Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2000

Status of Coral Reefs of Australasia
ecosystems. The main issues of concern to GBRMPA in this fishery are the sustainability of
the target species and the potential secondary impact caused by the removal of high-order
predators from coral reefs. The reef-line fishery includes commercial, recreational and
indigenous fishers. The main targets are snappers (Lutjanus and Lethrinus spp.), groupers
(Serranidae) with Coral Trout (Plectropomus spp.) making up about 40% of the commercial
catch, and wrasses (Labridae). Between 3,000-4,000mt of fish worth about $25 million are
taken by commercial reef-line fishers each year. There is much dispute as to how the
recreational catch compares in size with the commercial line fishery and recreational fishers
probably take similar amounts to the commercial fishers. The draft management plan and
regulatory impact statement for the fishery was released by the Queensland Fisheries
Management Authority (QFMA) in 1999, with the most significant feature an attempt to
slow the continuing growth in fishing effort and remove the huge latent effort with over
1,000 little-used commercial line-fishing licenses. Also, the plan proposes reductions in
recreational catches, improved protection of the breeding of key species, and a process to
review the plan continuously with inputs of new information.
Trochus Fishery
Approximately 170mt of trochus (Trochus niloticus) are harvested annually in Queensland,
with the regulation that the harvest must be by hand or hand-held implement. Wading or
free-diving are used commonly in shallow waters ( 2-10m deep). Scuba and hookah can
be used only by commercial fishers. Minimum and maximum size limits apply to all fishing
(except by indigenous fishers collecting for traditional or customary purposes). Trochus is a
limited entry quota-managed fishery with Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of 250mt for the East
Coast. Trochus has been harvested commercially since 1912 from Torres Strait, and when
the price for trochus shell peaked at $10.00 per kg during 1990, more than 600mt were
landed. The present market for shell has collapsed as synthetic buttons are now
indistinguishable from natural mother-of-pearl. The commercial market for trochus meat
continue to grow. A harvest fishery management plan for trochus is due for release in
October 2000, and there is a separate Torres Strait trochus fishery with a quota of 150mt
managed by the Protected Zone Joint Authority.
Beche-de-mer Fishery
There are four main species of sea cucumber harvested; black teatfish, white teatfish,
sandfish and prickly redfish. Approximately 200mt are harvested annually in Queensland as
a quota managed fishery with a TAC for the East coast of 380mt allocated to 19 collectors.
Management is hindered by illegal catches and unreliable catch returns data. Catch per unit
effort (CPUE) of black teatfish peaked in early 1996 and steadily declined until 1999, so the
fishery was closed to protect breeding stocks. Quotas for the other species are also being
adjusted to avoid over-fishing. There is little information on the biology of holothurian
recruitment rates and research to ensure a sustainable harvest. Another species (greenfish)
may become more valuable with the recent discovery of pharmaceutical properties.
Tropical Rock Lobster
The GBR commercial tropical rock lobster fishery operates on the east coast from Cape York
to 14 0 S, harvesting 50-200mt annually. A separate fishery operates in the Torres Straits
managed by a Joint Authority with PNG. One species, Panulirus ornatus, makes up over
90% of the catch, with 5 other species along the coast. Management sets both quotas and
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