Southern Squid Jig Fishery Total Allowable Effort Determination 2009

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Issued by the authority of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority

Fisheries Management Act 1991
Southern Squid Jig Fishery Management Plan 2005

Southern Squid Jig Fishery Total Allowable Effort Determination 2009.

The Southern Squid Jig Fishery Total Allowable Effort Determination 2009 (the Determination) is a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003.

Subsection 17(6)(aa) of the Fisheries Management Act 1991 (the FM Act) provides that a plan of management determined for a fishery under the FM Act may determine or provide for the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) to determine the fishing capacity permitted for the fishery or a part of the fishery in respect of a particular period or periods.

In performing its functions under Part 3 of the FM Act, subsection 16(1) of the FM Act requires that AFMA must pursue its objectives and, in addition, act in accordance with its corporate plan and current annual operational plan.

Subsection 11(1) of the Southern Squid Jig Fishery Management Plan 2005 (the Plan) provides that, prior to the start of the fishing year, AFMA must determine the total allowable effort (TAE) for the fishing year.

The Southern Squid Jig Fishery

The Southern Squid Jig Fishery (the SSJF) targets squid species by the squid jigging method. Jigging is a particularly successful method for targeting squid and has a high level of specificity for the target species.

The majority of squid taken from the fishery is sold on the domestic market, with some of the byproduct (mainly tentacles) being exported to Mediterranean countries.

Most squid caught by the jigging method are taken from fishing grounds off Portland, Queenscliff and Lakes Entrance in Victoria, with a small number of operators fishing in South Australian waters.  

Consultation

Subsections 11(2) of the Plan provides that before determining the TAE for a fishing year, AFMA must consult, and consider the views of the Southern Squid Jig Fishery Management Advisory Committee (SquidMAC) and the Southern Squid Jig Fishery Resource Assessment Group (SquidRAG), formerly known as the Southern Squid Jig Fishery Assessment Group (SquidFAG) and may consult, and consider the views of, any other interested person.

SquidMAC and SquidRAG both held meetings on 2 December 2009 to consider the TAE for the 2010 fishing season. Based on these considerations SquidMAC and SquidRAG both recommended a TAE of 580 standard squid jigging machines for the 2010 fishing year.  SquidRAG and SquidMAC considered the following key issues before recommending a TAE of 580 machines for 2010:

1. Sustainability of the target species is unlikely to be affected by a TAE of 580 machines in 2010 and was considered appropriate by scientists, industry and AFMA Management;
2. Sustainability of byproduct and bycatch species, including threatened, endangered and protected (TEP) species is unlikely to be affected regardless of the TAE because squid jig fishing is a highly targeted fishing method;
3. A TAE of 580 machines will allow for maximum utilisation of the squid resource without unnecessarily constraining the jig fishery effort (and catch) in 2010.

AFMA has determined the TAE for the fishery of 580 standard squid jigging machines for the 2010 fishing year after considering the recommendation of the SquidMAC and SquidRAG.  AFMA is satisfied that the Determination pursues its objectives and is consistent with its corporate plan and current annual operational plan.

Regulation Impact Statement

The Office of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR) has advised that a Regulation Impact Statement is not required for the Determination (OBPR ID 10983).

Details of the Determination are set out below: