Integrated fisheries management in Western Australia - a significant challenge for fisheries scientists
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
7-2005
Conference Title
Monitoring Fish Stocks and Aquatic Ecosystems: Proceedings of a workshop conducted by the Australian Society for Fish Biology - Darwin, Northern Territory, 2005
Place of Publication
Darwin
Keywords
Ecologically sustainable development, commercial, recreational, charter, indigenous fishing, prioritising expenditure of research effort, sustainable harvest levels, key indicator species, bioregional management
Disciplines
Aquaculture and Fisheries | Marine Biology
Abstract
The advent of the 21st century has seen the Department of Fisheries (DoF), Government of Western Australia (WA) embark on an ambitious initiative of integrated fisheries management (IFM) within the broad context of the principles of ecologically sustainable development (ESD). This initiative consolidates the outcome of earlier important initiatives such as the freeze on the issue of commercial fishing boat licences (FBLs) in 1983, and more recently the development of regionally based management strategies for recreational fishing, the formal management of charter fishing, and the recognition of the importance of indigenous fishing. An initial challenge for finfish scientists was the development of a means of prioritizing the expenditure of research effort directed at the important task of determining sustainable harvest levels for key “indicator” species within each Bioregion of the state. It is anticipated that at times, such determinations will need to be made in the absence of adequate data. The ongoing monitoring of the catch shares allocated to each sector also poses a significant challenge. Methods being developed to handle these challenges, and other important future needs identified as a consequence of embarking on this process, need to be addressed to ensure that the limited funds available for monitoring are well spent.
Recommended Citation
Lenanton, R C,
Fletcher, W J,
and
Gaughan, D J.
(2005), Integrated fisheries management in Western Australia - a significant challenge for fisheries scientists, Monitoring Fish Stocks and Aquatic Ecosystems: Proceedings of a workshop conducted by the Australian Society for Fish Biology - Darwin, Northern Territory, 2005, Darwin, pp.37-43.
https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/conf_papers/93
