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Tactical Research Fund: maximising benefits of ITQ management in the Western rocklobster fishery

Project number: 2010-317
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $75,000.00
Principal Investigator: Guy Leyland
Organisation: Western Australian Fishing Industry Council Inc (WAFIC)
Project start/end date: 30 Sep 2010 - 5 Dec 2010
Contact:
FRDC

Need

The Western Rock Lobster fishery is one of Australia’s most valuable commercial fishery generating a landed value of $191.6 million in 2009.

Rising costs, a strong Australian dollar, increased competition, environmental challenges and the global financial crisis has resulted in a halving of the landed value of the fishery over the last 10 years. This economic performance has been exacerbated by a limited entry management system that creates perverse incentives that lead to overcapitalisation in catching technology and dissipation of economic rents through competition for catch. In summary maintaining the current management regime for this fishery will inevitably cause continued poor economic performance.

The uncertainty over recruitment into the fishery due to poor puerulus settlement has resulted in management intervention to cut catches to build up breeding stocks has resulted in further declines in the value of the fishery and a rationalisation of boat numbers.

As a result of these pressures in early 2010 both WAFIC and WRLC approached the Western Australian Government requesting that the fishery management arrangements for the fishery be fast tracked to an output control system for the 2010/11 season.

The truncated period for introduction gives the regulatory agency and the industry only 4 months to make the necessary legal and operational changes to ensure its introduction by 15 November 2010.

In order to tap into the benefits that this shift to ITQ can provide there is a need to provide targeted extension on aspects of this management system to a large group of fishermen over a short period of time so as to facilitate a smooth transistion.

The benefits of this reform to the industry and WA community from published reports include:

- Estimates of up to $80 million in additional revenue per annum; and

- Safer workplace and greater crew retention.

Objectives

1. To inform the Western Rock Lobster industry members of the opportunities that moving to ITQ provide

Final report

ISBN: 978-0-646-56576-7
Author: Guy Leyland
People
PROJECT NUMBER • 2005-228
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

A pilot project conducted in the western rock lobster industry, to create a software audit tool for assessing occupational health and safety compliance with industry best practice on board a commercial fishing vessel

The Western Australian Fishing Industry Council has had a comprehensive health and safety code for use in the wild catch fishing industry in place since 1992. The OSH Code (hereafter referred to as the Code) was developed as a result of an increasing fatality and serious incident rate within the...
ORGANISATION:
Western Australian Fishing Industry Council Inc (WAFIC)

Extension of MSC Certification for Western Australian Fisheries

Project number: 2013-030
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $686,000.00
Principal Investigator: Carli Telfer
Organisation: Western Australian Fishing Industry Council Inc (WAFIC)
Project start/end date: 31 Aug 2013 - 30 Aug 2017
Contact:
FRDC

Need

The FRDC, WAFIC and MSC have undertaken public perception studies on the support of fishing activities that have shown that the industry has a very low level of support. The Australian public simply does not believe the message given to it by industry and Government. Western Australia has recognised that the very survival of wild-harvest fisheries depends on a paradigm shift in this negative perception and only a credible, internationally recognised, third-party certification of the State's fisheries will alter the perception and provide industry with the level of security to invest in its future.
The $14.56 million earmarked for third party certification will be split as following: $6.56 million for MSC pre-assessment, full assessment and initial audit and; $2 million per year over 4 years ($8 million) to support Department of Fisheries research and management inputs to the certification process. If the benefits of this investment are to be fully realised for the State and the industry there must be investment in community and industry engagement, and engagement with the post-harvest sector through to the retail and food service. Without such engagement the benefits of certification will not be fully captured. This will require research and testing of cost effective mechanisms to effectively engage. The project builds on the substantial investment by the FRDC in research for Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management. The project will also link with other FRDC activities nationally like the Key Stock Status Report and the trial of the NSW Responsible Fisheries Management Certification project. The whole program of activities in WA that include: A new fisheries Act; MSC certification; and support for FRDC’s marketing function are singularly the largest changes being implemented by a fisheries jurisdiction to improve the future outlook for both capture fisheries and aquaculture.

Objectives

1. To develop and assess communication strategies on how best to obtain commercial fishers support for implementation of third party certification in their fisheries, with the focus being on Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification
2. To assess options for promoting MSC to obtain public confidence in the management of WA fisheries
3. To assess different evaluation methodologies for third party certification that are cost effective and improve the delivery of the program for both fishers and the community
4. Develop and trial a practical framework that would deliver a more cost efficient way for a range of smaller, independent, companies in the supply chain to gain MSC Chain of Custody to optimize community recognition and appreciation of Australian MSC certified seafood
5. To work with stakeholders (retail, fisheries management and environmental agencies) to establish where possible equivalence for the third party certification framework that is being developed for WA fisheries

Final report

ISBN: 978-0-9806948-9-5
Author: WAFIC
Final Report • 2023-06-01 • 51.43 MB
2013-030-DLD.pdf

Summary

This project provides learnings of successes and failures/challenges of MSC certification in WA. At the time
of this report’s publication, 12 WA fisheries representing 90 percent value and approximately 60 percent
of the total commercial catch in the state have been awarded MSC certification. The overall aim of this
project was to ensure the long-term extension of WA’s MSC program, which would be judged on the value
and growth of certified fisheries over time, and how well the MSC model is embraced through the supply
chain.
Blank
PROJECT NUMBER • 2017-194
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

SeSAFE - delivering industry safety through electronic learning

The SeSAFE project represented a unique and successful collaboration between the fishing industry, the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC), and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) to improve safety awareness and performance in the fishing and aquaculture industry. For...
ORGANISATION:
Western Australian Fishing Industry Council Inc (WAFIC)
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2017-186
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Oil and Gas: National coordination - seismic and other issues

Commercial fishing industry throughout Australia is under continued pressure on its operation due to activities relating to the oil and gas sector such as seismic surveys, drilling, construction of sub-sea infrastructure and commissioning. Generally, the commercial fishing sector throughout...
ORGANISATION:
Western Australian Fishing Industry Council Inc (WAFIC)
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