Southern Squid Jig Fishery Total Allowable Effort Determination 2010

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 2010.

The Southern Squid Jig Fishery Total Allowable Effort Determination 2010 (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 ‘fishing year’ is defined in the Plan as the calendar year.

The Southern Squid Jig Fishery

The Southern Squid Jig Fishery (the SSJF) targets squid species by the squid jigging method. This method involves the use of bright lights to illuminate the water around the fishing boats. Squid gather in the shaded area under the boat and dart into the light to take barbless lures that are ‘jigged’ up and down on either side of the vessel. The line is hauled when the jigging machines register a change in the weight on the line. Jigging is a particularly successful and highly selective method for targeting squid, with minimal to no bycatch. Accordingly, ‘effort’ is defined by reference to the number of ‘squid jigging’ machines that may be used in the fishery.

The target species, Arrow Squid (Nototodarus gouldi), is a highly productive and relatively short lived species, making it suitable to be managed using input (effort) controls.

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

Subsection 11(2) of the Plan provides that before determining the Total Allowable Effort (TAE) for a fishing year, AFMA must consult, and consider the views of the Southern Squid Jig Fishery Resource Assessment Group (SquidRAG) and the South East Management Advisory Committee (SEMAC), and may consult, and consider the views of, any other interested person.

SquidRAG held a teleconference on 3 September 2010 and SEMAC held a meeting on
15 -16 September 2010 to consider the TAE for the 2011 fishing year. Based on these considerations SquidRAG and SEMAC both recommended a TAE of 560 standard squid jigging machines for the 2011 fishing year. 

The TAE for the 2011 fishing year is less than the 580 standard squid jigging machines set for the 2010 fishing year. This reduction is due to the withdrawal of two fishing concessions from the fishery, each entitled to use 10 standard machines.

AFMA has determined that the TAE for the fishery for the 2011 fishing year is 560 standard squid jigging machines, after considering the recommendations of the SquidRAG and SEMAC.  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 11978).

Details of the Determination are set out below: