❓ A parliamentary question regarding the West Coast Demersal Scalefish Management Plan, focusing on catch figures and the impact of a commercial fishing ban in the metropolitan area, and the minister's response addressing sustainability and recreational fishing management.
AnsweredQoN 909Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
WEST COAST DEMERSAL SCALEFISH MANAGEMENT PLAN
(1) Recent catch figures in the metropolitan zone for 2005-06 of dhufish and snapper species are as follows: dhufish, commercial catch, 42 tonnes; recreational catch, 65 tonnes, making a total of 107 tonnes - representing 70 per cent of the catch caught by recreational fishers; snapper, commercial catch, 41 tonnes; recreational catch, 20 tonnes, making a total of 61 tonnes. This represents a total of 168 tonnes caught, comprising 83 tonnes commercial and 85 tonnes recreational. Do these figures reflect the catch history, given the probability that the recreational sector is under reported? (2) In announcing the unilateral ban on commercial fishing for scalefish in the metropolitan area by commercial fishermen, did this action go against advice from the minister’s own scientists that effective constraints were required on all fishing sectors if there was to be any chance of initiating recovery of the threatened dhufish, snapper and baldchin stocks? That is found in “Fisheries Research Report No. 163”, at page 10. Hon JON FORD
(1) Recent catch figures in the metropolitan zone for 2005-06 of dhufish and snapper species are as follows: dhufish, commercial catch, 42 tonnes; recreational catch, 65 tonnes, making a total of 107 tonnes - representing 70 per cent of the catch caught by recreational fishers; snapper, commercial catch, 41 tonnes; recreational catch, 20 tonnes, making a total of 61 tonnes. This represents a total of 168 tonnes caught, comprising 83 tonnes commercial and 85 tonnes recreational. Do these figures reflect the catch history, given the probability that the recreational sector is under reported? (2) In announcing the unilateral ban on commercial fishing for scalefish in the metropolitan area by commercial fishermen, did this action go against advice from the minister’s own scientists that effective constraints were required on all fishing sectors if there was to be any chance of initiating recovery of the threatened dhufish, snapper and baldchin stocks? That is found in “Fisheries Research Report No. 163”, at page 10. Hon JON FORD
AnswerView source ↗
I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for some notice of the question. (1) The figures to which the honourable member refers are a summary of catch information for 2005-06 that is presented in “Fisheries Research Report No. 163”. Commercial charter catch information is based upon data collected in compulsory logbook returns, while recreational data is based upon data collected from recreational catch surveys. (2) No. The scientific advice is that total fishing mortality must be reduced to address sustainability issues. The closure of the metropolitan zone to commercial fishing for demersal scalefish will provide an immediate reduction in the total catch of approximately 50 per cent and immediately commence the process of rebuilding stocks in that area. The challenge I am now focused on is to develop management arrangements that can manage the recreational sector to target catch levels in not only the metropolitan area, but also the other three areas of the west coast demersal scalefish fishery, including Kalbarri, mid-west and south west zones.
(2) In announcing the unilateral ban on commercial fishing for scalefish in the metropolitan area by commercial fishermen, did this action go against advice from the minister’s own scientists that effective constraints were required on all fishing sectors if there was to be any chance of initiating recovery of the threatened dhufish, snapper and baldchin stocks? That is found in “Fisheries Research Report No. 163”, at page 10. Hon JON FORD replied: I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for some notice of the question. (1) The figures to which the honourable member refers are a summary of catch information for 2005-06 that is presented in “Fisheries Research Report No. 163”. Commercial charter catch information is based upon data collected in compulsory logbook returns, while recreational data is based upon data collected from recreational catch surveys. (2) No. The scientific advice is that total fishing mortality must be reduced to address sustainability issues. The closure of the metropolitan zone to commercial fishing for demersal scalefish will provide an immediate reduction in the total catch of approximately 50 per cent and immediately commence the process of rebuilding stocks in that area. The challenge I am now focused on is to develop management arrangements that can manage the recreational sector to target catch levels in not only the metropolitan area, but also the other three areas of the west coast demersal scalefish fishery, including Kalbarri, mid-west and south west zones.
Hon JON FORD replied: I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for some notice of the question. (1) The figures to which the honourable member refers are a summary of catch information for 2005-06 that is presented in “Fisheries Research Report No. 163”. Commercial charter catch information is based upon data collected in compulsory logbook returns, while recreational data is based upon data collected from recreational catch surveys. (2) No. The scientific advice is that total fishing mortality must be reduced to address sustainability issues. The closure of the metropolitan zone to commercial fishing for demersal scalefish will provide an immediate reduction in the total catch of approximately 50 per cent and immediately commence the process of rebuilding stocks in that area. The challenge I am now focused on is to develop management arrangements that can manage the recreational sector to target catch levels in not only the metropolitan area, but also the other three areas of the west coast demersal scalefish fishery, including Kalbarri, mid-west and south west zones.
I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for some notice of the question. (1) The figures to which the honourable member refers are a summary of catch information for 2005-06 that is presented in “Fisheries Research Report No. 163”. Commercial charter catch information is based upon data collected in compulsory logbook returns, while recreational data is based upon data collected from recreational catch surveys. (2) No. The scientific advice is that total fishing mortality must be reduced to address sustainability issues. The closure of the metropolitan zone to commercial fishing for demersal scalefish will provide an immediate reduction in the total catch of approximately 50 per cent and immediately commence the process of rebuilding stocks in that area. The challenge I am now focused on is to develop management arrangements that can manage the recreational sector to target catch levels in not only the metropolitan area, but also the other three areas of the west coast demersal scalefish fishery, including Kalbarri, mid-west and south west zones.
(1) The figures to which the honourable member refers are a summary of catch information for 2005-06 that is presented in “Fisheries Research Report No. 163”. Commercial charter catch information is based upon data collected in compulsory logbook returns, while recreational data is based upon data collected from recreational catch surveys. (2) No. The scientific advice is that total fishing mortality must be reduced to address sustainability issues. The closure of the metropolitan zone to commercial fishing for demersal scalefish will provide an immediate reduction in the total catch of approximately 50 per cent and immediately commence the process of rebuilding stocks in that area. The challenge I am now focused on is to develop management arrangements that can manage the recreational sector to target catch levels in not only the metropolitan area, but also the other three areas of the west coast demersal scalefish fishery, including Kalbarri, mid-west and south west zones.
(2) No. The scientific advice is that total fishing mortality must be reduced to address sustainability issues. The closure of the metropolitan zone to commercial fishing for demersal scalefish will provide an immediate reduction in the total catch of approximately 50 per cent and immediately commence the process of rebuilding stocks in that area. The challenge I am now focused on is to develop management arrangements that can manage the recreational sector to target catch levels in not only the metropolitan area, but also the other three areas of the west coast demersal scalefish fishery, including Kalbarri, mid-west and south west zones.
(2) In announcing the unilateral ban on commercial fishing for scalefish in the metropolitan area by commercial fishermen, did this action go against advice from the minister’s own scientists that effective constraints were required on all fishing sectors if there was to be any chance of initiating recovery of the threatened dhufish, snapper and baldchin stocks? That is found in “Fisheries Research Report No. 163”, at page 10. Hon JON FORD replied: I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for some notice of the question. (1) The figures to which the honourable member refers are a summary of catch information for 2005-06 that is presented in “Fisheries Research Report No. 163”. Commercial charter catch information is based upon data collected in compulsory logbook returns, while recreational data is based upon data collected from recreational catch surveys. (2) No. The scientific advice is that total fishing mortality must be reduced to address sustainability issues. The closure of the metropolitan zone to commercial fishing for demersal scalefish will provide an immediate reduction in the total catch of approximately 50 per cent and immediately commence the process of rebuilding stocks in that area. The challenge I am now focused on is to develop management arrangements that can manage the recreational sector to target catch levels in not only the metropolitan area, but also the other three areas of the west coast demersal scalefish fishery, including Kalbarri, mid-west and south west zones.
Hon JON FORD replied: I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for some notice of the question. (1) The figures to which the honourable member refers are a summary of catch information for 2005-06 that is presented in “Fisheries Research Report No. 163”. Commercial charter catch information is based upon data collected in compulsory logbook returns, while recreational data is based upon data collected from recreational catch surveys. (2) No. The scientific advice is that total fishing mortality must be reduced to address sustainability issues. The closure of the metropolitan zone to commercial fishing for demersal scalefish will provide an immediate reduction in the total catch of approximately 50 per cent and immediately commence the process of rebuilding stocks in that area. The challenge I am now focused on is to develop management arrangements that can manage the recreational sector to target catch levels in not only the metropolitan area, but also the other three areas of the west coast demersal scalefish fishery, including Kalbarri, mid-west and south west zones.
I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for some notice of the question. (1) The figures to which the honourable member refers are a summary of catch information for 2005-06 that is presented in “Fisheries Research Report No. 163”. Commercial charter catch information is based upon data collected in compulsory logbook returns, while recreational data is based upon data collected from recreational catch surveys. (2) No. The scientific advice is that total fishing mortality must be reduced to address sustainability issues. The closure of the metropolitan zone to commercial fishing for demersal scalefish will provide an immediate reduction in the total catch of approximately 50 per cent and immediately commence the process of rebuilding stocks in that area. The challenge I am now focused on is to develop management arrangements that can manage the recreational sector to target catch levels in not only the metropolitan area, but also the other three areas of the west coast demersal scalefish fishery, including Kalbarri, mid-west and south west zones.
(1) The figures to which the honourable member refers are a summary of catch information for 2005-06 that is presented in “Fisheries Research Report No. 163”. Commercial charter catch information is based upon data collected in compulsory logbook returns, while recreational data is based upon data collected from recreational catch surveys. (2) No. The scientific advice is that total fishing mortality must be reduced to address sustainability issues. The closure of the metropolitan zone to commercial fishing for demersal scalefish will provide an immediate reduction in the total catch of approximately 50 per cent and immediately commence the process of rebuilding stocks in that area. The challenge I am now focused on is to develop management arrangements that can manage the recreational sector to target catch levels in not only the metropolitan area, but also the other three areas of the west coast demersal scalefish fishery, including Kalbarri, mid-west and south west zones.
(2) No. The scientific advice is that total fishing mortality must be reduced to address sustainability issues. The closure of the metropolitan zone to commercial fishing for demersal scalefish will provide an immediate reduction in the total catch of approximately 50 per cent and immediately commence the process of rebuilding stocks in that area. The challenge I am now focused on is to develop management arrangements that can manage the recreational sector to target catch levels in not only the metropolitan area, but also the other three areas of the west coast demersal scalefish fishery, including Kalbarri, mid-west and south west zones.
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