Southbound Longliner to Target SBT

[Gad]

Taken from todays, (Monday) Fishing World email newsletter

20 Jan 2014

IN a development sure to upset offshore anglers and local fishing tourism operators, an Eastern Tuna Fishery longliner is heading to waters off western Tasmania and Victoria to target southern bluefin tuna.

At this stage, one vessel is steaming towards the fishing grounds off western Victoria and another has indicated it may follow. AFMA has spoken to the skipper of the vessel heading to the region to stress the importance of cooperation with recreational fishers.

AFMA has also contacted key recreational fishers in the region to inform them what is happening.

AFMA has prepared a short fact sheet on the management requirements for commercial fishing for SBT which is available on the AFMA website.

Commercial longliners have not fished this area for nearly 20 years and the region is popular for recreational anglers fishing for SBT out of Portland and other western Victorian ports.

Historically the Japanese fleet would target SBT off both coasts of Tasmania, but the Japanese fleet has not been permitted access to waters within 200nm of Australia since 1997 and very little commercial longlining has occurred off Tasmania since this time. Most of the Australian SBT catch is caught in the Great Australian Bight and grown out in farm pens near Port Lincoln.

Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery (ETBF) longline vessels are legally able to target SBT off NSW, Victoria and Tasmania provided that they have uncaught SBT quota. In recent years most of the longline catch of SBT has occurred off southern NSW during winter months and has typically been less than 200t.

The SBT stock is assessed to be overfished, but evidence suggests it is recovering. The international Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna increased the global Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of SBT this year.

The longline catch of SBT is well regulated. Each year AFMA institutes SBT management zones off southern Australia to mitigate the risk of discarding SBT at sea. To enter the zones an ETBF boat needs to hold uncaught SBT quota and is subject to a higher level of observer coverage than normal.

All ETBF boats are required to have an operational satellite vessel monitoring system. No dead SBT are allowed to be discarded, but SBT that are alive and vigorous at the time of capture may be released. All SBT are required to be landed to an authorised fish receiver with an individually numbered tag. The length and weight of each fish is recorded on the tagging form. Fish without tags are not permitted to be landed. The fish receiver is required to validate the total weight of all landings.

Further information can be obtained by contacting the Manager of the Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery, Mr Matt Daniel on 02 6225 5338 or email Matt.Daniel@afma.gov.au.

[ellicat]

Assuming it is an Australian vessel ???

All seems well.