Economic study of the north New South Wales and southern Queensland prawn fisheries
Final report
The East Coast Prawn Fishery extends along the east coast of Australia from Torres Straight in the north to Barrenjoey Point in New South Wales. A limited entry policy was recently introduced to the fishery and a task force comprising industry and government representatives is currently deliberating on the direction of a long-term management strategy.
In theory, the common property nature of commercial ocean fisheries implies that they will eventually become economically overexploited. A previous survey by the Bureau of Agricultural Economics has indicated that returns to capital employed in the fishery were negative, indicating that economic overexploitation has in fact occurred. Scientific evidence suggests that there is no biological threat to the prawn stock, given present levels of exploitation. Economic overexploitation has resulted from the increase in fleet size and capacity which took place in the 1970s and can be regarded as resulting from 'boat crowding' externalities.
The preferred management strategy will be that which maximises the net benefits to society, where net benefits are defined as economic returns less management costs. A technique using mathematical modelling and simulation is suggested for the estimation of net benefits from alternative management policies. Such a method will allow management policies to be ranked on their economic merits and show the distributional consequences within the fishery of each alternative.
Guidelines on a tiered, risk-based approach to bycatch management
Status of key Australian fish stocks reports and companion national fishery status reports - review of the 2012 reporting process and planning for future reports
The release of the first SAFS reports in 2012 demonstrated the value and impact of national fisheries reporting. In order to build on this and establish a strategic, longer-term legacy it is critical that the process is evaluated and the next edition planned. The current proposal is critical to developing the mechanisms needed to establish the reports as on-going and build towards the broader elements of national fisheries status reporting.
This proposal builds on the investment in the inaugural reports, facilitating feedback from end-users and those directly involved in production. It also provides a forum for agreeing on processes for the second edition of the SAFS reports (tentatively scheduled for 2014) and future companion reports that will contribute to establishing national fishery status reporting.
While the initial reports focused on target species, there is a longer term need to build reporting frameworks on other aspects of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD), such as the effects of fishing on the marine environment, economic performance, governance and/or social good. Elements of this are already underway through complementary projects, and this proposal will identify and focus on the key gaps.
Complimentary projects with a national focus on fisheries include:
2010/061 ‘Development of a national harvest strategy framework’ (PIRSA)
2013/023 ‘Develop a draft Australian Standard for responsible fishing on vessels to improve public perception of the commercial fishing industry’ (SSA)
2012/746 ‘Seafood CRC: preliminary investigation of internationally recognised Responsible Fisheries Management Certification’ (Sydney-Fish-Market)
2013/024 ‘Professionalising industry - NSW pilot’ (Oceanwatch)
2011/513 ‘Status of key Australian fish stocks reports’ (ABARES)
Review of the Commonwealth policy on fisheries bycatch (DAFF)
Review of the Commonwealth Harvest Strategy Policy (DAFF)
2010/046 ‘Improving the Management of Bycatch: Development and Testing of Standards for the Effective Mitigation of Bycatch in Commonwealth Fisheries’ (ABARES)
2010/040 'National social objectives and indicators guide' (FRDC)