❓ Hon Giz Watson questions the Minister for Fisheries regarding the protection of Mulloway in the Swan/Canning River system, citing concerns about overexploitation and the adequacy of current management strategies. The Minister defends the current approach, citing risk assessments and spawning patterns.
AnsweredQoN 2517Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
With reference to the Department for Fisheries Integrated Fisheries Management (IFM) Policy 2009, and in relation to the Mulloway (Argyrosomus Japonicus), a category one fish, I ask -
(1) Is the Minister aware that the Mulloway is at the highest risk of over exploitation, and therefore requires a high degree of protection?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If yes to (1), can the Minister explain in terms of annual spawning aggregations around Mosman Bay, why the Mulloway is currently not protected by any temporal or spatial closures to fishing?
(4) If yes to (3), will the Minister provide the evidence to support this?
(5) Is the Minister aware that the Mulloway is a relatively long lived and late maturing fish that is prone to growth over fishing, recruitment over fishing, and stock collapses?
(6) If no to (5), why not?
(7) If yes to (5), can the Minister explain in terms of annual spawning aggregations around Mosman Bay, why the Mulloway is currently not protected by any temporal or spatial closures to fishing?
(8) If yes to (7), will the Minster provide the evidence to support this?
(9) How does the Minister reconcile this lack of protection with the precautionary approach espoused by the IFM?
(10) The IFM claims that minimum size limits protect juvenile fish, and enable them to grow large enough, so they have a chance to breed at least once before being taken. Why does the Department for Fisheries allow the Mulloway to be legally killed at 500mm length, although it does not attain sexual maturity until approximately 900mm in the Swan/Canning River system?
(11) Does the Minister believe the Mulloway population in the Swan/Canning River system to be sustainably managed?
(12) If yes to (11), will the Minister provide the evidence to support this?
(1) Is the Minister aware that the Mulloway is at the highest risk of over exploitation, and therefore requires a high degree of protection?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If yes to (1), can the Minister explain in terms of annual spawning aggregations around Mosman Bay, why the Mulloway is currently not protected by any temporal or spatial closures to fishing?
(4) If yes to (3), will the Minister provide the evidence to support this?
(5) Is the Minister aware that the Mulloway is a relatively long lived and late maturing fish that is prone to growth over fishing, recruitment over fishing, and stock collapses?
(6) If no to (5), why not?
(7) If yes to (5), can the Minister explain in terms of annual spawning aggregations around Mosman Bay, why the Mulloway is currently not protected by any temporal or spatial closures to fishing?
(8) If yes to (7), will the Minster provide the evidence to support this?
(9) How does the Minister reconcile this lack of protection with the precautionary approach espoused by the IFM?
(10) The IFM claims that minimum size limits protect juvenile fish, and enable them to grow large enough, so they have a chance to breed at least once before being taken. Why does the Department for Fisheries allow the Mulloway to be legally killed at 500mm length, although it does not attain sexual maturity until approximately 900mm in the Swan/Canning River system?
(11) Does the Minister believe the Mulloway population in the Swan/Canning River system to be sustainably managed?
(12) If yes to (11), will the Minister provide the evidence to support this?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
10 August 2010
Responded by
Minister for Fisheries
Response time
49 days
1 - 4 The Research Division of the Department of Fisheries regularly reviews the risks to sustainability of the State's finfish resources, including mulloway. The most recent risk assessment was completed in 2009/10. In this recent review, mulloway received a 'moderate' risk rating which is consistent with current management arrangements being appropriate.
While mulloway are known to form a spawning aggregation in the lower Swan Estuary during the warmer months (peaking in summer) which are targeted by recreational fishers, they also form spawning aggregations in ocean waters. There is no genetic distinction between Swan River and ocean spawning mulloway and the Swan River fish comprise only a small proportion of the total spawners in the West Coast stock.
5 The risk assessments take into account the biological characteristics of mulloway, including that it is moderately long lived.
6 Not applicable
7 The current West Coast stock levels are considered acceptable and the current catch levels do not pose an unacceptable level of risk to this stock. Therefore, no additional management actions are required.
8 Yes. I would be pleased to arrange a briefing by the Department on this issue.
9 The current management arrangements, which include a regular review of the risks to the stock, are fully consistent with taking a precautionary fisheries management approach.
10 Given that most of the catch of mulloway taken in the Swan River is on the spawning aggregations, these are mostly comprised of mature fish. Consequently, shifting the legal size in this region would not materially affect the numbers or sizes of fish caught.
11 Yes
12 Yes. I would be pleased to arrange a briefing by the Department on this issue.
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While mulloway are known to form a spawning aggregation in the lower Swan Estuary during the warmer months (peaking in summer) which are targeted by recreational fishers, they also form spawning aggregations in ocean waters. There is no genetic distinction between Swan River and ocean spawning mulloway and the Swan River fish comprise only a small proportion of the total spawners in the West Coast stock.
5 The risk assessments take into account the biological characteristics of mulloway, including that it is moderately long lived.
6 Not applicable
7 The current West Coast stock levels are considered acceptable and the current catch levels do not pose an unacceptable level of risk to this stock. Therefore, no additional management actions are required.
8 Yes. I would be pleased to arrange a briefing by the Department on this issue.
9 The current management arrangements, which include a regular review of the risks to the stock, are fully consistent with taking a precautionary fisheries management approach.
10 Given that most of the catch of mulloway taken in the Swan River is on the spawning aggregations, these are mostly comprised of mature fish. Consequently, shifting the legal size in this region would not materially affect the numbers or sizes of fish caught.
11 Yes
12 Yes. I would be pleased to arrange a briefing by the Department on this issue.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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