Therese Murphy is proud of her family-owned company's environmental practices. (ABC Wide Bay: James Taylor)

Wild-Caught Prawn Trawling Evolving to Reduce Environmental Impact

AUSTRALIA
Tuesday, January 21, 2025, 06:00 (GMT + 9)

Therese Murphy and her family are leading efforts to enhance the environmental sustainability of Australia's prawn trawling industry, reports Jennifer Nichols for ABC Rural.

Operating out of Urangan, Australian Ocean King Prawn’s 11 trawlers fish 120 kilometers off Gladstone, targeting a sandy seabed free of reef and seagrass. These trawlers are equipped with satellite tracking and turtle excluder devices (TEDs), which allow turtles, sharks, and rays to escape safely. The company has also voluntarily installed electronic monitoring cameras, including ocean-floor-focused lenses, to assess bycatch and improve practices.

All Australia Ocean King Prawn's vessels use Turtle excluder devices (TEDs) modify trawl nets to allow larger animals to escape

Twice a year, an independent scientist verifies these camera recordings and reviews bycatch data, helping the company track trends in non-target species. "Consumers want peace of mind that their food is sustainably sourced," Ms. Murphy said.

In 2023, Australian Ocean King Prawn became the first state-managed fishery in Queensland to earn accreditation from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), an international non-profit that promotes sustainable fishing practices. "We invested heavily because my father, Barry, recognized this is what consumers demand," Ms. Murphy explained. The family business, operational since 1984, boasts a strong sustainability record, including zero turtle captures in its history.

Improved Practices Across the Industry

Queensland’s East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery (ECOTF) is the state’s largest fishery, supporting over 1,300 jobs and harvesting around 6,000 tonnes annually—down from the mid-1990s peak of over 10,000 tonnes. Target species include tiger prawns, king prawns, Endeavour prawns, and Moreton Bay bugs.

The fishery has made significant strides in reducing environmental impact. Effort caps, limited licensing, real-time vessel tracking, and bycatch reduction devices are now standard. According to Fisheries Queensland’s executive director, Dallas D'Silva, stocks of prawns and Moreton Bay bugs are in “terrific condition,” reflecting the effectiveness of these measures.

Generating over $100 million annually, with approximately $40 million worth exported to markets like Singapore and Hong Kong, the ECOTF recently secured a three-year export approval under federal environmental legislation.

David Bobbermen, CEO of the Queensland Seafood Industry Association, emphasized the importance of the renewed export licence, calling it both critical and vindicating: “We operate sustainably under some of the tightest regulations in the world.”

Remaining Challenges and Conservation Efforts

The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) acknowledges the fishery’s progress but has yet to classify it as fully sustainable. Concerns include bycatch, particularly of protected sea snakes in North Queensland. However, ongoing trials of new bycatch reduction devices show promise, achieving reductions of 20–65% in sea snake bycatch.

Simon Miller of AMCS highlighted the potential of electronic monitoring and artificial intelligence to provide accurate data on threatened species interactions. "Cameras on boats are cost-effective and could validate bycatch data, ensuring transparency," Miller said.

Industry Collaboration

Paul Schenk, general manager of Mooloolaba Fisheries, a 42-year-old seafood business, stressed the importance of collaboration: "If they want cameras on boats, we put cameras on boats." He noted the strong generational understanding of sustainability among fishers, which drives their commitment to protecting the marine environment.

Currently, 69% of wild-caught prawns in Australia, including iconic varieties like Skull Island Tiger Prawns and Spencer Gulf King Prawns, are MSC-certified as sustainably harvested. This certification reflects the industry’s ongoing efforts to balance productivity with environmental stewardship.

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