vessel management plans small pelagic fishery 24 march 2015

Vessel Management Plans

Small Pelagic Fishery

24 March 2015

Efficient & sustainable management of Commonwealth fish resources afma.gov.au

What is a Vessel Management Plan?

• Boat-specific plan to minimise the risk of interactions with protected species

• Contains both recommendations and mandatory measures to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to minimise its impact on the marine environment

• Management plans are currently used in several Commonwealth fisheries for seabirds and dolphins


SPF Draft Vessel Management Plan

• All mid-water trawl vessels in the SPF must have an approved VMP before they start fishing

• The draft VMP addresses detailed management and operational procedures

• The draft VMP has been developed in consultation with government, scientists, state governments and industry

• Expert Panel advice considered


Key contents:

• Seabirds

• Marine mammals

• Reporting requirements

• Move-on rules


Seabirds

Tori line aerial coverage (m)

Distance between streamers (m)Streamer materialTori line material

Streamer height max/min (m)

Attached height above water (m)

Back bone length (m)

Number of streamers (e.g. 7 in this diagram)

Towed object

Tori Line - Side view

*please note diagram is indicative only and not to scale

PORT

STERN

STARBOARD

Bird BafflerTop down view

Distance from stern

Side boom

Connecting curtain between side and aft boom

Curtain lengthNo. of streamers

Height above waterStreamer colour

Streamer material

Side boom



Streamer material



Streamer material

Aft boom

Aft b

oom

*please note diagram is indicative only and not to scale

Key measures:

• The vessel must deploy either Tori Lines or Bird Bafflers when fishing

• Must not discharge offal while fishing

• Mitigation measures have been discussed with seabird experts including ACAP


Marine mammals

Key measures:• The vessel must use a marine mammal excluder

device approved by AFMA

• Move-on rules for dolphin sightings

• Spatial closures around ASL colonies and dolphin zones

• Handling practices and offal management


A top opening excluder device with hood (which retains dead animals and reduces fish loss)

Mouth of net

CoverKite and float

Escape opening

Codend

Flexible grid


Assessment of excluder devices• AFMA has developed performance criteria to assess and

approve the excluder device prior to fishing

• Two key criteria:

1. The excluder device allows marine mammals to exit the net

2. The excluder device retains dead or incapacitated marine mammals

• Rules in place which trigger re-assessment of the device

• AFMA will review the performance of the excluder device annually


Underwater cameras and on board observers will be used to verify the performance of the excluder device


Role of observers

• AFMA observers will be on board the vessel at all times for at least the first 12 months

• Observer roles:

– collection of independent boat activity and catch data

– monitoring compliance of the boat with its fishing concession and VMP

– providing daily updates to AFMA


Reporting requirements

• Normal TEP reporting requirements apply– All interactions must be recorded via e-logs or

in the Listed Marine and Threatened Species Form

• Additional reporting requirements:– Interactions must be reported to AFMA within

24 hours– All interactions with marine mammal species

must be recorded in the Marine Mammal Bycatch Evaluation Report and submitted to AFMA


Move-on rules To distribute fishing effort across the fishery

Green boxes:

Catch limit of 16% of quota spp. over a 30 day period

Blue boxes:

Catch limit of 4% of quota spp. over a 30 day period

If limit is exceeded, box is closed for 30 days


Questions?

vessel management plans small pelagic fishery 24 march 2015

Documents

detailed management

marine mammal excluder

device afma

netthe excluder device

opening excluder device

commonwealth fisheries

seabirds marine mammals

listed marine