Sea Lion Exclusion Devices - Department Of Fisheries Western ...

sea lion
exclusion Devices
A guide TO ASSiST rOck lObSTer
fiSherS inSTAll SledS
iMPortant cHanGes:
Sea Lion Exclusion Devices (SLEDs) must be fitted in
all rock lobster pots (commercial and recreational)
used in the identified SLED zones for the 2011/12
fishing season and following seasons.
BETTER
FISHERIES
PuBlisHeD feBruarY 2012
Your licence fees at work

Contents
bAckgrOund TO SledS ...........................3
Sled ZOne MAPS ......................................5
Central West ............................................5
Abrolhos Islands – neW Sled ZOneS .......6
Easter Group ..................................................7
Pelsaert Group ...............................................7
APPrOved SledS .....................................8
MeASuring And cOMPliAnce
Of SledS .................................................10
2 Fish for the future

BACKGROUND TO SLEDS
BaCkground to sLeds
australian sea lion populations that live
along the West Australian coastline and
surrounding islands overlap with fishing
grounds for the western rock lobster, and
interactions between sea lions and rock
lobster pots have occurred over many years.
In the past, there have been recorded deaths
of small sea lion pups that have become
trapped in the pots and drowned.
Australian sea lions are listed as ‘vulnerable’
under the Environmental Protection and
Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and
‘specially protected’ under the Wildlife
Conservation Act 1950. Consequently, there
is an obligation for the West Coast Rock
Lobster Fishery and its managers to address
this fishing related mortality issue.
An effective SLED that did not reduce the
catch of legal size rock lobster and at
the same time prevented sea lions from
entering rock lobster pots was successfully
developed.
3

Following extensive trials and consultation
with industry, two SLED designs were
approved. The mandatory use of SLEDs in
the West Coast Rock Lobster Fishery was
implemented for the 2006/07 season in
the Mid-West region, in waters less than 20
metres deep. Two new SLED zones for the
Abrolhos Islands have been introduced. It
will be mandatory for all commercial and
recreational rock lobster fishers to have
SLEDs in all their pots within the SLED
zones from the 2011/12 rock lobster
season and beyond.
4 BACKGROUND TO SLEDS

SLED ZONE MAPS
sLed Zone MaPs
all rock lobster pots (commercial and
recreational) used in the zones below
must have an approved SLED fitted.
central West
n
29°35.16'S
114°53.58’E
29°44.28'S
114°52.2’E
29°47.82'S
114°50.64’E
29°54.96'S
114°53.52’E
30°4.2'S
114°54.42’E
Sea Lion
Protection Zone
Land
Bathymetry
0 – 10 m
10 – 20 m
20 m +
GDA 94
30°12.42'S
114°57’E
30°25.02'S
114°58.5’E
30°30.54'S
115°0.06’E
Illawong
Coolimba
Leeman
30°51.06'S
115°10.32’E
Green Head
Geraldton
Jurien Bay
Cervantes
Jurien Bay
Perth
Albany
5

Abrolhos islands – neW Sled ZOneS
SLEDs are now mandatory in two areas
of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, the
Pelsaert and the Easter groups of islands.
See the following maps:
Abrolhos islands
North Island
Wallabi group
1
easter group Zone
Sea Lion
Protection Zone
Land
Bathymetry
0 – 10 m
10 – 20 m
20 m +
GDA 94
Pelsaert group Zone
6 SLED ZONE MAPS
2
Abrolhos
Islands
Carnarvon
Kalbarri
Geraldton
Perth

1 easter group
28°38.128'S
113°38.951’E
28°48.710'S
113°43.602’E
SLED ZONE MAPS
Rat Island
2 Pelsaert group
28°50.308'S
113°49.270’E
Gun Island
28°51.579'S
113°47.171’E
28°56.930'S
113°51.251’E
Sea Lion
Protection Zone
Land
Bathymetry
0 – 10 m
10 – 20 m
20 m +
GDA 94
Wooded Island
Middle Island
Suomi Island
Little North
Island
28°48.924'S
113°45.500’E
Post Office Island
Murray Island
Pelsaert Island
28°59.506'S
113°55.205’E
28°36.66'S
113°54.402’E
Leo
Island
28°44.415'S
113°53.496’E
Hummock Island
28°50.158'S
114°2.323’E
Coronation
Island
28°53.456'S
114°2.133’E
28°59.577'S
113°58.218’E
7

Side view
Side view
aPProved sLeds
A SLED is fitted by fixing a piece of rigid, nonflexible
material across the top of the neck
that ensures that the gap from the edge of
the external SLED to either side of the top of
the neck is no greater than 132 mm.
Top view
Top view
Top view
Top view
132 mm
132 mm
Rectangular and square neck pots
Round neck pots
132 mm
132 mm
132 mm
132 mm
Side view
Side view
Side view
Side view
132 mm
132 mm
132 mm
132 mm
Alternatively a SLED can be fitted by the
fixing of a rigid, non-flexible piece of material
rising vertically from the base of the pot to a
height that ensures the diagonal distance to
the neck from the top centre of the internal
SLED is no greater than 132 mm. The
diagonal distance is to be measured to the
edge of the neck in any direction in a round
neck pot, and to the midpoint of the four
sides in a square or rectangular neck pot.
8 APPROVED SLEDS

Rectangular and square neck pots
Top view
Top view
Top view
Top view
Top view
132 mm132
132 mm132 mm mm
132 132 mm mm
APPROVED SLEDS
132 mm
132 mm
Round neck pots
132 mm
132 mm
Top view
Dimensions of internal SLED
The internal SLED must be a
minimum of 10 mm in diameter
and the top of the internal SLED
must be 10 a mm minimum – 30 mm of 10 mm and
10 mm – 30 mm
a maximum of 30 mm in diameter.
10 mm
10 mm
Side view
Side view
Side view
Side view
Top view
Top view
Top view
Top view
32 mm
132 mm
132 mm
132 mm
132 mm
132 mm
10 mm – 30 mm
10 mm
132 mm
132 mm
132 mm
132 mm
9
S
S
S
S

10
MeasurIng and
CoMPLIanCe oF sLeds
the Department has developed a free SLED
gauge to help fishers check their own
gear and ensure that it complies with SLED
rules. Fisheries and Marine Officers will
also be using these gauges in their normal
surveillance activities.
The gauge is a moulded/stamped ball of 132
mm diameter which tests the distance from
the internal SLED to the bottom of the neck.
• Measurement of round neck pots is by
unforced use of the ball to check the
diagonal SLED neck distance.
MEASURING AND COMPLIANCE OF SLEDS

• Measurement of square necks (finger
neck pots) is by unforced use of the ball
to check the diagonal distance at each of
the four midpoints of the neck.
• Measurement of a pot fitted with a SLED
(batten across the neck) will be with
the 132 mm ball, such that it does not
exceed that measurement.
Rock lobster fishers fishing in the identified
area can get their free SLED gauge and
SLED from participating Mid West fishing
tackle stores and Department of Fisheries
regional offices.
MEASURING AND COMPLIANCE OF SLEDS
11

FURTHER INFORMATION
Visit the Department website at www.fish.wa.gov.au
or contact:
dePArTMenT Of fiSherieS
– heAd Office
3rd floor, The Atrium,
168 St George’s Terrace,
Perth 6000
Ph: (08) 9482 7333
Fax: (08) 9482 7389
e-mail: headoffice@fish.wa.gov.au
ABN: 55 689 794 771
MidWeST regiOnAl Office &
gerAldTOn diSTricT Office
69-75 Connell Rd
Geraldton WA 6530
Ph: (08) 9921 6800
Fax: (08) 9921 3617
dOngArA diSTricT Office
Fishing Boat Harbour
McIntyre Cove
Dongara WA 6525
Ph: (08) 9927 1187
Fax: (08) 9927 2019
Jurien bAY diSTricT Office
Boat Harbour
Office Complex
Jurien Harbour
Jurien WA 6516
Ph: (08) 9652 1048
Fax: (08) 9652 1408
lAncelin diSTricT Office
Gingin Road
Lancelin WA 6044
Ph: (08) 9655 1111
Fax: (08) 9655 1734
12 Fish for the future
CF269_02 FEB2012