Assessment of broad-scale exploitation rates and biomass estimates for the Tasmanian southern rock lobster fishery

Funded Activity Summary

Traditionally, catch per unit of effort (CPUE) is used to monitor the health of the fishery and indicate the success or otherwise of management practices. Under current input controls CPUE is based on fishers maximising their total catch. In contrast, under output controls where catch is predetermined fishers will alter their catching scenarios to maximise the return (dollars per kilogram) from their catch. In southern rock lobster fisheries there is significant potential to alter fishing patterns to maximise economic return, especially through seasonal shifts in effort. As this change occurs, the value of using CPUE data to continue monitoring the fishery will be eroded. As such, both fisheries independant means of monitoring the fishery and new monitoring methods will become increasing important.
Both exploitation rates and biomass estimates are important stock assessment parameters and biological reference points in sustainable management of fisheries resources.
This project will evaluate fishery independant means of deriving these estimates and by determining the precision of derived estimates, demonstrate their suitability as biological reference points.
In a report to the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce titled "Oceans of Wealth?", the Review Committee on Marine Industries, Science and Technology stated in their conclusion, 'The knowledge gained from scientific research into fish stocks and the impacts of the environmental and harvesting factors is a necessary but not sufficient element in the conservation of productive fish stocks. A vital element in both scientific assessments is the availability of reliable information about exploitation levels'. This project is aimed at addressing this need for southern rock lobster.

Objectives:
1. To assess the precision of exploitation rates and biomass estimates derived from broad scale sampling using fisheries independant and fishery dependant sampling.
2. To evaluate both the precision and cost effectiveness of biomass estimation from fisheries dependant and fisheries independent derived exploitation rates and recommend future monitoring methodology for the rock lobster fishery.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 23-06-1997

End Date: 30-04-2003

Funding Scheme: Funding Scheme not available

Funding Amount: $468,370.00

Funder: Fisheries Research and Development Corporation

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

There are no FoR codes available for this funding activity

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Biomass | Community | Compliance | Cost | Data | Electronic Monitoring | Fisheries Management | Fishing Gear | Stock Assessment | Survey | Tagging

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