine park network because its fisheries are "some of the best managed in the world", says Fisheries Minister Norman Moore
Mr Moore said on Wednesday he opposed federal government plans to establish a network of marine sanctuaries along the west coast and accused conservationists of trying to "lock up" vast tracts of ocean.
Detailing the government's annual State of the Fisheries Report, Mr Moore said WA's marine environment was "well managed and healthy".
http://fishwrecked.com/forum/fisheries-minister-rejects-marine-park-network