There is an obvious need to reduce bycatch in the fishery consistent with mandatory legislative and policy requirements (EPBC and FMA) and to develop more efficient harvest protocols. Consistent with this, GABIA has provided full support for the introduction of T90 mesh into their fishery through the mandatory use of T90 extensions and/or codends from 1 January 2007. Potentially, even greater benefits are possible with a move to T90 gear from the wingends to codend. Such nets have been tested and shown to be effective in some Icelandic fisheries.

Modifications to gear (particularly the very recent move to full T90 nets in some overseas fisheries) have been shown in other fisheries to be effective in reducing fuel consumption consistent with the need to reduce operating costs and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the fishing industry. This proposal aligns to priorities of reducing environmental impacts of trawl fisheries and of increasing operating efficiency and industry profitability.

Bight redfish (Centroberyx gerrardi) and deepwater flathead (Neoplatycephalus conatus) are the two principle commercial species captured along the continental shelf of the Commonwealth managed Great Australian Bight Trawl Fishery worth an estimated $7 million per annum.

Current assessments, based on available data, indicate that Bight redfish fishing mortality is rising and likely to reduce the biomass to below the trigger biological reference point. The outcomes of stock assessments are highly sensitive to the shape of the maturity ogive and fecundity-length/age relationships. Given the current high uncertainty about the validity of existing Bight redfish and deepwater maturity and fecundity relationships, GABFAG has recommended that these be determined with high priority. More scientifically defensible maturity ogives and fecundity-length and fecundity-age relationships will markedly reduce uncertainty in the stock assessments.