Fish Trawling - has destroyed fisheries around the world and is happening right here in Qld now
If you think that trawlers in Queensland only target prawns and scallops, think again. There has been a fish trawling fishery operating happily under extremely dubious permissions in the Gulf of Carpentaria for some years. These trawlers primarily target fish from the Lutjanis family - jacks, fingermark, saddle-tail and crimson snapper - and take what most of us would consider huge quantities.
Following is an article dealing with fish trawling by Dave Donald - very scary stuff!
Local mangrove jack populations on the west coast of Cape York may be on the verge of collapse! A state government report on the catches made by fish trawlers operating from Weipa contains statistics that show catches of mangrove jack from the Gulf south of 15 degrees south dropped from 32% of the catch in 2009 to only 3% in 2010. These startling revelations may indicate that trawling during past years has virtually wiped out spawning aggregations of this species in that area.
Mangrove jacks have a unique breeding cycle. Fingerlings are hatched in deep water offshore then move into the estuaries where they grow to breeding size. The adults then migrate offshore where they congregate in large numbers to begin spawning. The fish trawlers target these aggregations and have been known to take up to 4 tonnes in one shot, that’s over 2,500 fish averaging 1.5 kilos each.
In Gulf waters, there is no protection for these breeding fish. They congregate over open bottom that leaves them at the total mercy of the trawlers. On the east coast, the Great Barrier Reef protects them from such devastating practices.
There are already precedents for trawling being responsible for the virtual annihilation of species. The classic example is that of the Atlantic Cod, a fish almost wiped out by trawlers that harvested the last of the breeding aggregations off Newfoundland, even though fisheries managers insisted that stocks were still sustainable. While the Gulf’s mangrove jacks are in some respects far removed from that example, there are also some frightening similarities.
QRFN foundation member and long-time charter fisher, Dave Donald, warned the Queensland Joint Authority, the state and federal combined body that administers the trawl fishery of this possibility almost 10 years ago. Because that fishery is designated as ‘developmental’, it is able to be terminated at any time if shown to be having a unacceptable impact on vulnerable species. Dave repeatedly called for the obvious ‘at risk’ status of the Gulf’s mangrove jacks to be recognized.
Fish trawling in Gulf waters has been happening since the late 1980’s but was only given official approval in the late 90’s. Because of the questionable status of the fish stocks to be harvested, the fishery was designated ‘developmental’. Normally, this type of fishery permit has a maximum life of 2 years, before it is reassessed and either discontinued or approved as a viable entity.
The Gulf fish trawl component has the dubious reputation as being the longest established developmental in Australia’s history and has been heavily criticised by scientists for its lack of accountability. Both Queensland Fisheries and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority continue to blatantly disregard what are clearly established scientific processes and both need to be brought to account over this anomaly.
There are more contentious issues than just the mangrove jack situation. Gulf fish trawlers produce a massive amount of by-catch, some 240 tonnes in 2010. Although the species involved don’t officially have to be have reported, it is well known from previous data that small trevally make up a sizeable proportion of those fish dumped. This may explain why trevally catches in the Weipa area have, according to statistics in the recent Sportfishing Strategic Plan authored by Dave Donald, dropped some 80% in the past decade and are still falling.
What is extremely interesting is the recent calculation that concludes that the amount of by-catch in 2010 was 39%, a figure that is only 1% less than the trigger point of 40% that would signal the closure of the fishery. To many people, the 39% estimate looks dubious at best and when coupled with the critical mangrove jack situation, the question as to the future of that fishery would seem to be a no-brainer.
This borderline calculation was also produced during a year when official fisheries observers did not make one single trip on the vessels involved. Observer visits are a specific requirement of the developmental permit and such an oversight is in clear breach of operating conditions. Again, this blatant shortcoming adds further uncertainty to the questionable by-catch claims.
But wait, there’s more! When Fisheries Inspectors were advised of a Cairns retail outlet selling undersized mangrove jacks some years ago, they found that they were unable to prosecute because the fish had come from a Gulf fish trawler. When the issue was raised with Queensland fisheries managers, it was discovered that because the jacks had been caught under a Commonwealth issued permit, they were not subject to Queensland state laws!
In other words, the carefully considered regulations that limited (and still limit) recreational and commercial fishers to bag limits of 5 mangrove jacks in possession over 35cm in length, instigated due to the recognized fragility of the state’s stocks, do not apply to the fish trawlers. In spite of repeated calls for this trawl fishery to be brought in line with every other person who goes fishing in Queensland, state managers have relegated the issue to the ‘too hard’ basket. This situation is absolutely ludicrous – and completely unacceptable!
Mangrove jacks are definitely in the top 5 when it comes to the most sought after species by fishers. They are the ‘bullies’ of the mangroves, an adversary that hits, pulls and plays hard, a fish so explosive that you can find your lure deep in the snags before you can even react to the strike. Once prolific in the western cape estuaries, they may become a very rare catch in the immediate future.
This should not be allowed to happen! Fisheries managers have been aware of the problem for well over a decade so there is no excuse for them not to act to ensure the species remains viable. The developmental trawl fishery in the Gulf is proving to be not sustainable for more reasons than just the survival of the mangrove jack, but that fact alone is more than enough reason to bring it to a halt immediately.
Come on Messrs Newman and McVeigh, end this abomination immediately! It is an embarrassment to fisheries management in this state and has the hallmarks of a pending environmental disaster.
Following is an article dealing with fish trawling by Dave Donald - very scary stuff!
Local mangrove jack populations on the west coast of Cape York may be on the verge of collapse! A state government report on the catches made by fish trawlers operating from Weipa contains statistics that show catches of mangrove jack from the Gulf south of 15 degrees south dropped from 32% of the catch in 2009 to only 3% in 2010. These startling revelations may indicate that trawling during past years has virtually wiped out spawning aggregations of this species in that area.
Mangrove jacks have a unique breeding cycle. Fingerlings are hatched in deep water offshore then move into the estuaries where they grow to breeding size. The adults then migrate offshore where they congregate in large numbers to begin spawning. The fish trawlers target these aggregations and have been known to take up to 4 tonnes in one shot, that’s over 2,500 fish averaging 1.5 kilos each.
In Gulf waters, there is no protection for these breeding fish. They congregate over open bottom that leaves them at the total mercy of the trawlers. On the east coast, the Great Barrier Reef protects them from such devastating practices.
There are already precedents for trawling being responsible for the virtual annihilation of species. The classic example is that of the Atlantic Cod, a fish almost wiped out by trawlers that harvested the last of the breeding aggregations off Newfoundland, even though fisheries managers insisted that stocks were still sustainable. While the Gulf’s mangrove jacks are in some respects far removed from that example, there are also some frightening similarities.
QRFN foundation member and long-time charter fisher, Dave Donald, warned the Queensland Joint Authority, the state and federal combined body that administers the trawl fishery of this possibility almost 10 years ago. Because that fishery is designated as ‘developmental’, it is able to be terminated at any time if shown to be having a unacceptable impact on vulnerable species. Dave repeatedly called for the obvious ‘at risk’ status of the Gulf’s mangrove jacks to be recognized.
Fish trawling in Gulf waters has been happening since the late 1980’s but was only given official approval in the late 90’s. Because of the questionable status of the fish stocks to be harvested, the fishery was designated ‘developmental’. Normally, this type of fishery permit has a maximum life of 2 years, before it is reassessed and either discontinued or approved as a viable entity.
The Gulf fish trawl component has the dubious reputation as being the longest established developmental in Australia’s history and has been heavily criticised by scientists for its lack of accountability. Both Queensland Fisheries and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority continue to blatantly disregard what are clearly established scientific processes and both need to be brought to account over this anomaly.
There are more contentious issues than just the mangrove jack situation. Gulf fish trawlers produce a massive amount of by-catch, some 240 tonnes in 2010. Although the species involved don’t officially have to be have reported, it is well known from previous data that small trevally make up a sizeable proportion of those fish dumped. This may explain why trevally catches in the Weipa area have, according to statistics in the recent Sportfishing Strategic Plan authored by Dave Donald, dropped some 80% in the past decade and are still falling.
What is extremely interesting is the recent calculation that concludes that the amount of by-catch in 2010 was 39%, a figure that is only 1% less than the trigger point of 40% that would signal the closure of the fishery. To many people, the 39% estimate looks dubious at best and when coupled with the critical mangrove jack situation, the question as to the future of that fishery would seem to be a no-brainer.
This borderline calculation was also produced during a year when official fisheries observers did not make one single trip on the vessels involved. Observer visits are a specific requirement of the developmental permit and such an oversight is in clear breach of operating conditions. Again, this blatant shortcoming adds further uncertainty to the questionable by-catch claims.
But wait, there’s more! When Fisheries Inspectors were advised of a Cairns retail outlet selling undersized mangrove jacks some years ago, they found that they were unable to prosecute because the fish had come from a Gulf fish trawler. When the issue was raised with Queensland fisheries managers, it was discovered that because the jacks had been caught under a Commonwealth issued permit, they were not subject to Queensland state laws!
In other words, the carefully considered regulations that limited (and still limit) recreational and commercial fishers to bag limits of 5 mangrove jacks in possession over 35cm in length, instigated due to the recognized fragility of the state’s stocks, do not apply to the fish trawlers. In spite of repeated calls for this trawl fishery to be brought in line with every other person who goes fishing in Queensland, state managers have relegated the issue to the ‘too hard’ basket. This situation is absolutely ludicrous – and completely unacceptable!
Mangrove jacks are definitely in the top 5 when it comes to the most sought after species by fishers. They are the ‘bullies’ of the mangroves, an adversary that hits, pulls and plays hard, a fish so explosive that you can find your lure deep in the snags before you can even react to the strike. Once prolific in the western cape estuaries, they may become a very rare catch in the immediate future.
This should not be allowed to happen! Fisheries managers have been aware of the problem for well over a decade so there is no excuse for them not to act to ensure the species remains viable. The developmental trawl fishery in the Gulf is proving to be not sustainable for more reasons than just the survival of the mangrove jack, but that fact alone is more than enough reason to bring it to a halt immediately.
Come on Messrs Newman and McVeigh, end this abomination immediately! It is an embarrassment to fisheries management in this state and has the hallmarks of a pending environmental disaster.
