❓ A parliamentary question addresses a reduction in the snapper total allowable catch in Shark Bay, querying the reasons, lack of consultation, and the impact of vessel monitoring system implementation delays. The Minister's response disputes the claim of a formal agreement and emphasizes sustainability targets and ongoing engagement with stakeholders.
AnsweredQoN 195Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SHARK BAY - SNAPPER TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH LIMIT
I refer to the recent announcement of a 276-tonne snapper total allowable catch in the Shark Bay fishery for the next three years, which is a reduction from an agreed 294-tonne total allowable catch at a meeting in Geraldton on 7 February 2007 with the Department of Fisheries, the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association and the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council. (1) What are the reasons for the reduction? (2) Why was there no consultation with industry prior to the reduction being announced? (3) What effect is the inability of the department’s vessel monitoring service administration to fulfil the compulsory vessel monitoring service fitment for all snapper fishing vessels and all vessels fishing adjacent to the southern boundary of the snapper zone - as recommended in 2003 - having on setting the reduced total allowable catch? Hon JON FORD
I refer to the recent announcement of a 276-tonne snapper total allowable catch in the Shark Bay fishery for the next three years, which is a reduction from an agreed 294-tonne total allowable catch at a meeting in Geraldton on 7 February 2007 with the Department of Fisheries, the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association and the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council. (1) What are the reasons for the reduction? (2) Why was there no consultation with industry prior to the reduction being announced? (3) What effect is the inability of the department’s vessel monitoring service administration to fulfil the compulsory vessel monitoring service fitment for all snapper fishing vessels and all vessels fishing adjacent to the southern boundary of the snapper zone - as recommended in 2003 - having on setting the reduced total allowable catch? Hon JON FORD
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) No formal agreement was reached between the Department of Fisheries and the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association at the meeting referred to in Geraldton on 7 February 2007. In fact, the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association did not agree to any reduction in the total allowable catch. The sustainability target for this fishery is to achieve a stock recovery of 40 per cent of virgin biomass level by 2014. Since July 2006, the department has engaged extensively with snapper association members and the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council to develop arrangements that will meet this target. My recent decisions on catch levels took account of the views of all parties and set the total allowable catch at a level that provides some certainty that the stock will recover to and meet the target. The department has been working with snapper licensees for some time to introduce the vessel monitoring system into the Shark Bay snapper managed fishery and I am advised that the chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries has directed all snapper licensees, plus wet line vessels working adjacent to the north and south of the fishery, to fit vessel monitoring system units to their vessels by 31 May 2007.
(1) What are the reasons for the reduction? (2) Why was there no consultation with industry prior to the reduction being announced? (3) What effect is the inability of the department’s vessel monitoring service administration to fulfil the compulsory vessel monitoring service fitment for all snapper fishing vessels and all vessels fishing adjacent to the southern boundary of the snapper zone - as recommended in 2003 - having on setting the reduced total allowable catch? Hon JON FORD replied: (1)-(3) No formal agreement was reached between the Department of Fisheries and the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association at the meeting referred to in Geraldton on 7 February 2007. In fact, the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association did not agree to any reduction in the total allowable catch. The sustainability target for this fishery is to achieve a stock recovery of 40 per cent of virgin biomass level by 2014. Since July 2006, the department has engaged extensively with snapper association members and the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council to develop arrangements that will meet this target. My recent decisions on catch levels took account of the views of all parties and set the total allowable catch at a level that provides some certainty that the stock will recover to and meet the target. The department has been working with snapper licensees for some time to introduce the vessel monitoring system into the Shark Bay snapper managed fishery and I am advised that the chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries has directed all snapper licensees, plus wet line vessels working adjacent to the north and south of the fishery, to fit vessel monitoring system units to their vessels by 31 May 2007.
(2) Why was there no consultation with industry prior to the reduction being announced? (3) What effect is the inability of the department’s vessel monitoring service administration to fulfil the compulsory vessel monitoring service fitment for all snapper fishing vessels and all vessels fishing adjacent to the southern boundary of the snapper zone - as recommended in 2003 - having on setting the reduced total allowable catch? Hon JON FORD replied: (1)-(3) No formal agreement was reached between the Department of Fisheries and the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association at the meeting referred to in Geraldton on 7 February 2007. In fact, the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association did not agree to any reduction in the total allowable catch. The sustainability target for this fishery is to achieve a stock recovery of 40 per cent of virgin biomass level by 2014. Since July 2006, the department has engaged extensively with snapper association members and the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council to develop arrangements that will meet this target. My recent decisions on catch levels took account of the views of all parties and set the total allowable catch at a level that provides some certainty that the stock will recover to and meet the target. The department has been working with snapper licensees for some time to introduce the vessel monitoring system into the Shark Bay snapper managed fishery and I am advised that the chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries has directed all snapper licensees, plus wet line vessels working adjacent to the north and south of the fishery, to fit vessel monitoring system units to their vessels by 31 May 2007.
(3) What effect is the inability of the department’s vessel monitoring service administration to fulfil the compulsory vessel monitoring service fitment for all snapper fishing vessels and all vessels fishing adjacent to the southern boundary of the snapper zone - as recommended in 2003 - having on setting the reduced total allowable catch? Hon JON FORD replied: (1)-(3) No formal agreement was reached between the Department of Fisheries and the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association at the meeting referred to in Geraldton on 7 February 2007. In fact, the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association did not agree to any reduction in the total allowable catch. The sustainability target for this fishery is to achieve a stock recovery of 40 per cent of virgin biomass level by 2014. Since July 2006, the department has engaged extensively with snapper association members and the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council to develop arrangements that will meet this target. My recent decisions on catch levels took account of the views of all parties and set the total allowable catch at a level that provides some certainty that the stock will recover to and meet the target. The department has been working with snapper licensees for some time to introduce the vessel monitoring system into the Shark Bay snapper managed fishery and I am advised that the chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries has directed all snapper licensees, plus wet line vessels working adjacent to the north and south of the fishery, to fit vessel monitoring system units to their vessels by 31 May 2007.
Hon JON FORD replied: (1)-(3) No formal agreement was reached between the Department of Fisheries and the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association at the meeting referred to in Geraldton on 7 February 2007. In fact, the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association did not agree to any reduction in the total allowable catch. The sustainability target for this fishery is to achieve a stock recovery of 40 per cent of virgin biomass level by 2014. Since July 2006, the department has engaged extensively with snapper association members and the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council to develop arrangements that will meet this target. My recent decisions on catch levels took account of the views of all parties and set the total allowable catch at a level that provides some certainty that the stock will recover to and meet the target. The department has been working with snapper licensees for some time to introduce the vessel monitoring system into the Shark Bay snapper managed fishery and I am advised that the chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries has directed all snapper licensees, plus wet line vessels working adjacent to the north and south of the fishery, to fit vessel monitoring system units to their vessels by 31 May 2007.
(1)-(3) No formal agreement was reached between the Department of Fisheries and the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association at the meeting referred to in Geraldton on 7 February 2007. In fact, the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association did not agree to any reduction in the total allowable catch. The sustainability target for this fishery is to achieve a stock recovery of 40 per cent of virgin biomass level by 2014. Since July 2006, the department has engaged extensively with snapper association members and the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council to develop arrangements that will meet this target. My recent decisions on catch levels took account of the views of all parties and set the total allowable catch at a level that provides some certainty that the stock will recover to and meet the target. The department has been working with snapper licensees for some time to introduce the vessel monitoring system into the Shark Bay snapper managed fishery and I am advised that the chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries has directed all snapper licensees, plus wet line vessels working adjacent to the north and south of the fishery, to fit vessel monitoring system units to their vessels by 31 May 2007.
(1) What are the reasons for the reduction? (2) Why was there no consultation with industry prior to the reduction being announced? (3) What effect is the inability of the department’s vessel monitoring service administration to fulfil the compulsory vessel monitoring service fitment for all snapper fishing vessels and all vessels fishing adjacent to the southern boundary of the snapper zone - as recommended in 2003 - having on setting the reduced total allowable catch? Hon JON FORD replied: (1)-(3) No formal agreement was reached between the Department of Fisheries and the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association at the meeting referred to in Geraldton on 7 February 2007. In fact, the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association did not agree to any reduction in the total allowable catch. The sustainability target for this fishery is to achieve a stock recovery of 40 per cent of virgin biomass level by 2014. Since July 2006, the department has engaged extensively with snapper association members and the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council to develop arrangements that will meet this target. My recent decisions on catch levels took account of the views of all parties and set the total allowable catch at a level that provides some certainty that the stock will recover to and meet the target. The department has been working with snapper licensees for some time to introduce the vessel monitoring system into the Shark Bay snapper managed fishery and I am advised that the chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries has directed all snapper licensees, plus wet line vessels working adjacent to the north and south of the fishery, to fit vessel monitoring system units to their vessels by 31 May 2007.
(2) Why was there no consultation with industry prior to the reduction being announced? (3) What effect is the inability of the department’s vessel monitoring service administration to fulfil the compulsory vessel monitoring service fitment for all snapper fishing vessels and all vessels fishing adjacent to the southern boundary of the snapper zone - as recommended in 2003 - having on setting the reduced total allowable catch? Hon JON FORD replied: (1)-(3) No formal agreement was reached between the Department of Fisheries and the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association at the meeting referred to in Geraldton on 7 February 2007. In fact, the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association did not agree to any reduction in the total allowable catch. The sustainability target for this fishery is to achieve a stock recovery of 40 per cent of virgin biomass level by 2014. Since July 2006, the department has engaged extensively with snapper association members and the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council to develop arrangements that will meet this target. My recent decisions on catch levels took account of the views of all parties and set the total allowable catch at a level that provides some certainty that the stock will recover to and meet the target. The department has been working with snapper licensees for some time to introduce the vessel monitoring system into the Shark Bay snapper managed fishery and I am advised that the chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries has directed all snapper licensees, plus wet line vessels working adjacent to the north and south of the fishery, to fit vessel monitoring system units to their vessels by 31 May 2007.
(3) What effect is the inability of the department’s vessel monitoring service administration to fulfil the compulsory vessel monitoring service fitment for all snapper fishing vessels and all vessels fishing adjacent to the southern boundary of the snapper zone - as recommended in 2003 - having on setting the reduced total allowable catch? Hon JON FORD replied: (1)-(3) No formal agreement was reached between the Department of Fisheries and the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association at the meeting referred to in Geraldton on 7 February 2007. In fact, the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association did not agree to any reduction in the total allowable catch. The sustainability target for this fishery is to achieve a stock recovery of 40 per cent of virgin biomass level by 2014. Since July 2006, the department has engaged extensively with snapper association members and the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council to develop arrangements that will meet this target. My recent decisions on catch levels took account of the views of all parties and set the total allowable catch at a level that provides some certainty that the stock will recover to and meet the target. The department has been working with snapper licensees for some time to introduce the vessel monitoring system into the Shark Bay snapper managed fishery and I am advised that the chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries has directed all snapper licensees, plus wet line vessels working adjacent to the north and south of the fishery, to fit vessel monitoring system units to their vessels by 31 May 2007.
Hon JON FORD replied: (1)-(3) No formal agreement was reached between the Department of Fisheries and the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association at the meeting referred to in Geraldton on 7 February 2007. In fact, the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association did not agree to any reduction in the total allowable catch. The sustainability target for this fishery is to achieve a stock recovery of 40 per cent of virgin biomass level by 2014. Since July 2006, the department has engaged extensively with snapper association members and the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council to develop arrangements that will meet this target. My recent decisions on catch levels took account of the views of all parties and set the total allowable catch at a level that provides some certainty that the stock will recover to and meet the target. The department has been working with snapper licensees for some time to introduce the vessel monitoring system into the Shark Bay snapper managed fishery and I am advised that the chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries has directed all snapper licensees, plus wet line vessels working adjacent to the north and south of the fishery, to fit vessel monitoring system units to their vessels by 31 May 2007.
(1)-(3) No formal agreement was reached between the Department of Fisheries and the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association at the meeting referred to in Geraldton on 7 February 2007. In fact, the Shark Bay Snapper Fishermen’s Association did not agree to any reduction in the total allowable catch. The sustainability target for this fishery is to achieve a stock recovery of 40 per cent of virgin biomass level by 2014. Since July 2006, the department has engaged extensively with snapper association members and the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council to develop arrangements that will meet this target. My recent decisions on catch levels took account of the views of all parties and set the total allowable catch at a level that provides some certainty that the stock will recover to and meet the target. The department has been working with snapper licensees for some time to introduce the vessel monitoring system into the Shark Bay snapper managed fishery and I am advised that the chief executive officer of the Department of Fisheries has directed all snapper licensees, plus wet line vessels working adjacent to the north and south of the fishery, to fit vessel monitoring system units to their vessels by 31 May 2007.
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