DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES ANNUAL REPORT TO THE ...

DISCLOSURES AND LEgAL COMPLIANCE � DETAILED kEy PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
sustainability status of the State’s most significant
commercial fisheries (full details of which are in
the companion State of the Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources Report 2010/11).
Performance is measured as the proportion
of fisheries (which have sufficient data) for which
the breeding stocks of each of the major target or
indicator species are being maintained at levels
that ensure catches could be sustained at desirable
levels, given effort levels and normal environmental
conditions; or they are recovering from a depleted
state at an appropriate rate following management
intervention. The Department’s 2010/11 Budget
Papers state that the target for the proportion
of fisheries with appropriate breeding stock
management is 83 per cent.
For the 2010/11 performance review, 38
fisheries have been utilised, which is the same as
in 2009/10.
For the 38 fisheries reviewed, the ‘Stock
Status and Catch Ranges for Major Commercial
Fisheries ‘ section of the Annual Report records
that breeding stock assessments are available
for the major species taken in 36 (94 per cent)
of these fisheries. For the other two fisheries,
insufficient data were available on the target
species to make a critical assessment. In situations
where unmonitored stocks have the potential to
become overfished, they are given priority for new
research and/or management.
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Within the group of 36 assessed fisheries,
30 involve stocks that were considered to have
adequate breeding stock levels (83 per cent of
fisheries). Four additional fisheries have breeding
stocks considered to be recovering at acceptable
rates (West Coast Demersal Scalefish Fishery,
Shark Bay Snapper Fishery, Southern Shark Fishery,
Cockburn Sound Crab Fishery).
The management arrangements introduced
for the West Coast Demersal Scalefish Fishery
over the past two years to reduce the total level of
fishing mortality and catch on these stocks across
all sectors by 50 per cent look to be achieving the
desired outcomes. The catches have been reduced
by 50 per cent, so an initial level of stock recovery
is considered to have been initiated.
Ongoing success for the stock is dependent
on maintenance of these reduced catches, which
is best measured by an examination of the total
level of fishing mortality. Monitoring of the status
of the indicator species and the catches taken by
all sectors is currently underway. The status of the
key stocks for this fishery will be fully reviewed in
2012/13 to determine if the initial positive signs
that management has been successful are likely
to be ongoing. Similarly, the status of the Shark
Bay snapper component of the Gascoyne Demersal
Scalefish Fishery will be re-assessed in 2012/13.
For the Southern Shark Fishery, only one of the
four target species (sandbar shark) has a breeding