CRC Reef Research Centre - Status of Queensland's East Coast Fisheries

CRC Reef Research Centre
PO Box 772 Townsville
Queensland 4810 Australia
Telephone: 61 7 4729 8400
Facsimile: 61 7 4729 8499
Email: info@crcreef.com

Queensland's East Coast Reef Line Fishery

Overview

Line fishing on the Reef
Photo by CRC Reef

Line fishing takes place along the length of the Queensland east coast. Commercial line fishing for coral reef fin fish is concentrated between Cooktown and Fraser Island (outside of Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area).

More than 120 fish species are caught in the commercial line fishery although only a few of them are actively targeted by commercial fishers. Targeted species are of high value and include demersal species such as coral trout, red throat emperor, red emperor, tropical snappers, reef cods, and pelagic species such as Spanish mackerel.

Recreational line fishing, including the charter sector of the fishery, also target these species particularly the highly prized trophy fish such as Spanish mackerel, red emperor and coral trout.

Critical issues

Commercial catch quotas for the east coast coral reef fin fish and Spanish mackerel fisheries were introduced on 1 July 2004, under the Fisheries (Coral Reef Fin Fish) Management Plan 2003 (the Plan) and the Fisheries Regulation 1994 (the Regulation) repectively. The new management arrangements limit the number of commercial operators licensed to fish in these fisheries in order to balance economic needs and ecological sustainability. Both these factors are vital to ensure long-term sustainability of the resources on which these fisheries depend.

Commercial catch quotas were introduced to cap the amount of coral trout, red throat emperor, other coral reef fish species, and Spanish mackerel caught during a fishing year. As a result, fishers are now thinking about how to get the maximum return from their quota, rather than simply maximising their catch. Fishers in the coral trout fishery are more likely to target plate-sized coral trout which have a higher profit margin than larger specimens, particularly in the live fish trade.

Bycatch may also be a problem because the management Plan restricts what fish may be brought to shore by a commercial operation, but cannot prevent non-target fish (including no-take species) from being caught and then returned to the water. CRC Reef and the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries are assessing the rate of survival of different coral reef fin fish species once returned to the water following capture. This research will provide advice to fishers about how best to handle and release line-caught fish so that they have the best chance of survival.

There are still gaps in our knowledge about the biology of many species of coral reef fish, and how well management strategies protect the different species listed in the Plan. The population dynamics of several important species caught by recreational and commercial fishers are still poorly understood. These include nannygai, and camouflage and flowery cod species. CRC Reef's Fishing and Fisheries research team are investigating the biology of several of these reef fish.

Catch statistics and value

Prior to the introduction of the Plan in September 2003, there were about 1700 licenses able to catch reef fish. Of these, about 527 line-fishing boats operated in the GBRWHA for a total of about 35,000 primary boat fishing days. They caught 4,700 tonnes of fish worth $78 million. This catch comprised 1,000 tonnes of live coral trout (worth $35 million); 1,100 tonnes of dead coral trout (worth $17 million); 1,100 tonnes of red throat emperor (worth $10 million); and 1,600 tonnes of other species (worth $16 million). Another 500 tonnes of fish were caught by line fishers during about 5,300 primary boat days on Queensland’s east coast outside the GBRWHA, at a value of $4 million (Data extracted from http://chrisweb.dpi.qld.gov.au 30 June 2004 with permission from Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries).

In July 2004, a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) was introduced which capped the commercial catch of coral reef fin fish at 3,061 tonnes per year and of east coast Spanish mackerel at 620 tonnes per year. The coral reef fin fish fisheries catch quota incorporates three individual quotas for: coral trout (1,350 tonnes); red throat emperor (700 tonnes); and other coral reef species (1,011 tonnes). The TAC was set at a conservative estimate to ensure a buffer from this catch level. These restricted quotas (as well as other factors such as market influences) are expected to reduce the Gross Value of Production.

Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQs) (as a specific number of line units) have been allocated to commercial fishers who hold an 'RQ' fishing endorsement for coral reef fin fish species and/or an 'SM' fishing endorsement for Spanish mackerel. The number of line units allocated was based on the catch history of the fishing licence. These line units may be transferred temporarily to another licence that holds an 'RQ' or 'SM' symbol or sold permanently to another licence permanently.

Surveys of recreational fishers in 1999 (RFISH) estimated the recreational catch of coral reef fin fish species at 2,494 tonnes and 406 tonnes for Spanish mackerel.

The long term monitoring program by the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F), in conjunction with data collected by CRC Reef is being used to better assess the status of the coral reef fin fish fishery and the appropriateness of the current Total Allowable Catch of 3,061 tonnes. Collection of data from the east coast Spanish mackerel fishery was recently expanded to include fish stocks between regions along the east coast of Queensland and at various times of the year. This is in contrast to the previous method of data collection for Spanish mackerel which concentrated on the spawning population off the coast of Townsville in October/ November each year.

Management

The coral reef fin fish and the Spanish mackerel fisheries are managed by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F).

Commercial sector: Until 1993, all commercial catch of coral trout in Australia was marketed locally and internationally either as frozen fillets, frozen gilled and gutted fish, or chilled whole fish. By 1994, the demand for live coral trout began increasing particularly in Asian markets and by 2000, nearly half the entire coral trout catch was exported as live food fish to overseas markets in south-east Asia (for more information see the CRC Reef Line Fishing brochure).

Concern over the sustainability of rising levels of catch and effort led to the release of an 'Investment and Increased Effort Warning' in May 1997 by the Queensland Government. This warning advised commercial operators not to invest further in the fishery or increase their effort until new management arrangements had come into place. Despite this, the commercial catch peaked at 4,800 tonnes in 2001 with a proportionate increase in the commercial catch of coral trout, red throat emperor and other species. New management arrangements for the reef line fishery were introduced in September 2003. Concern over a shift in fishing effort from the coral reef fin fish fishery to east coast Spanish mackerel resulted in new management arrangements for the Spanish mackerel fishery coming into effect simultaneously under the Regulation.

All commercial fishers must have a fishing license with a 'RQ' and/or 'SM' endorsement with line units to fish these species. To limit commercial fishing effort, no new commercial fishing boat licences or endorsements will be issued in the future. Stringent reporting requirements also apply to licensed commercial fishers to ensure they comply with requirements.

Seven species are now protected in Queensland, because of conservation concern, iconic value, or ciguatera concern, and must not be caught. These are the humphead maori wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), potato cod (Epinephelus tukula), barramundi cod (Cromileptes altivelis), Queensland groper (Epinephelus lanceolatus), red bass (Lutjanus bohar), chinaman fish (Symphorus nematophorus) and paddletail (Lutjanus gibbus).

Legal size limits for coral reef fin fish and Spanish mackerel apply to both commercial and recreational fishers. These size limits tend to be based on research into the biology of fish species, and help to protect the reproductive capacity of fish populations. CRC Reef's Fishing and Fisheries Group are studying the effect of size limits as a strategy to protect fished species including coral trout. Legal in-possession limits for coral reef fin fish and Spanish mackerel also apply for recreational fishers.

There are three nine-day spawning closed seasons for coral reef finfish. These closures apply to both commercial and recreational fishers, and take place around new moon periods during October, November and December, the peak spawning time for fish such as coral trout.

For more information, contact the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol, or visit the DPI&F Fishweb website.

In addition, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) zoning restricts commercial line fishing to Habitat Protection (dark blue) and General Use (light blue) zones. Limited line fishing using one rod/line per person and one hook per line is allowed in a Conservation Park (yellow) zone, and trolling using three lines and up to six hooks to take pelagic species is permitted in a Buffer (olive green) zone.

Restrictions on fishing gear apply, depending on the zone, and are enforced by DPI&F and GBRMPA. (See GBRMPA's pdf document – Activities Guide for New Zoning )

Environmental accreditation

The Australian Government's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act requires all Commonwealth-managed fisheries and all State-managed fisheries with an export component to be assessed for sustainability by December 2005. DPI&F have prepared assessment reports for a number of Queensland fisheries, which are in the process of being assessed and approved. There is a period of public comment for each report, advertised on the Department of Environment and Heritage website.

Key target species

Coral trout

Red emperor

Red throat emperor

Spanish mackerel