Australian tuna fishery. (Photo: AFMA)

AFMA-managed fisheries prove sustainable for fifth consecutive year

For the fifth year in a row, all Commonwealth fisheries solely managed by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) have been independently assessed as not subject to overfishing.

The finding was presented in Fishery status reports 2018 and is the result of the annual assessment made by Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) of 95 species to make decisions around total allowable catches, harvest strategies and best practices around bycatch, to maintain healthy stock levels.

ABARES Executive Director Dr Steve Hatfield-Dodds said the analysis showed that 65 stocks (or 68 per cent) were both not overfished and not subject to overfishing, out of the 95 fish stocks reviewed across the 22 fisheries managed both solely and jointly by the Australian Government.

Executive Director Dr Steve Hatfield-Dodds. (Foto: Linkedin/Stockfile)

He stressed that although this is the fifth consecutive year there were no stocks classified as subject to overfishing in any fishery solely managed by the Australian Government, a number of stocks in these fisheries remain classified as overfished and it is uncertain whether stocks will rebuild under mortality rates. The Australian Fisheries Management Authority continues to work with stakeholders on rebuilding strategies for these stocks.

“There are also a number of stocks, in both solely and jointly managed fisheries that are now classified as uncertain due to changes in catch that need to be monitored, or the lack of up to date assessments,” he said.

Dr Steve Hatfield-Dodds explained that the reports also look at the economic performance of Commonwealth fisheries, with AUD 403 million (USD 290.9 million) generated in gross value of production (GVP) in 2016–17. This represents 23 per cent of Australia’s total wild capture fisheries GVP of AUD 1.75 billion (USD 1.26 billion).

AFMA chairperson Helen Kroger. (Photo: Stockfile)

Meanwhile, Chair of the AFMA Commission, Helen Kroger, said the annual assessment of Commonwealth fish stocks is a key indicator showing continued improvement in the management of their fisheries.

“The management of Commonwealth fisheries is underpinned by world-leading scientific research and a strong legislative and policy framework,” Kroger said.

For his part, AFMA’s CEO, Dr James Findlay, said this result is a credit to the Australian seafood industry, scientists and fisheries managers who have all worked hard to achieve this world class result that has been sustained over five consecutive years.

“But we are also aware there is more work to do given the ABARES report also shows that the status of a number of species is regarded as uncertain,” Dr Findlay said.

The researcher highlighted that AFMA will be further investing in science along with its key partner agencies, the FRDC and CSIRO, to resolve the uncertain status of these fish stocks.

“We also understand the challenge of managing fisheries in a dynamic marine environment, including climate effects, and AFMA is investigating how its management system can adapt to meet these challenges,” Findlay stated.
 
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