Development of a harvest management, governance and resource sharing framework for a complex multi-sector, multi-jurisdiction fishery: the south-east Australian ‘western’ snapper stock

Project number: 2013-201
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $598,685.00
Principal Investigator: Paul A. Hamer
Organisation: Agriculture Victoria
Project start/end date: 30 Jun 2013 - 9 Oct 2016
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Stock Assessment
Recreational Fishing
Rac Vic
Harvest Strategy
Fisheries Management
SPECIES
Snapper

Need

The western stock snapper resource is a shared resource harvested by recreational fishers, mostly in Victorian waters, and commercial fishers from both State (i.e. Victoria and SA) and Commonwealth management jurisdictions. Increased growth in catches by all sectors/jurisdictions over the last decade has been met with increasing concerns over fishery and resource sustainability, and security of access. These concerns, along with uncertainty of future resource availability due to fluctuating recruitment, have raised the importance of developing a harvest management system that involves all sectors and jurisdictions, and developing resource sharing and governance arrangements to facilitate implementation of harvest management recommendations.

While a new stock assessment approach is being developed by FV to provide a more objective quantitative assessment of stock status, this project is needed to ensure that stock assessment outcomes can be translated into appropriate recommendations for changes in fishing mortality/catches that can be applied across the different fishing sectors and management jurisdictions (i.e. a multi-sector/jurisdiction harvest strategy). Importantly, while commercial catch is monitored by established reporting systems, and managed to a certain extent by licence regulations/limits, there is a clear need to develop cost effective methods for ongoing monitoring of catch and effort by the ‘open access’ recreational sector. Furthermore, modelling tools are required to allow managers to compare the response of sector catches to different regulatory approaches, particularly for the recreational sector. Reliable catch estimation and effective management of recreational catches are essential to achieving both biological sustainability and any fishery sharing objectives. Development of a harvest strategy and methods for long-term monitoring of recreational sector catches are essential to underpin development of a multi-sector/jurisdiction resource sharing framework, governance and harvest management framework to foster long-term stakeholder security and sustainability of the fishery.

Objectives

1. To provide managers and stakeholders with a robust and transparent approach to harvest management decisions that provides for both biological sustainability and certainty of access
2. To provide managers with cost effective options for ongoing monitoring of recreational catch and a tool to assist in deciding among different regulatory approaches for managing catches by the recreational sector
3. To develop a multi-sector, multi-jurisdiction sharing and governance framework, and an associated implementation plan for the western stock snapper fishery.

Final report

ISBN: 978-1-76090-126-4
Author: Paul Hamer
Final Report • 2019-05-28 • 12.57 MB
2013-201-DLD.pdf

Summary

This report involves the ‘Western Victorian Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) Stock’ (WVSS) which supports arguably the most important marine fin-fish fishery for Victoria. While the majority of the harvest is by Victorian fisheries, this stock is a straddling stock shared with South Australia. This report describes a largely scientific project conducted by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) in collaboration with fisheries modelling scientists from MEZO Research. The project was initiated in 2013 to address concerns about uncertainty of management risks associated with increased fishing pressure across sectors and jurisdictions, and the inability to track recreational harvest trends and adequately incorporate recreational fishing pressure into stock assessment and management.
The project developed approaches using remote internet protocol (IP) cameras at boat ramps to monitor recreational boat fishing effort in the main Victorian fishing areas of Port Phillip Bay and Western Port Bay, and to integrate the fishing effort data with recreational survey (boat ramp creel survey) data on Snapper catch rates and length compositions to create a ‘harvest index’ to track Snapper harvest trends over time. The boat ramp camera trial explored two monitoring approaches; time lapse image capture, where an image of the ramp is recorded every two minutes and sub-sampling routines are applied to estimate total effort, and an ‘activity sensor’ approach, where images are recorded only when certain types of activity are detected (i.e. boat/vehicle movement) within a specified activity area.
A new ‘Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE)’ modelling tool, ‘SnapMSE’, utilising the free population modelling framework, ‘Stock Synthesis’, was created to evaluate management risks and trade-offs associated with different levels of fishing mortality in relation to specified objectives. The analytical tools developed utilised ‘R’, an open source software environment for statistical computing and graphics that is commonly used by scientist worldwide, and have been created so they are accessible to fisheries scientist with moderate experience using R. The MOU agreement between the VFA and PIRSA was developed via numerous phone meetings and a drafting workshop. An operational framework was developed for guiding implementation of the MOU.
The project demonstrated that IP cameras can be a cost-effective approach for monitoring trends in recreational boat fishing effort, and when combined with creel survey data can be used to monitor trends in targeted Snapper fishing effort, harvest from individual access points (boat ramps) and to derive a recreational ‘harvest index’ for monitoring trends in recreational Snapper harvest across the fishery. The first MSE model framework for a Victorian fin-fish fishery was successfully developed. The evaluation of alternative harvest control rules under high, average and low recruitment regimes, showed that maintaining the annual exploitation rate at around 10-15%, similar to the status quo, was likely acceptable for meeting the trial management objectives applied in this study over the long-term.
The monitoring, modelling and other analytical tools developed will improve the assessment of overfishing risk on the WVSS and the capacity of managers, policy makers and stakeholders to work together on a planned and informed approach for managing fishing mortality risks, including development of operational objectives.
Final Report • 2019-05-28 • 12.57 MB
2013-201-DLD.pdf

Summary

This report involves the ‘Western Victorian Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) Stock’ (WVSS) which supports arguably the most important marine fin-fish fishery for Victoria. While the majority of the harvest is by Victorian fisheries, this stock is a straddling stock shared with South Australia. This report describes a largely scientific project conducted by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) in collaboration with fisheries modelling scientists from MEZO Research. The project was initiated in 2013 to address concerns about uncertainty of management risks associated with increased fishing pressure across sectors and jurisdictions, and the inability to track recreational harvest trends and adequately incorporate recreational fishing pressure into stock assessment and management.
The project developed approaches using remote internet protocol (IP) cameras at boat ramps to monitor recreational boat fishing effort in the main Victorian fishing areas of Port Phillip Bay and Western Port Bay, and to integrate the fishing effort data with recreational survey (boat ramp creel survey) data on Snapper catch rates and length compositions to create a ‘harvest index’ to track Snapper harvest trends over time. The boat ramp camera trial explored two monitoring approaches; time lapse image capture, where an image of the ramp is recorded every two minutes and sub-sampling routines are applied to estimate total effort, and an ‘activity sensor’ approach, where images are recorded only when certain types of activity are detected (i.e. boat/vehicle movement) within a specified activity area.
A new ‘Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE)’ modelling tool, ‘SnapMSE’, utilising the free population modelling framework, ‘Stock Synthesis’, was created to evaluate management risks and trade-offs associated with different levels of fishing mortality in relation to specified objectives. The analytical tools developed utilised ‘R’, an open source software environment for statistical computing and graphics that is commonly used by scientist worldwide, and have been created so they are accessible to fisheries scientist with moderate experience using R. The MOU agreement between the VFA and PIRSA was developed via numerous phone meetings and a drafting workshop. An operational framework was developed for guiding implementation of the MOU.
The project demonstrated that IP cameras can be a cost-effective approach for monitoring trends in recreational boat fishing effort, and when combined with creel survey data can be used to monitor trends in targeted Snapper fishing effort, harvest from individual access points (boat ramps) and to derive a recreational ‘harvest index’ for monitoring trends in recreational Snapper harvest across the fishery. The first MSE model framework for a Victorian fin-fish fishery was successfully developed. The evaluation of alternative harvest control rules under high, average and low recruitment regimes, showed that maintaining the annual exploitation rate at around 10-15%, similar to the status quo, was likely acceptable for meeting the trial management objectives applied in this study over the long-term.
The monitoring, modelling and other analytical tools developed will improve the assessment of overfishing risk on the WVSS and the capacity of managers, policy makers and stakeholders to work together on a planned and informed approach for managing fishing mortality risks, including development of operational objectives.
Final Report • 2019-05-28 • 12.57 MB
2013-201-DLD.pdf

Summary

This report involves the ‘Western Victorian Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) Stock’ (WVSS) which supports arguably the most important marine fin-fish fishery for Victoria. While the majority of the harvest is by Victorian fisheries, this stock is a straddling stock shared with South Australia. This report describes a largely scientific project conducted by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) in collaboration with fisheries modelling scientists from MEZO Research. The project was initiated in 2013 to address concerns about uncertainty of management risks associated with increased fishing pressure across sectors and jurisdictions, and the inability to track recreational harvest trends and adequately incorporate recreational fishing pressure into stock assessment and management.
The project developed approaches using remote internet protocol (IP) cameras at boat ramps to monitor recreational boat fishing effort in the main Victorian fishing areas of Port Phillip Bay and Western Port Bay, and to integrate the fishing effort data with recreational survey (boat ramp creel survey) data on Snapper catch rates and length compositions to create a ‘harvest index’ to track Snapper harvest trends over time. The boat ramp camera trial explored two monitoring approaches; time lapse image capture, where an image of the ramp is recorded every two minutes and sub-sampling routines are applied to estimate total effort, and an ‘activity sensor’ approach, where images are recorded only when certain types of activity are detected (i.e. boat/vehicle movement) within a specified activity area.
A new ‘Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE)’ modelling tool, ‘SnapMSE’, utilising the free population modelling framework, ‘Stock Synthesis’, was created to evaluate management risks and trade-offs associated with different levels of fishing mortality in relation to specified objectives. The analytical tools developed utilised ‘R’, an open source software environment for statistical computing and graphics that is commonly used by scientist worldwide, and have been created so they are accessible to fisheries scientist with moderate experience using R. The MOU agreement between the VFA and PIRSA was developed via numerous phone meetings and a drafting workshop. An operational framework was developed for guiding implementation of the MOU.
The project demonstrated that IP cameras can be a cost-effective approach for monitoring trends in recreational boat fishing effort, and when combined with creel survey data can be used to monitor trends in targeted Snapper fishing effort, harvest from individual access points (boat ramps) and to derive a recreational ‘harvest index’ for monitoring trends in recreational Snapper harvest across the fishery. The first MSE model framework for a Victorian fin-fish fishery was successfully developed. The evaluation of alternative harvest control rules under high, average and low recruitment regimes, showed that maintaining the annual exploitation rate at around 10-15%, similar to the status quo, was likely acceptable for meeting the trial management objectives applied in this study over the long-term.
The monitoring, modelling and other analytical tools developed will improve the assessment of overfishing risk on the WVSS and the capacity of managers, policy makers and stakeholders to work together on a planned and informed approach for managing fishing mortality risks, including development of operational objectives.
Final Report • 2019-05-28 • 12.57 MB
2013-201-DLD.pdf

Summary

This report involves the ‘Western Victorian Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) Stock’ (WVSS) which supports arguably the most important marine fin-fish fishery for Victoria. While the majority of the harvest is by Victorian fisheries, this stock is a straddling stock shared with South Australia. This report describes a largely scientific project conducted by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) in collaboration with fisheries modelling scientists from MEZO Research. The project was initiated in 2013 to address concerns about uncertainty of management risks associated with increased fishing pressure across sectors and jurisdictions, and the inability to track recreational harvest trends and adequately incorporate recreational fishing pressure into stock assessment and management.
The project developed approaches using remote internet protocol (IP) cameras at boat ramps to monitor recreational boat fishing effort in the main Victorian fishing areas of Port Phillip Bay and Western Port Bay, and to integrate the fishing effort data with recreational survey (boat ramp creel survey) data on Snapper catch rates and length compositions to create a ‘harvest index’ to track Snapper harvest trends over time. The boat ramp camera trial explored two monitoring approaches; time lapse image capture, where an image of the ramp is recorded every two minutes and sub-sampling routines are applied to estimate total effort, and an ‘activity sensor’ approach, where images are recorded only when certain types of activity are detected (i.e. boat/vehicle movement) within a specified activity area.
A new ‘Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE)’ modelling tool, ‘SnapMSE’, utilising the free population modelling framework, ‘Stock Synthesis’, was created to evaluate management risks and trade-offs associated with different levels of fishing mortality in relation to specified objectives. The analytical tools developed utilised ‘R’, an open source software environment for statistical computing and graphics that is commonly used by scientist worldwide, and have been created so they are accessible to fisheries scientist with moderate experience using R. The MOU agreement between the VFA and PIRSA was developed via numerous phone meetings and a drafting workshop. An operational framework was developed for guiding implementation of the MOU.
The project demonstrated that IP cameras can be a cost-effective approach for monitoring trends in recreational boat fishing effort, and when combined with creel survey data can be used to monitor trends in targeted Snapper fishing effort, harvest from individual access points (boat ramps) and to derive a recreational ‘harvest index’ for monitoring trends in recreational Snapper harvest across the fishery. The first MSE model framework for a Victorian fin-fish fishery was successfully developed. The evaluation of alternative harvest control rules under high, average and low recruitment regimes, showed that maintaining the annual exploitation rate at around 10-15%, similar to the status quo, was likely acceptable for meeting the trial management objectives applied in this study over the long-term.
The monitoring, modelling and other analytical tools developed will improve the assessment of overfishing risk on the WVSS and the capacity of managers, policy makers and stakeholders to work together on a planned and informed approach for managing fishing mortality risks, including development of operational objectives.
Final Report • 2019-05-28 • 12.57 MB
2013-201-DLD.pdf

Summary

This report involves the ‘Western Victorian Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) Stock’ (WVSS) which supports arguably the most important marine fin-fish fishery for Victoria. While the majority of the harvest is by Victorian fisheries, this stock is a straddling stock shared with South Australia. This report describes a largely scientific project conducted by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) in collaboration with fisheries modelling scientists from MEZO Research. The project was initiated in 2013 to address concerns about uncertainty of management risks associated with increased fishing pressure across sectors and jurisdictions, and the inability to track recreational harvest trends and adequately incorporate recreational fishing pressure into stock assessment and management.
The project developed approaches using remote internet protocol (IP) cameras at boat ramps to monitor recreational boat fishing effort in the main Victorian fishing areas of Port Phillip Bay and Western Port Bay, and to integrate the fishing effort data with recreational survey (boat ramp creel survey) data on Snapper catch rates and length compositions to create a ‘harvest index’ to track Snapper harvest trends over time. The boat ramp camera trial explored two monitoring approaches; time lapse image capture, where an image of the ramp is recorded every two minutes and sub-sampling routines are applied to estimate total effort, and an ‘activity sensor’ approach, where images are recorded only when certain types of activity are detected (i.e. boat/vehicle movement) within a specified activity area.
A new ‘Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE)’ modelling tool, ‘SnapMSE’, utilising the free population modelling framework, ‘Stock Synthesis’, was created to evaluate management risks and trade-offs associated with different levels of fishing mortality in relation to specified objectives. The analytical tools developed utilised ‘R’, an open source software environment for statistical computing and graphics that is commonly used by scientist worldwide, and have been created so they are accessible to fisheries scientist with moderate experience using R. The MOU agreement between the VFA and PIRSA was developed via numerous phone meetings and a drafting workshop. An operational framework was developed for guiding implementation of the MOU.
The project demonstrated that IP cameras can be a cost-effective approach for monitoring trends in recreational boat fishing effort, and when combined with creel survey data can be used to monitor trends in targeted Snapper fishing effort, harvest from individual access points (boat ramps) and to derive a recreational ‘harvest index’ for monitoring trends in recreational Snapper harvest across the fishery. The first MSE model framework for a Victorian fin-fish fishery was successfully developed. The evaluation of alternative harvest control rules under high, average and low recruitment regimes, showed that maintaining the annual exploitation rate at around 10-15%, similar to the status quo, was likely acceptable for meeting the trial management objectives applied in this study over the long-term.
The monitoring, modelling and other analytical tools developed will improve the assessment of overfishing risk on the WVSS and the capacity of managers, policy makers and stakeholders to work together on a planned and informed approach for managing fishing mortality risks, including development of operational objectives.
Final Report • 2019-05-28 • 12.57 MB
2013-201-DLD.pdf

Summary

This report involves the ‘Western Victorian Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) Stock’ (WVSS) which supports arguably the most important marine fin-fish fishery for Victoria. While the majority of the harvest is by Victorian fisheries, this stock is a straddling stock shared with South Australia. This report describes a largely scientific project conducted by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) in collaboration with fisheries modelling scientists from MEZO Research. The project was initiated in 2013 to address concerns about uncertainty of management risks associated with increased fishing pressure across sectors and jurisdictions, and the inability to track recreational harvest trends and adequately incorporate recreational fishing pressure into stock assessment and management.
The project developed approaches using remote internet protocol (IP) cameras at boat ramps to monitor recreational boat fishing effort in the main Victorian fishing areas of Port Phillip Bay and Western Port Bay, and to integrate the fishing effort data with recreational survey (boat ramp creel survey) data on Snapper catch rates and length compositions to create a ‘harvest index’ to track Snapper harvest trends over time. The boat ramp camera trial explored two monitoring approaches; time lapse image capture, where an image of the ramp is recorded every two minutes and sub-sampling routines are applied to estimate total effort, and an ‘activity sensor’ approach, where images are recorded only when certain types of activity are detected (i.e. boat/vehicle movement) within a specified activity area.
A new ‘Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE)’ modelling tool, ‘SnapMSE’, utilising the free population modelling framework, ‘Stock Synthesis’, was created to evaluate management risks and trade-offs associated with different levels of fishing mortality in relation to specified objectives. The analytical tools developed utilised ‘R’, an open source software environment for statistical computing and graphics that is commonly used by scientist worldwide, and have been created so they are accessible to fisheries scientist with moderate experience using R. The MOU agreement between the VFA and PIRSA was developed via numerous phone meetings and a drafting workshop. An operational framework was developed for guiding implementation of the MOU.
The project demonstrated that IP cameras can be a cost-effective approach for monitoring trends in recreational boat fishing effort, and when combined with creel survey data can be used to monitor trends in targeted Snapper fishing effort, harvest from individual access points (boat ramps) and to derive a recreational ‘harvest index’ for monitoring trends in recreational Snapper harvest across the fishery. The first MSE model framework for a Victorian fin-fish fishery was successfully developed. The evaluation of alternative harvest control rules under high, average and low recruitment regimes, showed that maintaining the annual exploitation rate at around 10-15%, similar to the status quo, was likely acceptable for meeting the trial management objectives applied in this study over the long-term.
The monitoring, modelling and other analytical tools developed will improve the assessment of overfishing risk on the WVSS and the capacity of managers, policy makers and stakeholders to work together on a planned and informed approach for managing fishing mortality risks, including development of operational objectives.
Final Report • 2019-05-28 • 12.57 MB
2013-201-DLD.pdf

Summary

This report involves the ‘Western Victorian Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) Stock’ (WVSS) which supports arguably the most important marine fin-fish fishery for Victoria. While the majority of the harvest is by Victorian fisheries, this stock is a straddling stock shared with South Australia. This report describes a largely scientific project conducted by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) in collaboration with fisheries modelling scientists from MEZO Research. The project was initiated in 2013 to address concerns about uncertainty of management risks associated with increased fishing pressure across sectors and jurisdictions, and the inability to track recreational harvest trends and adequately incorporate recreational fishing pressure into stock assessment and management.
The project developed approaches using remote internet protocol (IP) cameras at boat ramps to monitor recreational boat fishing effort in the main Victorian fishing areas of Port Phillip Bay and Western Port Bay, and to integrate the fishing effort data with recreational survey (boat ramp creel survey) data on Snapper catch rates and length compositions to create a ‘harvest index’ to track Snapper harvest trends over time. The boat ramp camera trial explored two monitoring approaches; time lapse image capture, where an image of the ramp is recorded every two minutes and sub-sampling routines are applied to estimate total effort, and an ‘activity sensor’ approach, where images are recorded only when certain types of activity are detected (i.e. boat/vehicle movement) within a specified activity area.
A new ‘Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE)’ modelling tool, ‘SnapMSE’, utilising the free population modelling framework, ‘Stock Synthesis’, was created to evaluate management risks and trade-offs associated with different levels of fishing mortality in relation to specified objectives. The analytical tools developed utilised ‘R’, an open source software environment for statistical computing and graphics that is commonly used by scientist worldwide, and have been created so they are accessible to fisheries scientist with moderate experience using R. The MOU agreement between the VFA and PIRSA was developed via numerous phone meetings and a drafting workshop. An operational framework was developed for guiding implementation of the MOU.
The project demonstrated that IP cameras can be a cost-effective approach for monitoring trends in recreational boat fishing effort, and when combined with creel survey data can be used to monitor trends in targeted Snapper fishing effort, harvest from individual access points (boat ramps) and to derive a recreational ‘harvest index’ for monitoring trends in recreational Snapper harvest across the fishery. The first MSE model framework for a Victorian fin-fish fishery was successfully developed. The evaluation of alternative harvest control rules under high, average and low recruitment regimes, showed that maintaining the annual exploitation rate at around 10-15%, similar to the status quo, was likely acceptable for meeting the trial management objectives applied in this study over the long-term.
The monitoring, modelling and other analytical tools developed will improve the assessment of overfishing risk on the WVSS and the capacity of managers, policy makers and stakeholders to work together on a planned and informed approach for managing fishing mortality risks, including development of operational objectives.
Final Report • 2019-05-28 • 12.57 MB
2013-201-DLD.pdf

Summary

This report involves the ‘Western Victorian Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) Stock’ (WVSS) which supports arguably the most important marine fin-fish fishery for Victoria. While the majority of the harvest is by Victorian fisheries, this stock is a straddling stock shared with South Australia. This report describes a largely scientific project conducted by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) in collaboration with fisheries modelling scientists from MEZO Research. The project was initiated in 2013 to address concerns about uncertainty of management risks associated with increased fishing pressure across sectors and jurisdictions, and the inability to track recreational harvest trends and adequately incorporate recreational fishing pressure into stock assessment and management.
The project developed approaches using remote internet protocol (IP) cameras at boat ramps to monitor recreational boat fishing effort in the main Victorian fishing areas of Port Phillip Bay and Western Port Bay, and to integrate the fishing effort data with recreational survey (boat ramp creel survey) data on Snapper catch rates and length compositions to create a ‘harvest index’ to track Snapper harvest trends over time. The boat ramp camera trial explored two monitoring approaches; time lapse image capture, where an image of the ramp is recorded every two minutes and sub-sampling routines are applied to estimate total effort, and an ‘activity sensor’ approach, where images are recorded only when certain types of activity are detected (i.e. boat/vehicle movement) within a specified activity area.
A new ‘Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE)’ modelling tool, ‘SnapMSE’, utilising the free population modelling framework, ‘Stock Synthesis’, was created to evaluate management risks and trade-offs associated with different levels of fishing mortality in relation to specified objectives. The analytical tools developed utilised ‘R’, an open source software environment for statistical computing and graphics that is commonly used by scientist worldwide, and have been created so they are accessible to fisheries scientist with moderate experience using R. The MOU agreement between the VFA and PIRSA was developed via numerous phone meetings and a drafting workshop. An operational framework was developed for guiding implementation of the MOU.
The project demonstrated that IP cameras can be a cost-effective approach for monitoring trends in recreational boat fishing effort, and when combined with creel survey data can be used to monitor trends in targeted Snapper fishing effort, harvest from individual access points (boat ramps) and to derive a recreational ‘harvest index’ for monitoring trends in recreational Snapper harvest across the fishery. The first MSE model framework for a Victorian fin-fish fishery was successfully developed. The evaluation of alternative harvest control rules under high, average and low recruitment regimes, showed that maintaining the annual exploitation rate at around 10-15%, similar to the status quo, was likely acceptable for meeting the trial management objectives applied in this study over the long-term.
The monitoring, modelling and other analytical tools developed will improve the assessment of overfishing risk on the WVSS and the capacity of managers, policy makers and stakeholders to work together on a planned and informed approach for managing fishing mortality risks, including development of operational objectives.
Final Report • 2019-05-28 • 12.57 MB
2013-201-DLD.pdf

Summary

This report involves the ‘Western Victorian Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) Stock’ (WVSS) which supports arguably the most important marine fin-fish fishery for Victoria. While the majority of the harvest is by Victorian fisheries, this stock is a straddling stock shared with South Australia. This report describes a largely scientific project conducted by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) in collaboration with fisheries modelling scientists from MEZO Research. The project was initiated in 2013 to address concerns about uncertainty of management risks associated with increased fishing pressure across sectors and jurisdictions, and the inability to track recreational harvest trends and adequately incorporate recreational fishing pressure into stock assessment and management.
The project developed approaches using remote internet protocol (IP) cameras at boat ramps to monitor recreational boat fishing effort in the main Victorian fishing areas of Port Phillip Bay and Western Port Bay, and to integrate the fishing effort data with recreational survey (boat ramp creel survey) data on Snapper catch rates and length compositions to create a ‘harvest index’ to track Snapper harvest trends over time. The boat ramp camera trial explored two monitoring approaches; time lapse image capture, where an image of the ramp is recorded every two minutes and sub-sampling routines are applied to estimate total effort, and an ‘activity sensor’ approach, where images are recorded only when certain types of activity are detected (i.e. boat/vehicle movement) within a specified activity area.
A new ‘Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE)’ modelling tool, ‘SnapMSE’, utilising the free population modelling framework, ‘Stock Synthesis’, was created to evaluate management risks and trade-offs associated with different levels of fishing mortality in relation to specified objectives. The analytical tools developed utilised ‘R’, an open source software environment for statistical computing and graphics that is commonly used by scientist worldwide, and have been created so they are accessible to fisheries scientist with moderate experience using R. The MOU agreement between the VFA and PIRSA was developed via numerous phone meetings and a drafting workshop. An operational framework was developed for guiding implementation of the MOU.
The project demonstrated that IP cameras can be a cost-effective approach for monitoring trends in recreational boat fishing effort, and when combined with creel survey data can be used to monitor trends in targeted Snapper fishing effort, harvest from individual access points (boat ramps) and to derive a recreational ‘harvest index’ for monitoring trends in recreational Snapper harvest across the fishery. The first MSE model framework for a Victorian fin-fish fishery was successfully developed. The evaluation of alternative harvest control rules under high, average and low recruitment regimes, showed that maintaining the annual exploitation rate at around 10-15%, similar to the status quo, was likely acceptable for meeting the trial management objectives applied in this study over the long-term.
The monitoring, modelling and other analytical tools developed will improve the assessment of overfishing risk on the WVSS and the capacity of managers, policy makers and stakeholders to work together on a planned and informed approach for managing fishing mortality risks, including development of operational objectives.

Related research

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PROJECT NUMBER • 2024-087
PROJECT STATUS:
CURRENT

Snapper Science Program: Theme 3 - Monitoring and Assessment

1. Develop annual length and age structures for each regional Snapper population in 2023/24 and 2024/25 to monitor trends in population demographics and recruitment to the fishable biomass.
ORGANISATION:
Flinders University
Environment
Adoption

Developing a fishery independent estimate of biomass for snapper

Project number: 2014-019
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $316,985.00
Principal Investigator: Mike A. Steer
Organisation: SARDI Food Safety and Innovation
Project start/end date: 13 Jul 2014 - 29 Jun 2016
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Sustainability
Survey
Stock Assessment
Reproduction
Rac Sa
SPECIES
Snapper

Need

Increased formalisation of harvest strategies for snapper across Australia’s four main jurisdictions (East Coast, Western Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia) was identified as a national priority (at the National Strategic Planning Workshop for Snapper Research – 1st March 2013). Two key processes were recognised as being fundamental to achieving this: 1. development of a snapper-specific integrated fishery model; and 2. integration of a fishery-independent estimate of abundance. Each jurisdiction is currently at a different level of advancement in their assessment and management capability, with WA leading the way. A snapper model is currently used to underpin the assessment of South Australia’s snapper resource, whereas Western Victoria is in the process of developing their own and the East Coast is yet to develop one. South Australia and Western Victoria are at a level where the development and integration of a DEPM, that would provide a fishery-independent estimate of biomass, would considerably enhance their respective stock assessment programs.

The need for a DEPM is more urgent for South Australia, as recent structural changes in the snapper fishery have compromised the integrity of the time series of fishery-dependent statistics that have been relied on to assess the resource in the past. Fishery-independent estimates of snapper biomass are required to feed into the existing stock assessment model to ensure that future assessments and harvest strategies are developed from unbiased information. This research direction has been unanimously supported by the relevant stakeholders in South Australia’s Snapper Fishery. The Western Victorian fishery is likely to encounter similar issues to South Australia, particularly as their fishery is dominated by the recreational sector where the routine collection of catch and effort data to integrate into the assessment process is often challenging.

Objectives

1. To develop a DEPM for snapper that provides the most accurate estimate of biomass and integrates with the on-going assessment and management of the resource.

Final report

ISBN: 978-1-921563-96-6
Authors: M.A. Steer R. McGarvey A. Oxley A.J. Fowler G. Grammer T.M Ward E. Westlake D. Matthews and J. Matthews
Final Report • 2017-07-01 • 2.08 MB
2014-019-DLD.pdf

Summary

This study was undertaken by the South Australia Research and Development Institute (SARDI). Through overcoming considerable technical challenges, this study was the first to successfully develop a relatively non-destructive molecular probe that can reliably identify Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) eggs and larvae in mixed ichthyoplankton samples. This highly-specific molecular probe targets Snapper ribosomal (r)RNA and when conjugated with a reactive molecule produces a highly visible blue colour in positive reactions. Snapper eggs are subsequently easily detected using a standard stereo dissecting microscope. This novel use of an established molecular technique has re-invigorated the capability of using the daily egg production method (DEPM) to provide a fishery-independent estimate of spawning biomass for Snapper and has also increased its applicability to other species where egg identification has been problematic. This research has reduced the need to exclusively rely on fishery-dependent catch and effort data to assess Snapper fisheries and has demonstrated that the incorporation of the DEPM into South Australia’s existing assessment program is relatively cost-effective and likely to benefit the management and industry. Adding the DEPM will contribute an extra unbiased source of information that can be synthesised with existing fishery-dependent data streams that will lead to more confident assessments of the stock and ensure the long term sustainability of the State’s Snapper resource.

Final Report • 2017-07-01 • 2.08 MB
2014-019-DLD.pdf

Summary

This study was undertaken by the South Australia Research and Development Institute (SARDI). Through overcoming considerable technical challenges, this study was the first to successfully develop a relatively non-destructive molecular probe that can reliably identify Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) eggs and larvae in mixed ichthyoplankton samples. This highly-specific molecular probe targets Snapper ribosomal (r)RNA and when conjugated with a reactive molecule produces a highly visible blue colour in positive reactions. Snapper eggs are subsequently easily detected using a standard stereo dissecting microscope. This novel use of an established molecular technique has re-invigorated the capability of using the daily egg production method (DEPM) to provide a fishery-independent estimate of spawning biomass for Snapper and has also increased its applicability to other species where egg identification has been problematic. This research has reduced the need to exclusively rely on fishery-dependent catch and effort data to assess Snapper fisheries and has demonstrated that the incorporation of the DEPM into South Australia’s existing assessment program is relatively cost-effective and likely to benefit the management and industry. Adding the DEPM will contribute an extra unbiased source of information that can be synthesised with existing fishery-dependent data streams that will lead to more confident assessments of the stock and ensure the long term sustainability of the State’s Snapper resource.

Final Report • 2017-07-01 • 2.08 MB
2014-019-DLD.pdf

Summary

This study was undertaken by the South Australia Research and Development Institute (SARDI). Through overcoming considerable technical challenges, this study was the first to successfully develop a relatively non-destructive molecular probe that can reliably identify Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) eggs and larvae in mixed ichthyoplankton samples. This highly-specific molecular probe targets Snapper ribosomal (r)RNA and when conjugated with a reactive molecule produces a highly visible blue colour in positive reactions. Snapper eggs are subsequently easily detected using a standard stereo dissecting microscope. This novel use of an established molecular technique has re-invigorated the capability of using the daily egg production method (DEPM) to provide a fishery-independent estimate of spawning biomass for Snapper and has also increased its applicability to other species where egg identification has been problematic. This research has reduced the need to exclusively rely on fishery-dependent catch and effort data to assess Snapper fisheries and has demonstrated that the incorporation of the DEPM into South Australia’s existing assessment program is relatively cost-effective and likely to benefit the management and industry. Adding the DEPM will contribute an extra unbiased source of information that can be synthesised with existing fishery-dependent data streams that will lead to more confident assessments of the stock and ensure the long term sustainability of the State’s Snapper resource.

Final Report • 2017-07-01 • 2.08 MB
2014-019-DLD.pdf

Summary

This study was undertaken by the South Australia Research and Development Institute (SARDI). Through overcoming considerable technical challenges, this study was the first to successfully develop a relatively non-destructive molecular probe that can reliably identify Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) eggs and larvae in mixed ichthyoplankton samples. This highly-specific molecular probe targets Snapper ribosomal (r)RNA and when conjugated with a reactive molecule produces a highly visible blue colour in positive reactions. Snapper eggs are subsequently easily detected using a standard stereo dissecting microscope. This novel use of an established molecular technique has re-invigorated the capability of using the daily egg production method (DEPM) to provide a fishery-independent estimate of spawning biomass for Snapper and has also increased its applicability to other species where egg identification has been problematic. This research has reduced the need to exclusively rely on fishery-dependent catch and effort data to assess Snapper fisheries and has demonstrated that the incorporation of the DEPM into South Australia’s existing assessment program is relatively cost-effective and likely to benefit the management and industry. Adding the DEPM will contribute an extra unbiased source of information that can be synthesised with existing fishery-dependent data streams that will lead to more confident assessments of the stock and ensure the long term sustainability of the State’s Snapper resource.

Final Report • 2017-07-01 • 2.08 MB
2014-019-DLD.pdf

Summary

This study was undertaken by the South Australia Research and Development Institute (SARDI). Through overcoming considerable technical challenges, this study was the first to successfully develop a relatively non-destructive molecular probe that can reliably identify Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) eggs and larvae in mixed ichthyoplankton samples. This highly-specific molecular probe targets Snapper ribosomal (r)RNA and when conjugated with a reactive molecule produces a highly visible blue colour in positive reactions. Snapper eggs are subsequently easily detected using a standard stereo dissecting microscope. This novel use of an established molecular technique has re-invigorated the capability of using the daily egg production method (DEPM) to provide a fishery-independent estimate of spawning biomass for Snapper and has also increased its applicability to other species where egg identification has been problematic. This research has reduced the need to exclusively rely on fishery-dependent catch and effort data to assess Snapper fisheries and has demonstrated that the incorporation of the DEPM into South Australia’s existing assessment program is relatively cost-effective and likely to benefit the management and industry. Adding the DEPM will contribute an extra unbiased source of information that can be synthesised with existing fishery-dependent data streams that will lead to more confident assessments of the stock and ensure the long term sustainability of the State’s Snapper resource.

Final Report • 2017-07-01 • 2.08 MB
2014-019-DLD.pdf

Summary

This study was undertaken by the South Australia Research and Development Institute (SARDI). Through overcoming considerable technical challenges, this study was the first to successfully develop a relatively non-destructive molecular probe that can reliably identify Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) eggs and larvae in mixed ichthyoplankton samples. This highly-specific molecular probe targets Snapper ribosomal (r)RNA and when conjugated with a reactive molecule produces a highly visible blue colour in positive reactions. Snapper eggs are subsequently easily detected using a standard stereo dissecting microscope. This novel use of an established molecular technique has re-invigorated the capability of using the daily egg production method (DEPM) to provide a fishery-independent estimate of spawning biomass for Snapper and has also increased its applicability to other species where egg identification has been problematic. This research has reduced the need to exclusively rely on fishery-dependent catch and effort data to assess Snapper fisheries and has demonstrated that the incorporation of the DEPM into South Australia’s existing assessment program is relatively cost-effective and likely to benefit the management and industry. Adding the DEPM will contribute an extra unbiased source of information that can be synthesised with existing fishery-dependent data streams that will lead to more confident assessments of the stock and ensure the long term sustainability of the State’s Snapper resource.

Final Report • 2017-07-01 • 2.08 MB
2014-019-DLD.pdf

Summary

This study was undertaken by the South Australia Research and Development Institute (SARDI). Through overcoming considerable technical challenges, this study was the first to successfully develop a relatively non-destructive molecular probe that can reliably identify Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) eggs and larvae in mixed ichthyoplankton samples. This highly-specific molecular probe targets Snapper ribosomal (r)RNA and when conjugated with a reactive molecule produces a highly visible blue colour in positive reactions. Snapper eggs are subsequently easily detected using a standard stereo dissecting microscope. This novel use of an established molecular technique has re-invigorated the capability of using the daily egg production method (DEPM) to provide a fishery-independent estimate of spawning biomass for Snapper and has also increased its applicability to other species where egg identification has been problematic. This research has reduced the need to exclusively rely on fishery-dependent catch and effort data to assess Snapper fisheries and has demonstrated that the incorporation of the DEPM into South Australia’s existing assessment program is relatively cost-effective and likely to benefit the management and industry. Adding the DEPM will contribute an extra unbiased source of information that can be synthesised with existing fishery-dependent data streams that will lead to more confident assessments of the stock and ensure the long term sustainability of the State’s Snapper resource.

Final Report • 2017-07-01 • 2.08 MB
2014-019-DLD.pdf

Summary

This study was undertaken by the South Australia Research and Development Institute (SARDI). Through overcoming considerable technical challenges, this study was the first to successfully develop a relatively non-destructive molecular probe that can reliably identify Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) eggs and larvae in mixed ichthyoplankton samples. This highly-specific molecular probe targets Snapper ribosomal (r)RNA and when conjugated with a reactive molecule produces a highly visible blue colour in positive reactions. Snapper eggs are subsequently easily detected using a standard stereo dissecting microscope. This novel use of an established molecular technique has re-invigorated the capability of using the daily egg production method (DEPM) to provide a fishery-independent estimate of spawning biomass for Snapper and has also increased its applicability to other species where egg identification has been problematic. This research has reduced the need to exclusively rely on fishery-dependent catch and effort data to assess Snapper fisheries and has demonstrated that the incorporation of the DEPM into South Australia’s existing assessment program is relatively cost-effective and likely to benefit the management and industry. Adding the DEPM will contribute an extra unbiased source of information that can be synthesised with existing fishery-dependent data streams that will lead to more confident assessments of the stock and ensure the long term sustainability of the State’s Snapper resource.

Final Report • 2017-07-01 • 2.08 MB
2014-019-DLD.pdf

Summary

This study was undertaken by the South Australia Research and Development Institute (SARDI). Through overcoming considerable technical challenges, this study was the first to successfully develop a relatively non-destructive molecular probe that can reliably identify Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) eggs and larvae in mixed ichthyoplankton samples. This highly-specific molecular probe targets Snapper ribosomal (r)RNA and when conjugated with a reactive molecule produces a highly visible blue colour in positive reactions. Snapper eggs are subsequently easily detected using a standard stereo dissecting microscope. This novel use of an established molecular technique has re-invigorated the capability of using the daily egg production method (DEPM) to provide a fishery-independent estimate of spawning biomass for Snapper and has also increased its applicability to other species where egg identification has been problematic. This research has reduced the need to exclusively rely on fishery-dependent catch and effort data to assess Snapper fisheries and has demonstrated that the incorporation of the DEPM into South Australia’s existing assessment program is relatively cost-effective and likely to benefit the management and industry. Adding the DEPM will contribute an extra unbiased source of information that can be synthesised with existing fishery-dependent data streams that will lead to more confident assessments of the stock and ensure the long term sustainability of the State’s Snapper resource.