Annual Report 2014 Chair Ian Cartwright Background The FRAG is a committee established by the TAC to consider outcomes of the abalone assessment including the interim data report review performance of the ID: 747404
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Slide1
Abalone Fisheries Resource Assessment Group
Annual Report 2014
Chair: Ian CartwrightSlide2
Background
The FRAG is a committee established by the TAC to:
consider
outcomes
of the abalone
assessment
, including the interim data
report;
review performance of the
fishery
at the block
level;
discuss and
identify key
drivers
influencing
catch and effort
distribution, and catch rates;
consider TAC setting motions from industry and provide comments prior to the AGM;
provide recommendations to AbFAC on the annual
TAC, distribution
of
catch and related issues;
and
provide other advice
as required,
including advice relating to
size limits, zone boundaries and research.Slide3
Operation
Membership: independent Chair, full membership of the TAC, CEO of the Council, 3 TAFI reps and 1 DPIPWE fisheries manager.
Observers welcome and have generally provided valuable input
F
our meetings per year; process difficult in 2014
Timing linked to FAC dates, to ensure timely advice to TAC and FAC
FAC memberships expired and no reappointments made by the Minister
The Abalone Council considers advice from the FRAG and makes its own submissions
The FRAG agreed to a review of its operation and TORs for 2015Slide4
Size Limits
Were discussed at all FRAG meetings
Size limit regulation changes were suspended in 2014 following a) public consultation and b) pending study into two-year rule by Drs. Haddon and Mundy (interim report by end 2014, then to be discussed with industry)
Recent modelling by Haddon suggests move to 150 mm west coast LML does not provide any short term benefit.
DPIPWE will continue discussions with industry including incremental return of Block 5 LML to 132 mmSlide5
Meeting 1: 14 April 2014
Considered, discussed, and as appropriate, made recommendations on:
a review of the 2013 season and the draft assessment prepared by TAFI, and catch and effort data from the fishery to date.
Progress with the MCDA analysis, initially based on catch and catch rate
.
Progress with the introduction of data loggers.
Discussion of the Central West boundaries, with acknowledgment that the changes had not been as successful as anticipated.
Proposal for
g
reenlip
closure in first three months of 2015 (Islands and Perkins Bay to remain open).Slide6
Meeting 2: June 16 2014
Considered, discussed, and as appropriate, made recommendations on:
Central west boundary proposal – agreed to reinstate southern boundary (Strahan)
Size limit changes – noting 2014 change unlikely
MCDA presentation and initial suggestions for 2014
Some concern at the levels of reduction in catch inferred from draft MCDA outputs
Planning for a diver workshop and clarification of target catch ratesSlide7
Informal meeting at TAC offices 19 June 2014
Convened after discussion and feedback from FRAG #2 and concerns raised.
Size of proposed catch reductions, lack of clarity in targets and untested nature of MCDA identified as issues
Agreed that Malcolm Haddon would run W. Coast abalone model to determine if holding TAC at current level (or small reduction). Combined with increased size limit (145-150mm) would be appropriate.
Agreed to run additional FRAG meeting and modify formatSlide8
Meeting 3: September 4 2014
Considered, discussed, and as appropriate, made recommendations on:
Preliminary discussion of 2015 TAC and results of MCDA analysis
IMAS suggestions
W.Zone reduction of 210t; divers supported
Status quo for E. Zone
CW Zone issues with current catch levels but no clear direction – boundary issue
N Zone, reduction of 100t mostly Blocks 5, 49 and King Island
Bass Strait – status quo
Hunter island shell study update: change in density did not affect growth rate but too early to detect clear improvements in meat qualitySlide9
Meeting 4: 9 October 2014
Considered, discussed, and as appropriate, made recommendations on:
The impact of ‘doubling up’ on catch rates and the fisheries assessment – while most trends remain the same, clear that standardised CPUE should be used
Peer review of the MCDA process scheduled for 2015
New format of status of stocks document, with clear IMAS recommendations
2015 TAC recommendations
Extent and access to
King Island
deepwater
stocks uncertain - consideration of a ‘
deepwater
’
fishery for KI.
Retention of delayed opening for Eastern ZoneSlide10
Boundary changes 1.
Adjust Block 30C/31A boundary southwards so that Victoria Rocks is part of Block 31ASlide11
Boundary changes 2.Adjust the eastern Bass Strait/Northern Zone boundary eastwards so that Bass Strait includes Block 40 and 39BSlide12
Boundary changes 3.Adjust the western Bass Strait/Northern boundary westwards so that Bass Strait includes Blocks 47 & 48A.Slide13
Central West ZoneGeneral agreement that the Central West Zone was not working as intended
DPIPWE proposal
to reinstate the southern boundary
to
its original
position (Strahan)
Extensive discussion with majority support for:
Northern Zone Shift south
to Wild Wave River, including
5D, 6A, 6B,6C
Central West to include 6D,
7,8 (to Ocean Beach)
Western Zone to include 9 –
13B (
Whale Head)
Some dissent from this view on the basis of devaluation of quota and no decision reachedSlide14Slide15
Key issues
Bass Strait and
Greenlip
faring OK
Generally acknowledged that while there is some way to go with the E. Coast rebuild, signs are such that the status quo was acceptable. Need for caps discussed.
Two key trains of thought on the West and Central West Zones:
That the reductions so far (>300t) have been sufficient to halt the decline and that all things being equal stocks will rebuild from here
Stocks are so low as to justify a further reduction in order to be more sure of halting decline and rebuilding the fishery in a reasonable time frame
Three key areas in the N. Zone require reductions (Blocks 5, 49 and 3)Slide16
TAC Changes
Reduction of
69
t fr0m 1,935t in 2012 to 1,866 in 2015
Eastern Zone, Bass Strait, G/Lip and Western Zone– no change
Northern Zone, reduction of
45t
(KI, Block 5, Block 39)
Central Western Zone Reduction of
22.5tSlide17
2015 TAC Summary
Eastern Zone
530t
Northern Zone
235t
Central Western Zone
52.5t
Western Zone
840t
Bass Strait Blacklip
70t
Greenlip
138.5
TOTAL
1,866tSlide18
Conclusions
FRAG process hampered by lack of a FAC, growing frustration, and scheduling fewer FRAG meetings.
Need for review of both the FRAG operation and the TAC setting process.
Lack of a management framework, agreed targets and timelines to rebuild.
IMAS (and CSIRO) researchers pushed to deliver necessary support with current resourcing, but making significant progress.
Logger data offers promise of more objective decision making – again not realised this year.
Observers attended all meetings; comments and input from the wider industry welcomed