❓ Hon Giz Watson questions the regulation of weedy sea dragon collection, including population estimates, threatened status, collection numbers, and management plans. The Minister responds that no formal population estimate exists, collection is minimal and low-risk, and no recovery plan is needed due to the low risk.
AnsweredQoN 2266Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
With regards to the regulation of weedy sea dragon collection, I ask -
(1) What is the estimated weedy sea dragon population in Western Australian waters?
(2) How is the figure in (1), arrived at?
(3) Are weedy sea dragons listed as threatened under state or national listings?
(4) If yes to (3), what is their status?
(5) How many weedy sea dragons were collected last year?
(6) How is this figure verified?
(7) How is illegal collecting of weedy sea dragons prevented?
(8) If weedy sea dragons are listed as threatened, why is any collection allowed at all?
(9) Is there a recovery management plan for weedy sea dragons?
(10) If no to (9), why not?
(1) What is the estimated weedy sea dragon population in Western Australian waters?
(2) How is the figure in (1), arrived at?
(3) Are weedy sea dragons listed as threatened under state or national listings?
(4) If yes to (3), what is their status?
(5) How many weedy sea dragons were collected last year?
(6) How is this figure verified?
(7) How is illegal collecting of weedy sea dragons prevented?
(8) If weedy sea dragons are listed as threatened, why is any collection allowed at all?
(9) Is there a recovery management plan for weedy sea dragons?
(10) If no to (9), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 May 2010
Responded by
Minister for Fisheries
Response time
28 days
(1) & (2) No formal population estimate exists for weedy seadragons. The commercial collection of weedy seadragons is a very small component of the Western Australian Marine Aquarium Fish Managed Fishery and is managed on a risk assessment basis. A recent assessment for the Fishery ranked the risk to the breeding stock of all sygnathids (including weedy seadragons) from fishing as negligible.
(3) No
(4) Not applicable
(5) 14 weedy seadragons were reported by licensed fishers as collected during 2009.
(6) All commercial fishermen are required to submit monthly catch and effort returns in accordance with regulation 64 of the
Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995
. In addition, daily logbooks which itemize syngnathid catch (which includes weedy seadragons) must be completed and made available for inspection by a Fisheries and Marine Officer for verification.
(7) Fishing rules are enforced through various compliance programs including field patrols and the inspection of holding and processing facilities.
(8) Not applicable
(9) & (10) No. There is no demonstrated sustainability risk [refer to answer (1) & (2)].
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(3) No
(4) Not applicable
(5) 14 weedy seadragons were reported by licensed fishers as collected during 2009.
(6) All commercial fishermen are required to submit monthly catch and effort returns in accordance with regulation 64 of the
Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995
. In addition, daily logbooks which itemize syngnathid catch (which includes weedy seadragons) must be completed and made available for inspection by a Fisheries and Marine Officer for verification.
(7) Fishing rules are enforced through various compliance programs including field patrols and the inspection of holding and processing facilities.
(8) Not applicable
(9) & (10) No. There is no demonstrated sustainability risk [refer to answer (1) & (2)].
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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