Publication Date

9-2024

Series Number

Fisheries Research Report 343

Publisher

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia

City

Perth

ISBN

978-1-921845-47-5

ISSN

2202-5758

Abstract

In April 2024, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (Department) convened an ecological risk assessment (ERA) of the fisheries that access the Western Australian Sea Cucumber Resource, which comprises a range of species from the class Holothuroidea. This document contains background information used to support the ERA risk scoring process, along with the scores from the workshop and a summary of the workshop discussions that were relevant to the scoring. This includes an overview of commercial fisheries that access the Resource, focusing primarily on the WA Sea Cucumber Fishery, and one fishing authorisation issued under the Aboriginal Community Fishing Licence Policy. This report also includes information about the recreational and charter fisheries that access the Resource, as well as the illegal fishing sector. The Department conducts ERAs as part of its Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management framework. Accordingly, this ERA considered the potential ecological impacts of harvesting the Resource including impacts on all relevant retained and bycatch (non-retained) species, endangered, threatened and protected species, aquatic habitats and the broader environment. Risk scores were based on available scientific information and expert knowledge. The assessment conforms to the AS/NZS ISO 31000 risk management standard, and to the methodology adopted by the Department, which uses a consequence-likelihood analysis for estimating risk. A broad range of stakeholders were invited to participate in the ERA workshop, including representatives of the commercial fishing sector, State and Commonwealth Government agencies, the conservation sector, universities, and Department staff including fisheries managers, scientists, compliance officers and biosecurity personnel. In this ERA, thirty-two ecological components were scored for risk. The vast majority (27) of ecological components were evaluated as low, negligible or zero risks, which do not require any specific control measures. There was one medium risk, which was assessed as acceptable under the current monitoring regime and control measures that will be in place over the next five years. One component was not assessed due to lack of information. The following three components were scored as high risks: i) the sandfish stock in the Kimberley region, ii) green turtle breeding populations in the Kimberley region, and iii) translocation of pest species via boats/gear. These high risks were due to the impact of foreign fishing vessels that are presently engaged in illegal harvesting of the Resource in the Kimberley region. A new assessment of Kimberley sandfish biomass based on fishery-independent surveys is scheduled for late 2024. This will help to understand the impact of illegal fishing on the Kimberley sandfish stock. No component was scored as a severe risk. It is recommended that the risks be reviewed in five years.

Number of Pages

71

Keywords

sea cucumber, trepang, Australia, fishing, fishery, ecological impact

Disciplines

Aquaculture and Fisheries | Marine Biology

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