❓ Hon. Colin de Grussa questions the impact of the recreational FAD program expansion on Spanish mackerel sustainability. The Minister assures minimal impact, citing different habitat preferences and ongoing monitoring.
AnsweredQoN 150Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
FISH AGGREGATING DEVICES
— SPANISH MACKEREL
150. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Fisheries:
I refer to the $1.5 million
announced by the McGowan government to expand the recreational fish aggregating
device—FAD—program.
(1) Given that the purpose of the funding is
essentially to switch the recreational fishing effort from west coast demersal scalefish to pelagic species, can the minister confirm that there will
not be an impact on the sustainability of pelagic species such as Spanish
mackerel?
(2) If yes to (1), on what basis
was that assessment made?
(3) Can the minister advise when the last stock assessment of
Spanish mackerel was undertaken?
(4) When is the next Spanish
mackerel stock assessment planned to occur?
— SPANISH MACKEREL
150. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Fisheries:
I refer to the $1.5 million
announced by the McGowan government to expand the recreational fish aggregating
device—FAD—program.
(1) Given that the purpose of the funding is
essentially to switch the recreational fishing effort from west coast demersal scalefish to pelagic species, can the minister confirm that there will
not be an impact on the sustainability of pelagic species such as Spanish
mackerel?
(2) If yes to (1), on what basis
was that assessment made?
(3) Can the minister advise when the last stock assessment of
Spanish mackerel was undertaken?
(4) When is the next Spanish
mackerel stock assessment planned to occur?
AnswerView source ↗
On behalf of the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Fisheries, I thank the honourable member for some
notice of the question. The following answer has been provided by the Minister
for Fisheries.
(1) The expanded statewide fish aggregating device
program is designed to provide greater recreational fishing opportunities for offshore pelagic species such as mahi-mahi, tuna and wahoo.
These are all fast-growing species that are part of a broader oceanic stock
with no known sustainability issues in Western Australian waters. Any increased
targeting of these species by recreational fishers as a result of the statewide
FAD program presents a low risk to
sustainability. Spanish mackerel are not usually associated with the offshore FADs, preferring shallow waters adjacent to coastal reefs.
(2) The
recreational catch of large pelagic species is monitored periodically through
the statewide survey of recreational boat fishers and assessed against
sustainable catch levels. These assessments are reported in the Department of
Primary Industries and Regional Development's annual State of the
fisheries report. It is also important to note that species such as
mahi-mahi, tuna and wahoo are not targeted by WA state licensed commercial
fisheries.
(3) An age-based
stock assessment for Spanish mackerel was undertaken in 2002, with updated weight-of-evidence
stock assessments based on catch and effort undertaken annually by DPIRD.
(4) The next
age-based stock assessment for the WA Spanish mackerel resource is due for
completion in mid-2023.
representing the Minister for Fisheries, I thank the honourable member for some
notice of the question. The following answer has been provided by the Minister
for Fisheries.
(1) The expanded statewide fish aggregating device
program is designed to provide greater recreational fishing opportunities for offshore pelagic species such as mahi-mahi, tuna and wahoo.
These are all fast-growing species that are part of a broader oceanic stock
with no known sustainability issues in Western Australian waters. Any increased
targeting of these species by recreational fishers as a result of the statewide
FAD program presents a low risk to
sustainability. Spanish mackerel are not usually associated with the offshore FADs, preferring shallow waters adjacent to coastal reefs.
(2) The
recreational catch of large pelagic species is monitored periodically through
the statewide survey of recreational boat fishers and assessed against
sustainable catch levels. These assessments are reported in the Department of
Primary Industries and Regional Development's annual State of the
fisheries report. It is also important to note that species such as
mahi-mahi, tuna and wahoo are not targeted by WA state licensed commercial
fisheries.
(3) An age-based
stock assessment for Spanish mackerel was undertaken in 2002, with updated weight-of-evidence
stock assessments based on catch and effort undertaken annually by DPIRD.
(4) The next
age-based stock assessment for the WA Spanish mackerel resource is due for
completion in mid-2023.
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