APPLICATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN SALMON MANAGED FISHERIES

Against the Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries

August 2014

DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES, WESTERN AUSTRALIA168-170 ST. GEORGES TERRACE

PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, 6000

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. BACKGROUND..............................................................................................32. CHANGES IN THE FISHERY.....................................................................43. PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING RECOMMENDATIONS..................44. ANCILLARY INFORMATION…………………………………………....75. MAP OF THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN SALMON FISHERY.....….12

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1. BACKGROUND

The purpose of this report is to update the Department of the Environment (DotE) on the Western Australian Salmon Managed Fisheries, (the Fishery) to enable the re-assessment of the Fishery against the Guidelines for Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries, under Part 13 and 13A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).

Previous Assessment

In September 2009, the Department of Fisheries Western Australia (DFWA) submitted an application to DotE (then the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts - DEWHA) for assessment of the Fishery against the Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries, under Part 13 and 13A of the EPBC Act.

On 11 November 2009, the (then) Minister for the Environment and Heritage amended the list of exempt native specimens to include product taken in accordance with the Western Australian Salmon Fisheries (South Coast Salmon Managed Fishery and South West Coast Salmon Managed Fishery), effectively declaring the Fishery exempt from Part 13 and 13A of the EPBC Act for a period of 5 years. The current exemption expires on 15 November 2014.

The current exemption including a copy of DFWA’s application and the DEWHA assessment report and letter of approval are available on the DotE website.

http://www.environment.gov.au/topics/marine/fisheries/wa-salmon

This report provides an update to DotE on the progress of the Fishery against the seven recommendations arising from the 2009 reassessment and outlines what has been achieved in addressing each recommendation.

The following documentation has been attached to this application to assist the re-assessment process:

a report addressing the progress of the Fishery against each of the seven current recommendations;

a copy of the Fishery’s annual reports from 2009/10 to 2012/13, published in DFWA’s annual Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of Western Australia (Appendix 1);

ancillary information to assist and complement the re-assessment process; and

a map of the boundaries of the Western Australian Salmon Fisheries.

Should you require any further information regarding the details of the contents of this report please contact Kim Nardi on (08) 99208407 or via email kim.nardi@fish.wa.gov.au

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2. CHANGES IN THE FISHERY

There have been no management changes to the fishery since the last assessment in 2009.

3. PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendation 1:Operation of the Salmon Managed Fisheries will be carried out in accordance with the South Coast Salmon Fishery Management Plan 1982 and South-West Coast Salmon Fishery Management Plan 1982 in force under the Western Australian Fish Resources Management Act 1994.

Status: OngoingThe two fisheries are respectively managed in accordance with the South Coast Salmon Fishery Management Plan 1982 and South-West Coast Salmon Fishery Management Plan 1982.

Recommendation 2: DFWA to inform DEWHA of any intended amendments to the Salmon Managed Fisheries’ management arrangements that may affect the assessment of the fishery against the criteria on which EPBC Act decisions are based.

Status: OngoingThere have been no changes to the management arrangements for the fishery since the last assessment in September 2009.

Recommendation 3: DFWA to produce and present reports to DEWHA annually as per Appendix B to the Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries - 2nd Edition.

Status: OngoingDFWA has reported against the performance measure in the annual Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of Western Australia (Appendix 1).

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Recommendation 4: DFWA to encourage fishers in the Salmon Managed Fisheries to incorporate the following objectives into the fisheries’ Code of Practice to: a) minimise protected/listed species interactions;b) minimise or maintain bycatch at sustainable levels; andc) minimise impacts on the marine environment.

Status: OngoingThe interaction level with protected species in the fishery is negligible and this is due to the fishing practices used (i.e. beach seine netting). Any protected species caught can be released with minimal harm.

Salmon fishing is only carried out on a limited number of beaches, which represent a small percentage of the total distribution of stocks, thereby limiting the impact of the fishery on the environment. Furthermore, the beaches where salmon fishing occurs are generally sandy substrate and although nets drag along the bottom there is very little damage to the habitat.

Recommendation 5: DFWA to conduct a review of risk levels for target species, byproduct, bycatch (including protected species) and impacts on the environment for the Salmon Fishery. DFWA to implement appropriate measures to ensure identified risks are addressed and minimised.

Status: OngoingThe current annual status report for the Fishery is published in the Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of Western Australia publication and includes an assessment of the ecosystem effects of fishing and reports any non-retained species interactions. The recent 2012-13 assessment deemed all ecosystem effects and non-retained species interactions were either low or negligible.

DFWA has committed to an independent third party independent certification process. As part of this process, ecological considerations are being considered and assessed using a risk-based approach. Through this process, should industry decide to pursue full assessment, an ERA would likely be undertaken. This would provide an independent externally reviewed assessment of the ecosystem effects of the Fishery. Should the fishery not proceed to full assessment a risk-based assessment of the ecological effects of the fishery, would be undertaken as part of DFWA’s current move in the direction of risk-based assessments for all fisheries.

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Recommendation 6: DFWA to continue:(a) to cooperate with other relevant jurisdictions to pursue complementary management and research

of shared stocks of target and major byproduct species; and(b) where appropriate, to ensure that any relevant indigenous, conservation and recreational interests

in the fishery are considered through consultative mechanisms.

Status: OngoingDFWA continues to cooperate, where necessary, with other jurisdictions, i.e. South Australia. Given the relative stability of the fishery there has been little need for exchange of information in recent seasons, although relevant fisheries information is available to both jurisdictions.

The South West Salmon Fishery went through a significant consultation process to determine how to manage the conflict between commercial and recreational fishers in Geographe Bay. A permanent closure of the Geographe Bay area from Cape Naturaliste to the Port Geographe Marina was gazetted in June 2009 (refer Figure 3).

DFWA continues to hold annual management meetings with the salmon fishers and licencees and the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council (WAFIC), representing the commercial fishing industry.

Recommendation 7: DFWA to improve reporting mechanisms in the Salmon Managed Fisheries, including:(a) recording byproduct and bycatch taken in the Salmon Managed Fisheries on catch returns;(b) ensuring observer coverage is high enough to validate byproduct and bycatch recorded on returns

for at least a period of 12 months; and(c) monitoring trends in byproduct, bycatch and protected species interactions.

Status: OngoingCompulsory monthly catch returns are used by fishers to record interactions with protected/listed species. In addition, DFWA has introduced a voluntary research logbook, in which interactions are reported.

The data provided through both monthly returns and/or logbooks have reflected the sporadic nature and low level of activity in the fishery over recent years.

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Ancillary Information to Assist the Re-assesssment Process

Summary of Management Arrangements

The management arrangements for these limited entry fisheries are contained in the South Coast Salmon Notice (1982) and the South-West Coast Salmon Fishery Notice (1982) made under Fish Resources Management Act 1994.

Annual Management Meetings are held for the fishery;

This fishery targets only Australian Salmon (Arripis truttaceus);

There is a minimum legal size limit of 300mm for Australian Salmon;

There is a major spatial closure for the South-West Salmon Fishery, specifically, all the waters of Geographe Bay (as described in the Management Plan, within 800 metres of HWM). This has been in effect since 1 July 2009 (refer Figure 3); and

Input controls used for the fishery include, all nets must be hauled from the shore and only one beach seine net is allowed per licensed fishing boat unit.

Consultation processes

DFWA undertakes consultation directly with licensees on operational issues. Industry Annual Management Meetings are convened by the West Australian Fishing Industry Council (WAFIC), who are also responsible for statutory management plan consultation under a Service Level Agreement with DFWA; and

Moreover, the consultation process may include meetings between the Minister for Fisheries, community members, commercial and recreational fishers and DFWA.

Compliance Risk Assessment

A compliance risk assessment was undertaken for the fishery during February 2013. The outcomes determined that there were no significant risks to the fishery and the following compliance activities were effective and will continue to be employed to manage this fishery:

land based patrols whereby the fisher’s catch is checked for species composition;

confirmation that the fished area complies with any legislated spatial closures;

that vessels and crew are appropriately licenced; and the verification of the origin of the product supplied by fishers to various

local and regional outlets.

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Management Performance MeasuresThe performance measure for the fishery is to maintain the total annual catch for the fishery between 1200 and 2800 tonnes.

In 2012 the catch was only 122.1 tonnes, which was well below the target range. Anecdotal reports from fishers and processors indicate that the low catch was primarily due to very limited markets for the product and environmental factors that reduced catchability, rather than low stock abundance.

Therefore, DFWA does not believe that it is necessary to change management arrangements to maintain stock sustainability as the breeding stock levels derived from the latest stock assessment, are reported as adequate.

Interactions with Protected SpeciesAs this remains a beach-based seine net fishery, interactions with protected species remain negligible. Due to the low level of interaction no foreseeable management action has been planned for the fishery.

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)

In March 2012 the Western Australian Minister for Fisheries announced the Western Australian State Government had committed to a four-year program to seek third-party sustainability certification for the State’s commercial fisheries. This initiative subjects all the commercial fisheries being put through the pre-assessment stage of the MSC’s certification process. Funding is also available to support the certification of those fisheries that choose to move to a full MSC assessment.

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TABLE 1 Australian salmon landed catches for Western Australia for the period 2009 to 2012.

YEAR TOTAL WA (t) SOUTH COAST-WA (t)

South West Coast-WA (t)

2009 752.6 258 494.62010 360.3 291.3 692011 171.2 164.9 6.32012 122.1 75 47.1

Year1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Ann

ual c

atch

(t)

0

1000

2000

3000

4000Total WA South Coast BioregionWest Coast Bioregion

FIGURE 1Total annual commercial catches of Western Australian salmon in the South Coast and West Coast Bioregions, 1965 – 2012.

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Year

1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012Cat

ch ra

te (t

onne

s pe

r lic

ence

e)

0

50

100

150 South Coast Salmon FisherySouth West Coast Salmon Fishery

FIGURE 2Total annual commercial catch rate (tonnes per licensee per year) of western Australian salmon in the South Coast Salmon Fishery (South Coast Bioregion) and the South West Coast Salmon Fishery (West Coast Bioregion), 1995 – 2012.

Concomitant to the lower than long-term average catches and catch rates of salmon for the fishery, the Gross Value Product (GVP) is similarly low for the period 2009/10-2012/13 inclusive. Collectively there are 24 licenced fishers in the fishery (18 in the South Coast Salmon Fishery and 6 in the South West Salmon Fishery).

Table 2 Gross Value Product for Australian salmon landed catches for Western Australia for the period 2009/10 to 2012/13.

GVP (2009/10) GVP (2010/11) GVP (2011/12) GVP (2012/13)South Coast Salmon

$116,736 $39,866 $91,238 $95,559

South West Coast Salmon

$29,334 $2,722 $28,259 $63,555

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Figure 3

Geographe Bay Closure to Commercial Salmon Fishing. In effect from 1 July 2009.

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Figure 4Boundaries of the Western Australian Salmon Fisheries

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