The Ninth meeting of the Southern Squid Jig Fishery Management Advisory Committee (SquidMAC) was held on 18 March 2004 in Melbourne. The Chairman's summary can be viewed at the following page:
[url="http://www.afma.gov.au/fisheries/squid/mac/chairsum9.pdf"]http://www.afma.gov.au/fisheries/squid/mac/chairsum9.pdf[/url]
Some points of interest are as follows:
Industry Report
Industry members advised that fishing and weather patterns were similar to those that occurred in past years. Prices remained low with one operator from South Australia reportedly sourcing a market for frozen product in Turkey with the expectation of about a $2 per kg return to the boat and other, Victorian based, operators being paid $1.40 per kg on the wharf for fresh product.
Research Priorities
SquidMAC accepted SquidFAGââ¬â¢s recommendation that the current 2003 research priorities be adopted for 2004, without change.
Preliminary stock assessment
SquidMAC accepted SquidFAGââ¬â¢s advice that there is currently inadequate information and therefore there was no scientific basis for immediately setting a biological based squid TAC or determining when the apportionment between the three sectors should be activated.
SquidMAC accepted SquidFAGââ¬â¢s recommendation that SquidFAG directly consult with relevant experts to access all available information from other squid fisheries around the world (including South Africa, the Falkland Islands and NZ (including Nototodaris gouldi)) and report the findings to the next SquidMAC meeting. In anticipation that further advice be sought on possible future TACs for the squid resource in southern Australia.
SquidMAC accepted SquidFAGââ¬â¢s recommendation that an appropriate trigger or decision rule for initiating a review of the stock status and possible apportionment between sectors is to set an annual trigger catch limit for the SETF, GABTF and SSJF of 6,000 tonnes of squid (all species). If reached, this trigger would initiate a review of the stock status, and then possible commencement of the apportionment (if appropriate following the review). This is based on the agreed current 4,000 tonne trigger for the SSJF (which is half of the historical maximum catch) and an allowance of 2,000 tonnes for the SETF and GABTF (which represents their
relative proportion of the average annual catch for these sectors, given a 4,000 tonne jig catch).
SquidMAC accepted the additional SquidFAG recommendation that SquidMAC consider that other (additional or alternative) triggers may be appropriate as decision rules for when to activate the apportionment. These could include any significant change in the relative share of the catch between the SET and GAB and SSJ, any significant technological changes in the gear or fishing techniques, or if there is any new stock status information that becomes available.
[url="http://www.afma.gov.au/fisheries/squid/mac/chairsum9.pdf"]http://www.afma.gov.au/fisheries/squid/mac/chairsum9.pdf[/url]
Some points of interest are as follows:
Industry Report
Industry members advised that fishing and weather patterns were similar to those that occurred in past years. Prices remained low with one operator from South Australia reportedly sourcing a market for frozen product in Turkey with the expectation of about a $2 per kg return to the boat and other, Victorian based, operators being paid $1.40 per kg on the wharf for fresh product.
Research Priorities
SquidMAC accepted SquidFAGââ¬â¢s recommendation that the current 2003 research priorities be adopted for 2004, without change.
Preliminary stock assessment
SquidMAC accepted SquidFAGââ¬â¢s advice that there is currently inadequate information and therefore there was no scientific basis for immediately setting a biological based squid TAC or determining when the apportionment between the three sectors should be activated.
SquidMAC accepted SquidFAGââ¬â¢s recommendation that SquidFAG directly consult with relevant experts to access all available information from other squid fisheries around the world (including South Africa, the Falkland Islands and NZ (including Nototodaris gouldi)) and report the findings to the next SquidMAC meeting. In anticipation that further advice be sought on possible future TACs for the squid resource in southern Australia.
SquidMAC accepted SquidFAGââ¬â¢s recommendation that an appropriate trigger or decision rule for initiating a review of the stock status and possible apportionment between sectors is to set an annual trigger catch limit for the SETF, GABTF and SSJF of 6,000 tonnes of squid (all species). If reached, this trigger would initiate a review of the stock status, and then possible commencement of the apportionment (if appropriate following the review). This is based on the agreed current 4,000 tonne trigger for the SSJF (which is half of the historical maximum catch) and an allowance of 2,000 tonnes for the SETF and GABTF (which represents their
relative proportion of the average annual catch for these sectors, given a 4,000 tonne jig catch).
SquidMAC accepted the additional SquidFAG recommendation that SquidMAC consider that other (additional or alternative) triggers may be appropriate as decision rules for when to activate the apportionment. These could include any significant change in the relative share of the catch between the SET and GAB and SSJ, any significant technological changes in the gear or fishing techniques, or if there is any new stock status information that becomes available.