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Description

The State of the Fisheries document is designed as an essential supplement to the Annual Report to Parliament and provides a more detailed level of information to support the Department of Fisheries' non-financial performance measures. by summarising management changes, compliance activities and research data including stock assessments and breeding stock levels, this document provides a valuable reference point for Western Australian fisheries of major importance to the commercial and recreational sectors. Information relevant to the State's developing aquaculture industries and the Department's Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Program Is also provided. This year's State of the Fisheries Report has continued in the format established in 2000/01, reflecting the Department's commitment to apply the principles of ecologically sustainable development (ESD) to the management of Western Australian fisheries. The individual fishery status reports are now providing an annual 'report card' on ESD performance for all of the State's major commercial fisheries and some recreational fisheries. These reports indicate that the majority of the State's fish stocks are in a healthy condition and are being exploited at sustainable levels. The southern pilchard stocks, which were severely depleted as a result of an exotic virus attack in1999 and of concern last year, are now showing signs of a good recovery. The remaining commercial fishery of serious management concern is the southern and west coast demersal gillnet and longline fishery for shark, which is responding to the Department's management, but is also being impacted by other offshore fisheries not under Western Australian jurisdiction. Negotiations are continuing to address these management concerns. Although the reports reflect the success of the Department's historical efforts in managing the major commercial fisheries and specialised recreational fishing, continuing population growth and improvements in fishing technology are increasing the pressures on our fish stocks. These emerging management issues are being addressed through the current initiatives to develop arrangements for integrated fisheries management (IFM) and guidelines for resource sharing between the fisheries sectors. Resolution of these issucs will however require an ongoing commitment to gathering accurate data on the catch and fishing activities by each sector each year. To this end, the status reports are now providng, wherever possible, first estimates of recreational and commercial catch shares to identify priority areas for TFM. Similarly, the bioregional overviews for commercial and recreational fishing this year are for the first time providing detailed statistics on Departmental activities in relation to ensuring fishers' compliance with the management arrangements for each fishery.

ISSN

ISSN (Print): 1446-5906, ISSN (Online): 1446 - 5914, ISSN (CD): 1446 - 5922

Publication Date

30-6-2002

Publisher

Department of Fisheries, Western Australia

City

Perth

Keywords

fisheries, Western Australia, status reports, compliance, fish stocks

Disciplines

Aquaculture and Fisheries | Environmental Monitoring

State of the Fisheries Report 2001/2002

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