The National Recreational and Indigenous Fishing survey

Transcription

1 Te National Recreational and Indigenous Fising survey Edited by Gary W. Henry New Sout Wales Fiseries PO Box 21 Cronulla, NSW 2230 and Jeremy M. Lyle Tasmanian Aquaculture & Fiseries Institute University of Tasmania Private Bag 49 Hobart, TAS 7001 A Fiseries Action Program Project (Natural Heritage Trust) FRDC Project No. 99/158 July 2003 NSW Fiseries Final Report Series No. 48 ISSN ISBN

2 Te National Recreational and Indigenous Fising Survey July 2003 Editors: Publised By: Postal Address: Internet: G.W. Henry and J.M. Lyle NSW Fiseries PO Box 21, Cronulla NSW Tis work is copyrigt. Except as permitted under te Copyrigt Act (Ct), no part of tis reproduction may be reproduced by any process, electronic or oterwise, witout te specific written permission of te copyrigt owners. Neiter may information be stored electronically in any form watsoever witout suc permission. DISCLAIMER Te publisers do not warrant tat te information in tis report is free from errors or omissions. Te publisers do not accept any form of liability, be it contractual, tortuous or oterwise, for te contents of tis report for any consequences arising from its use or any reliance placed on it. Te information, opinions and advice contained in tis report may not relate to, or be relevant to, a reader's particular circumstance. ISSN ISBN

3 Foreword i FOREWORD I am pleased to introduce te National Recreational and Indigenous Fising Survey, a work tat as been several years and many millions of dollars in te making. It is a work commissioned by te Commonwealt Government tat will be a central plank in te formulation of Government policy tat relates to recreational, carter, indigenous, and commercial fising now and in te future. Tis survey comes at a very important time in te management of Australia s fiseries. I ave recently enjoyed te privilege of developing and releasing on bealf of te Howard Government Looking to te Future: A Review of Commonwealt Fiseries Policy wic, among oter tings, identifies as a priority issue resource saring between various sectors tat access publicly owned fiseries resources managed by te Commonwealt Government. I am pleased to record ere tat substantial progress as already been made on development of te resource-saring framework. Tis survey will feed directly into tat framework and we will see a fully transparent process to allocate rigts and responsibilities to all users of Australia s publicly owned fiseries resources. Tese rigts will convey greater access security to users oter tan commercial operators wo already operate under a statutory regime, and wit tose strengtened rigts will come eigtened responsibility. Te 1994 A National Policy for Recreational Fising in Australia stated tat Fiseries management decisions sould be based on sound information, including fis biology, fising activity, catces, and te economic and social values of recreational fising. Tis survey will now finally allow for tis to occur for te good of Australia s resources at bot te State and Territories level as well as te Commonwealt level. I am exceptionally proud tat te Howard Government as been te first Government of Australia in my memory tat as tackled, and continues to tackle te difficult and often unpopular fiseries management issues tat ave for too long been trown into te too ard basket. In my capacity as te Commonwealt Fiseries Minister, I am committed to pursuing tis pilosopy of making te rigt decisions early in te piece to minimise future angst and maximise conservation goals. I believe tat a mature and cooperative approac will continue to develop between, and be adopted by, all fiseries stakeolders in fiseries management in tis country, be tey lovers of catcing, eating or conserving fis. My vision is for future generations to enjoy te same opportunities as we of tis generation currently enjoy. For many years it as only been te commercial sector of te fising industry tat as ad to collect data used in te management of our nation s fiseries. Wit tis new data on recreational and indigenous fising tat tis survey as provided I am confident we can furter enance Australia s world leading fiseries management practices. Te strong support tat tis survey received from te Australian community is an indicator of te importance of fising of all types to our island continent, and tis support will continue to be matced by te Howard Government in te pursuit of ecologically sustainable fiseries for all Australians now and in te future. Ian Macdonald Minister for Fiseries, Forestry and Conservation

4 ii Acknowledgements ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many people in Australia contributed to te development and implementation of te national recreational and indigenous fising survey. Senior researc and management staff from Commonwealt and State government agencies, recreational and commercial fising associations, environmental and indigenous groups were responsible for developing te concept, securing te funding, determining te outputs and progressing te concept to te implementation stage. Te foresigt, ard work and support of tese people is gratefully acknowledged. Following agreement on te metodology, a smaller team of people was formed to conduct te survey. Tis team recruited and trained staff, supervised te collection, collation and editing of data and managed te survey on a daily basis as an independent project witin teir own States/ Territories. Members of te implementation team (listed below) undertook te substantial body of work required to complete te survey. Teir persistence and dedication is greatly appreciated by everyone associated wit te project. A number of people deserve special mention. Laurie West, te survey design consultant, Jeremy Lyle and David McGlennon provided intellectual rigour and attention to detail tat was fundamental to te success of te project. Jeff Murpy managed te complex tasks associated wit data manipulation. Teir efforts are greatly appreciated by team members. Finally, te assistance of te interviewer staff and te cooperation of many tousands of recreational and indigenous fisers is gratefully acknowledged. New Sout Wales Gary Henry Jeff Murpy Dennis Reid Jon Mattews Victoria Simon Conron Jo Dixon Masaaki Macida Murray MacDonald Queensland Kirrily McInnes Emma Brewis Jim Higgs Sout Australia Val Boxall Sonia Venema David McGlennon Western Australia Neil Sumner Ben Malseed Tasmania Jeremy Lyle Jane Forward Nortern Territory Anne Coleman Cris Uttley Garry Eckermann Commonwealt Murray Jons Stan Jarzynski Pil Salqvist Steve Kerr Grant Jonson ACT Mark Lintermans Kewagama Researc P/L Laurie West David Campbell & Associates David Campbell

5 Contents iii TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD...I ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS... II TABLE OF CONTENTS...III LIST OF FIGURES...VI LIST OF TABLES...VIII LIST OF APPENDICES... X NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY BACKGROUND Introduction Origins of te Survey Development and Implementation Fising Survey Literature Literature on Australian Recreational Fising Surveys Literature on Australian Indigenous Fising NEED FOR THE SURVEY Fiseries Management Potential Impact of Recreational Fising Assessment of Indigenous Fising Te Regulation of Recreational and Indigenous Fising Fisery Management Plans Stock Assessment and Sustainability Resource Allocation between Sectors Socio-economic Information OBJECTIVES SURVEY CONTEXT Overview Implementation Strategies Recreational Fising Survey Indigenous Fising Survey Overseas Visitor Survey National Perspective of te Project NATIONAL RECREATIONAL FISHING SURVEY Introduction Survey Overview Survey Scope Sampling Design Survey Components National Screening Survey Diary Survey Attitudinal Survey Supplementary Survey Data Calibration Surveys Non-response follow-up Unexpected fising On-site surveys Data Management Database Data Imputation Data Analysis Data Expansion - Screening Survey Demograpic bencmarking... 36

6 iv Contents Non-response adjustment Data Expansion Diary Survey Diary non-response adjustment Correction for fisers entering or leaving te fisery Estimation Procedures Number of fisers and fiser-ouseolds Fising effort Catc Economic activity Attitudinal/awareness issues Response Profiles Recreational Fising Participation Number of Fisers Age and Gender Oter Caracteristics Fising club/association membersip Fising licences Boat ownersip Recreational Fising Effort Total Effort Interstate Fising Effort Fising Frequency Effort by Water Body Type Effort by Fising Metod Effort by Fising Platform Recreational Catc Total Harvest Harvest of Key Species Finfis Non-fis Release Rates Harvest Weigts Expenditure by Recreational Fisers Te Nature of te Expenditure Data Attribution of Expenditure Economic Caracteristics Attributable Expenditure by State/ Territory of Residence Attributable Expenditure by Item/ Service Category Interpretation and Use of Expenditure Data Fiser Attitudes and Awareness Fiser Motivation INDIGENOUS FISHING SURVEY OF NORTHERN AUSTRALIA Introduction Traditional Estates and Responsibilities Social Value Traditional Management of Fis Stocks Current Indigenous Fiseries Management Survey Design Issues Survey Scope Sample Design Survey Components Background Survey Screening Survey Catc and Effort Survey Attitudinal Survey Data Management Data Analysis Data Expansion Screening Survey...105

7 Contents v Data expansion Catc and Effort Survey Estimation Procedures Number of Dwellings Number of Persons Catc and effort Catc Estimates Effort Estimates Response Profiles Indigenous Fising Participation Number of Fisers Indigenous Fising Effort Total Effort Effort by Water Type Effort by Fising Metod Effort by Fising Platform Indigenous Catc Total Harvest Harvest of Key Species Species Diversity of te Indigenous Catc Furter Analyses and Reporting OVERSEAS VISITOR FISHING SURVEY Overview Metods Results Numbers of Visitors to Australia Annual Number of Visiting Fisers by Country of Origin Age and Gender of Fisers Conclusion BENEFITS FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS CONCLUSIONS National Survey Overview National Recreational Fising Survey (NRFS) Participation in Recreational Fising Recreational Fising Effort Recreational Fis Catc Expenditure by Recreational Fisers Motivation for recreational fising Indigenous Fising Survey of Nortern Australia (IFSNA) Participation in fising by indigenous people Indigenous fising effort Indigenous fis catc Overseas Visitor Fising Survey (OVFS) Conclusions REFERENCES APPENDICES

8 vi Contents LIST OF FIGURES Figure 5.1. Figure 5.2. Figure 5.3. Diagrammatic representation of National Recreational Fising Survey...28 Map of Australia sowing te Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Statistical Divisions. (Information provided by ABS)...30 Fising participation in te 12 monts prior to May 2000 by State or Territory of residence for persons aged 5 or older: (a) Number of persons and (b) proportion of te resident population. Error bars represent one standard error Figure 5.4. Houseold (private dwelling) fising participation in te 12 monts prior to May 2000 by State or Territory: (a) Number of ouseolds and (b) proportion of ouseolds witin te population. Error bars represent one standard error...48 Figure 5.5. Figure 5.6. Figure 5.7. Figure 5.8. Figure 5.9. Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure Fising participation in te 12 monts prior to May 2000 by age class and gender for Australian residents aged 5 or older: (a) Number of persons and (b) proportion of te resident population...49 Fising club/association membersip in te 12 monts prior to May 2000 by State or Territory of residence for recreational fisers aged 5 or older: (a) Number of members and (b) proportion of fisers Fising licensing status for te 12 monts prior to May 2000 by State or Territory of residence for recreational fisers aged 5 or older: (a) Number of licence-olders and (b) proportion of fisers...51 Houseold boat ownersip for te general population and for fising ouseolds by State or Territory: (a) Number of ouseolds and (b) proportion of te total number of ouseolds Caracteristics of Australian recreational fising boats: (a) Distribution (%) of vessels by lengt class; (b) distribution by propulsion category; (c) distribution (%) by storage location; (d) proportion (%) of vessels wit eco sounder by lengt class; and (e) proportion of vessels (%) wit GPS by lengt class Annual fising effort by State or Territory fised for Australian recreational fisers aged 5 or older. (a) Fiser days (b) number of fising events, (c) ours fised...56 Interstate fising activity by Australian recreational fisers age 5 or older: (a) Proportion of annual fising effort (events) imported into eac State or Territory by interstate residents, (b) proportion of annual effort (events) exported interstate by State or Territory of residence and (c) balance between imported and exported fising effort (events x 1000) by State or Territory fised Mean annual number of days fised per recreational fiser aged 5 years or older, by State or Territory of residence Distribution of annual fising effort (days fised) amongst Australian recreational fisers aged 5 years or older Relationsip between te number of fisers and teir cumulated impact in terms of fising effort (days fised) for Australian recreational fisers aged 5 years or older Annual recreational fising effort (events) by water body type for Australian recreational fisers aged 5 years or older. Error bars represent one standard error Proportion of annual fising effort (events) for recreational fisers aged 5 years or older by water body type and State or Territory fised...62

9 Contents vii Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure Proportion of annual fising effort (events) in salt and freswater by State or Territory fised for recreational fisers aged 5 or older Annual fising effort (events) by fising metod for Australian recreational fisers aged 5 or older Proportion of annual fising effort (events) by metod and State or Territory fised for recreational fisers aged 5 or older Proportion of annual fising effort (events) by fising platform and State or Territory fised for recreational fisers aged 5 or older Proportion of annual fising effort (events) by water type and State or Territory fised for recreational fisers aged 5 or older: (a) Boat-based and (b) sore-based effort Proportion of annual boat fising effort (events) by vessel type and State or Territory fised for recreational fisers aged 5 or older Harvest (numbers of organisms) taken by Australian recreational fisers aged 5 or older for te major taxonomic groups. Error bars represent one standard error Relative distribution of te annual recreational arvest (based on numbers) by State and Territory fised for key recreational species Figure Relationsip between associated and attributable expenditure Figure Figure 6.1. Figure 6.2. Figure 6.3. Figure 6.4. Primary motivation for recreational fising as identified by Australian recreational fisers (% respondents) Map sowing locations of indigenous communities trougout te study region in nortern Australia Fising participation by region, for indigenous fisers, aged 5 or older and living in communities in nortern Australia (a) number of people, (b) proportion of te population Annual fising effort, expressed as (a) fising events, (b) fising days and (c) dwelling fising days by region for indigenous fisers, aged 5 or older, living in communities in nortern Australia Annual fising effort (events) by water type for indigenous fisers, aged 5 years or older, living in communities in nortern Australia Figure 6.5. Proportion of annual fising effort (events) by water type for indigenous fisers, aged 5 years and older, living in communities in nortern Australia Figure 6.6. Figure 6.7. Figure 6.8. Figure 6.9. Figure Proportion of annual fising effort (events), in salt and freswater by region for indigenous fisers, aged 5 years or older, living in communities in nortern Australia Annual fising effort (events) by fising metod for indigenous fisers, aged 5 years or older, living in communities in nortern Australia Proportion of annual fising effort (events), by metod and region for indigenous fisers, aged 5 years or older, living in communities in nortern Australia Proportion of annual fising effort (events), by platform (boat/ sore) and region for indigenous fisers, aged 5 years or older, living in communities in nortern Australia Annual arvest (numbers) by ig level groupings for indigenous fisers, aged 5 years or older, living in communities in nortern Australia Figure 7.1. Numbers by age class of overseas visitors wo fised in Australia during (Information provided by te Bureau of Tourism Researc)

10 viii Contents LIST OF TABLES Table 5.1. Table 5.2. Table 5.3. Table 5.4. Table 5.5. Table 5.6. Table 5.7. Table 5.8. Table 5.9. Table Table Total numbers of private dwelling ouseolds and gross sample sizes by ABS statistical divisions and survey strata. (Information provided by ABS)...31 Response analysis for te screening and diary surveys by State and Territory - based on net sample (total gross sample less sample loss)...46 Details of recreational boat ownersip in Australia. Number of vessels, number used for fising and estimated market value of recreational fising vessels by State or Territory...53 Estimated annual arvest (numbers) taken by Australian recreational fisers, aged 5 or older, for key species by State and Territory fised...79 Estimated annual arvest (numbers) taken by Australian recreational fisers, aged 5 or older, for key species by water body type...81 Estimated annual arvest (numbers) taken by Australian recreational fisers, aged 5 or older, for key species by metod. Boat-based proportion of te total arvest is indicated...82 Estimated annual arvest and released/discarded catc (numbers) taken by Australian recreational fisers, aged 5 or older, for selected species. Released proportion of te catc is indicated...85 Estimated annual arvest (kilograms) taken by Australian recreational fisers, aged 5 or older, for selected species by State or Territory fised Estimated total and average attributable fising expenditure by State and Territory of residence for recreational fisers aged 5 years or older. (rse relative standard error)...92 Regional attributable fising expenditure by State or Territory of residence for recreational fisers...92 Attributable fising expenditure by item/ service grouping for recreational fisers aged 5 or older and by State or Territory of residence Table Application of current survey data to policy issues Table Table Table 6.1. Table 6.2. Importance of factors to do wit recreational fising motivation (% of respondents) based on nationally aggregated data Primary reason for recreational fising (% of respondents) by State or Territory of residence Indigenous communities in nortern Australia tat participated in te survey Number of fully responding indigenous communities, dwellings and persons sampled in eac State/ Territory Table 6.3. Estimated annual arvest (numbers) for key species taken by indigenous fisers, aged 5 years or older, living in communities in nortern Australia by survey region Table 6.4. Estimated annual arvest (numbers) for key species taken by indigenous fisers, aged 5 years or older, living in communities in nortern Australia, by water body type Table 6.5. Estimated annual arvest (numbers) for key species taken by indigenous fisers, aged 5 years or older, living in communities in nortern Australia by fising metod...123

11 Contents ix Table 7.1. Table 7.2. Table 7.3. Estimated number of overseas visitors, aged 15 years and older, to Australia during 1998, 1999 and 2001, by country of origin. (Information provided by te Bureau of Tourism Researc) Estimated numbers of overseas visitors, aged 15 years and older, wo fised in Australia during 1998, 1999 and 2001, by country of origin. (Information provided by te Bureau of Tourism Researc) Percentage of overseas visitors, 15 years of age and older, wo fised in Australia, during 1998, 1999 and 2001, by country of origin. (Information provided by te Bureau of Tourism Researc)

12 x Contents LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix 5.1. Ci-square significance tests comparing survey sample against ABS bencmark population data (bold values indicate significant differences) Appendix 5.2. Description of te procedure used to develop ouseold and person integrated weigts. 145 Appendix 5.3. Estimated number of persons and proportion of te Australian resident population aged 5 or older wo fised recreationally in te 12 monts prior to May 2000 by State or Territory of residence, Statistical Division and sample stratum Appendix 5.4. Estimated number of ouseolds and te proportion of Australian private dwelling ouseolds tat contained persons wo fised recreationally in te 12 monts prior to May 2000 by State or Territory, Statistical Division and sample stratum Appendix 5.5. Appendix 5.6. Appendix 5.7. Number of recreational fisers and proportion of te resident population by age class and gender and State or Territory of residence Annual fising effort, expressed as fiser days, fising events and fiser ours, by State or Territory of residence and State or Territory fised for Australian recreational fisers aged 5 or older se is standard error, rse is relative standard error Annual fising effort (fising events) by water body type and State or Territory fised for Australian recreational fisers aged 5 or older Appendix 5.8. Annual fising effort (events) by fising metod and State or Territory fised for Australian recreational fisers aged 5 or older Appendix 5.9. Annual fising effort (fiser ours) by fising metod and State or Territory fised for Australian recreational fisers aged 5 or older Appendix Mean duration (ours) of recreational fising events by metod and by State or Territory Appendix Recreational fising effort by fising platform and State or Territory fised for Australian recreational fisers aged 5 or older Appendix Common and scientific names of species taken by recreational fisers and groupings (ig level and key species groupings) used for analysis and reporting Appendix Estimated annual arvest (numbers) taken by recreational fisers, aged 5 or older, by species group and by State or Territory fised Appendix Estimated annual arvest and released/discarded catc (numbers) taken by Australian recreational fisers, aged 5 or older. Te released proportion of te total catc is indicated Appendix Estimated mean weigts (kg) for key recreational species in Australia by State or Territory Appendix Estimated annual attributed expenditure ($) by item type and by State or Territory of residence for recreational fisers aged 5 or older Appendix Importance ratings for reasons to do wit recreational fising motivation (% of respondents) by State or Territory of residence Appendix 6.1. Annual fising effort, expressed as ouseold fising days, person fising days and person fising events for indigenous fisers, aged 5 years or older, in nortern Australia by State or Territory...181

13 Contents xi Appendix 6.2. Annual fising effort (fising events) by water body type for indigenous fisers, aged 5 years or older, in nortern Australia by State or Territory Appendix 6.3. Annual fising effort (fising events) by fising metod for indigenous fisers, aged 5 years or older, in nortern Australia by State or Territory Appendix 6.4. Appendix 6.5. Appendix 6.6. Annual fising effort (fising events) by fising platform (boat/ sore) for indigenous fisers, aged 5 years or older, in nortern Australia by State or Territory Annual fising effort (fising events) by fres or saltwater for indigenous fisers, aged 5 years or older, in nortern Australia by State or Territory Annual arvest (numbers) of aquatic organisms by indigenous fisers, aged 5 years or older, in nortern Australia by State or Territory Appendix 6.7 Annual arvest (numbers) of key species/ species groups by indigenous fisers, aged 5 years or older, in nortern Australia by State or Territory

14 12 Non Tecnical Summary NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY 99/158 Implementation of te National Recreational and Indigenous Fising Survey PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Mr Stan Jarzynski ADDRESS: Fiseries Action Program Department of Agriculture, Fiseries and Forestry - Australia GPO Box 858 CANBERRA ACT 2601 Pone: Fax: Stan.jarzynski@affa.gov.au OBJECTIVES: Te primary objective of te national recreational and indigenous fising survey was to collect nationally consistent and comparable fisery statistics (fis catc, fising effort, species composition) for te non-commercial components of Australian fiseries. Te survey also collected information on te number of fisers, teir demograpic profile, expenditure associated wit fising and te attitude and awareness of fisers to prominent fiseries management issues. Te specific objectives of te project were: To determine te participation rate in recreational fising nationally, by States and Territories and regionally, and profile te demograpic caracteristics of recreational fisers. To quantify catc and effort of te recreational fising sector nationally, by States and Territories and, were appropriate, regionally. To collect data on expenditure by te recreational fising sector nationally and regionally. To establis te attitudes and awareness of recreational fisers to management issues of relevance to teir fisery. To quantify fising activity by indigenous fising communities in nortern Australia. To quantify fising activity by overseas visiting fisers. NON TECHNICAL SUMMARY: A national survey of recreational and indigenous fising was conducted in Australia during Te survey was a joint initiative of Commonwealt and State governments. Grants from te Natural Heritage Trust, Fiseries Researc and Development Corporation, State and Territory fiseries agencies supported te project. Te national survey was a multifaceted project designed to provide a range of information about non-commercial fising in Australia. Te project comprised tree independent surveys, te National Recreational Fising Survey, te Indigenous Fising Survey of Nortern Australia and te Overseas Visitor Fising Survey. Different metodologies and analytical approaces were required for eac of tese surveys, reflecting teir varying caracteristics. A telepone/ diary survey metodology was developed to collect information on recreational fising in Australia wit non-response and beavioural biases being assessed by a suite of innovative follow-up surveys. Modified on-site survey tecniques were used to collect information from indigenous fisers in nortern Australia wile an existing survey instrument developed by te Bureau of Tourism Researc was used to obtain information on overseas visiting fisers.

15 Non Tecnical Summary 13 An estimated 3.36 million Australian residents, aged 5 years or older, fised at least once in te 12 monts prior to May Tis represented a national recreational fising participation rate of 19.5%. New Sout Wales ad te greatest number of recreational fisers (999,000) followed by Queensland (785,000) and Victoria (550,000). Almost 70% of te nation s recreational fisers resided in tese tree eastern States. However, te igest fising participation rates were recorded from Nortern Territory (31.6%), Tasmania (29.3%) and Western Australia (28.5%). Regional participation rates were lowest in Sydney (13.1%) and Melbourne (10.2%) but, by virtue of teir population sizes, tese capital cities accounted for large proportions of te fisers in eac State. An estimated 1.8 million Australian ouseolds contained at least one recreational fiser representing 24.4% of ouseolds nationally. On average, eac fising ouseold contained 1.9 recreational fisers. Recreational fising was more popular amongst males (2.3 million fisers) tan females (1.1 million fisers) wit te predominance of males involved in fising evident across all age groups. By age group, te greatest number of fisers was in te age bracket (644,000 males and 320,000 females), toug participation rates were igest among te 5-14 age group (33% for males and 23% for females). Fising club membersip among recreational fisers was low (4.3% nationally) and te number of recreational fising licence olders varied according to state jurisdictional arrangements. It was estimated tat over 511,000 boats, wit a capital value of $3.3 billion, were used for recreational fising in te 12 monts prior to May Fising and fising-related expenditure activities of intending recreational fisers were monitored between May 2000 and April During tis period, recreational fisers spent an estimated 20.6 million fiser days of effort, representing 23.2 million separate fising events or million fiser ours. New Sout Wales recorded te greatest effort (7.7 million events) followed by Queensland (5.8 million events) and Western Australia (3.4 million events). More tan 11% of te national fising effort (2.6 million events) occurred outside te fiser s State of residence. Patterns in interstate fising effort indicated tat New Sout Wales, Queensland, Nortern Territory and to a lesser extent Western Australia were net importers of fising effort, wile Victoria, Australian Capital Territory and Sout Australia were net exporters of effort. On average, recreational fisers fised approximately 6 days over te year wit just 15% of all fisers accounting for about alf te total fising effort. Nationally, about 41% of te total fising effort (9.5 million events) occurred in coastal waters, wit estuarine waters accounting for a furter 35% (8.1 million events). Te level of recreational fising directed at offsore waters was relatively low, about 4% (937,000 events). Freswater fising accounted for almost 20% of te national fising effort, around 11% (2.7 million events) in rivers and 8% (1.9 million events) in lakes or dams. Fising from te sore attracted a greater level of activity (57% of events) tan fising from a boat (43% of events). Of te boat-based fising effort, more tan 93% of fising events were conducted from private fising boats as opposed to carter vessels (4%) and ire boats (3%). Tese national trends were broadly consistent across States, but te geograpical and population variations between States contributed to some differences. Line fising metods (bait, lure, jig, fly, setline) accounted for 19.7 million fising events (85% of te national total). Fising wit pots and traps (7%), te use of pumps, rakes, spades and and collection predominately for gatering bait (4%), fising wit nets (3%) and diving wit spears or underwater and collecting (1%) followed in importance. Recreational fisers arvested approximately 136 million aquatic animals during te survey year. Te arvest included 60.4 million finfis, 11.5 million small baitfis, 6.1 million crabs and lobsters, 47.7 million prawns and yabbies, 1.8 million cepalopods, 7.2 million oter molluscs and 1.2 million oter taxa. Te prominent species/ groups in te recreational finfis arvest were witing (8.1 million fis), flatead (7.4 million), Australian erring (6.9 million), bream (4.9

16 14 Non Tecnical Summary million), King George witing (3.8 million), mullet (2.9 million), garfis (2.4 million), tailor (2.3 million), Australian salmon (1.7 million) and pink snapper (1.3 million). Two pest species, European carp and Englis perc, were arvested in large numbers (2.1 and 1.3 million fis, respectively). Substantial quantities of crabs (3.9 million blue swimmer and 0.8 million mud crabs), lobsters (0.7 million), prawns (18.8 million) and freswater crayfis (7.4 million crayfis) were also arvested. Estimated expenditure on services and items tat was attributed to recreational fising was $1.8 billion over te 12 mont survey period. Regional expenditure was generally related to te size of te population and te number of fisers. New Sout Wales ad te largest expenditure ($554 million) and Australian Capital Territory te smallest ($19 million). Te national average attributable expenditure was $552 per fiser per annum, wit te igest per capita expenditure in Victoria ($721) and te lowest in te Australian Capital Territory ($363). Expenditure on boats and trailers ($872 million) was te largest individual expense for fisers. Travel associated wit fising ($432 million), accommodation ($184 million) and fising tackle ($146 million) followed in importance. Wen asked about reasons for fising, recreational fisers identified, in descending order of importance, to relax and unwind, fising for sport, to be wit family and to be outdoors as teir primary motivations. Only a small proportion of fisers considered catcing fis for food as teir primary motivation for fising. An estimated 37,000 indigenous fisers, aged 5 years or older, living in communities in nortern Australia fised at least once during te 12 monts prior to July Tis represented a fising participation rate of 91.7%. Indigenous fisers in nortern Australia expended an estimated 420,000 fiser days of effort during te survey year, comprising 671,000 separate fising events. Indigenous fisers arvested aquatic animals from a range of environments, but insore waters accounted for more tan alf te fising effort. Indigenous fisers used line fising metods (53%), and collection (26%), nets (12%) and spears (9%) as teir primary fising metods. Indigenous fisers arvested more tan 3 million aquatic animals from te waters of nortern Australia. Te arvest included approximately 910,000 finfis, 1.1 million sellfis, 655,000 prawns and yabbies, 181,000 crabs and lobsters, 98,000 small baitfis and 93,000 oter taxa. Te most prominent finfis species in te indigenous catc were mullet (182,000 fis), catfis (109,000), sea perc/ snappers (84,000), bream (71,000) and barramundi (63,000). Te most prominent non-fis species were mussels, (586,000), cerabin (517,000), oter bivalves (233,000), prawns (132,000), oysters (114,000) and mud crabs (108,000). A relatively small proportion of te indigenous catc (1.7%) was returned to te water. Indigenous fisers arvested a number of species groups tat ad protected status for non-indigenous people. During 2001, approximately 4.6 million international visitors came to Australia. Approximately 4% of tese visitors (191,000 people) engaged in fising wile tey were in Australia. Te largest number of visitors wo fised in Australia came from United Kingdom (46,100 people), followed by Japan (23,900), United States of America (19,300) and New Zealand (14,800). All age groups were represented by te visitors wo fised, toug greatest numbers were in te and age brackets. Te project as acieved its goals regarding te collection of fisery statistics for te noncommercial components of Australian fiseries. A compreensive fising database as been establised and survey metodologies developed, tested and proved. Te project as delivered on a primary goal of te National Policy on Recreational Fising and te stated objectives of Commonwealt and State fisery agencies regarding te acquisition of compreensive and reliable data to support te management of recreational fiseries and te conservation of fisery resources.

17 Background BACKGROUND 1.1. Introduction A national survey of recreational and indigenous fising in Australia was conducted during Te survey represents te first compreensive national examination of te non-commercial components of Australian fiseries. Te survey obtained estimates of te level of participation, fising effort and catc by recreational and indigenous fisers. Te survey also sougt information on te economic activity associated wit recreational fising and te attitude of recreational and indigenous fisers to prominent management issues. Tese data were required at a national, state and regional level by Australian fisery agencies. Te project was planned, developed and supported by Commonwealt and State governments, peak commercial and recreational fising groups, and indigenous and environmental associations. A team of scientists from te State fiseries agencies and several external consultants implemented te project. Te survey database represents te most compreensive body of information ever collected on recreational and indigenous fising in Australia. Fiseries statistics were gatered on a range of major issues of significance to recreational and indigenous fising and its management. Tese data will be used to support te future management of recreational and indigenous fising in Australia Origins of te Survey Te growing number of recreational fisers over te last few decades as raised questions about teir impact on fisery resources. Recreational fising surveys ave been conducted by State fisery agencies to support te sustainable arvesting of fis stocks and to identify and accommodate a range of recreational fising opportunities. Recreational fising surveys were first conducted in Australia in te mid-1970 s and tey ave grown in size and complexity ever since. Most State fisery agencies routinely conduct recreational fising surveys as part of teir core activity. However, te diversity of survey objectives and recreational fising information required means tat tere is rarely a common approac to te spatial or temporal scales of tese surveys or te preferred metodology. Australian fiseries researc and management staff ave discussed te need for a standard, comparable national survey metodology since te early 1990 s. Te national recreational fising survey, terefore, ad its origins in te evolution and expansion of te scope of te work already being conducted in States, and te desire to collect compreensive national and regional recreational fising bencmark information using a standard metodological approac. State fisery agencies also recognised te need to establis long-term recreational fisery monitoring systems of a similar standard to tose for te commercial fising sector. More formal support for a national approac to recreational fising researc arose from te National Policy for Recreational Fising in Australia tat was developed by government and industry and publised in December Te Policy endorsed te principle tat fiseries management decisions sould be based on sound information including fis biology, fising activity, catces and te economic and social values of recreational fising. Te Policy also noted tat tere was an urgent need to obtain accurate national information on te values of recreational fising, and canges in tese values over a period of time as all levels of government ave inadequate information for managing many fis stocks of importance to recreational fising. Te Policy recommended tat a national survey of recreational fising sould be undertaken on a fiveyearly basis. In addition, te Policy suggested tat tere was also a need to identify te attitudes of recreational fisers to teir sport and determine te reasons wy people fis and te best means of incorporating tese needs into management polices.

18 16 Background Finally, community support for information on te arvest of fis stocks by te non-commercial sector arose from a Federally-funded community-based natural resources program (Fiscare) tat was establised in Fiscare eld community worksops around Australia wit key stakeolders of te aquatic environment to canvass a range of natural resource and abitat issues of interest or concern to a broad cross-section of te Australian community. A common issue at tese worksops was te lack of scientific information on te status of many fisery resources and te level of exploitation by non-commercial fisers. Community groups lamented te paucity of information on recreational and indigenous fising in view of te apparent growt in te number of participants and te tecnical advances in fising gear. It was acknowledged tat government fisery agencies ad an obligation to better understand te impact of all fising sectors on te sustainability of fis stocks. Te worksops strongly agreed wit te need for a program to obtain more information on non-commercial fising Development and Implementation Te national recreational and indigenous fising survey was progressively developed troug a tree-pase process during te late 1990 s tat involved a feasibility study, a development (pilot) project and te final implementation of te survey. A survey design consultant (Kewagama Researc Pty Ltd) was commissioned to review angling survey metodologies in 1998 and to recommend an appropriate survey instrument for Australian fiseries. Kewagama consolidated te output specifications of eac State/ Territory, provided a literature review of potential survey metodologies (including international surveys), discussed survey metodologies in ligt of te output specifications and caracteristics of Australian recreational fiseries and explored alternative implementation strategies. Kewagama recommended a national screening and diary instrument as te most appropriate survey tecnique for gatering national recreational fisery statistics. Te feasibility study also provided an assessment of development and implementation costs of a national survey. Standing Committee on Fiseries and Aquaculture (SCFA) endorsed te feasibility study and approved te development of a national recreational fising survey, along wit additional components for indigenous fising communities and international visiting fisers. Te development pase of te national recreational and indigenous fising survey occurred during Te objectives of te development pase were to advance te national survey concept (as per te feasibility study), into working documents and sampling plans ready for implementation. Tis required te finalisation/ refinement of te output specifications, sampling design, questionnaires and oter survey elements for te tree major components of te survey. Te survey instrument was pilot tested during 1999/2000. For te recreational component, te pilot test involved a 2-mont survey in eac State and Territory and a 12-mont pilot in New Sout Wales, Tasmania and te Nortern Territory. Te indigenous fising survey metodology was pilot tested witin 2 communities in Queensland, Western Australia and Nortern Territory. Significantly, te pilot testing provided te key survey researc staff in eac State and Territory wit direct experience in te conduct of te various survey components and database management systems as well as refining survey procedures. Te development pase allowed te final documentation and costings for te survey proper to be agreed to by te funding agencies and States. Altoug a complex and callenging project in many respects, te development pase acieved its stated objectives and te project team recommended tat te final implementation of te national recreational and indigenous fising survey proceed according to scedule in Fising Survey Literature Recreational fising surveys are used by fiseries agencies in many parts of te world to obtain a variety of information for management purposes. Recreational surveys may vary in teir complexity and scope, but seven basic designs are commonly used to gater fising information. Tese are mail surveys, telepone surveys, door-to-door surveys, diary or logbook surveys, access

19 Background 17 point surveys, roving surveys and aerial surveys (Pollock et al., 1994). Te first four are regarded as off-site metods (surveys conducted away from fising sites) and te last tree are regarded as on-site metods (surveys conducted at te fising site). Many recreational fising surveys seek to obtain information on te fis catc (numbers or kg in some cases), fising effort (trips, ours or days fised), catc rate (numbers or kg per our), species diversity, size and age of fis. Surveys of te expenditure incurred by recreational fisers generally seek to assess te economic impact of recreational fising and te flow-on benefits to regional communities, wile studies of te attitude/ awareness or motivation of fisers are used to examine social and management issues. Te metods used to collect data on recreational fising are determined by te type of information required, te temporal and spatial scale of te study, te caracteristics of te fisery and te resources (personnel, funds, gear) available. Survey outcomes are reported in a broad range of media from popular fising magazines to scientific journals. A summary of te content of scientific journals as been publised in a number of recreational fising texts tat describe te current status of recreational fising researc and management. Sigler and Sigler (1990) and Koler and Hubert (1993) provided texts on te conceptual basis of freswater fiseries management. Tese texts included a istory of fiseries researc and management and a description of te procedures for collecting, recording and interpreting scientific data relative to fiseries management goals. In 1990, te American Fiseries Society convened an international symposium on recreational fising tat brougt togeter over 300 people involved in researc and management. Te symposium drew togeter current survey information and focused tese tecniques on fisery problems. Proceedings of te symposium were publised in Gutrie et al. (1991). A furter outcome of te symposium was te publication of a manual of recreational survey tecniques for practical use in fiseries management (Pollock et al., 1994). Tis publication provides a compreensive review of angler survey metods and as become te autoritative text on recreational survey metods. More recently, te status of recreational fiseries researc and management in Europe was described in te proceedings of te European Inland Fiseries Advisory Commission symposium (Hickley and Tompkins, 1998). Te most recent significant contribution to te literature on recreational fising was te text by Pitcer and Hollingwort (2002) on te ecological, economic and social evaluation of recreational fiseries. Tis book arose from a selection of papers presented at an international conference on evaluating te benefits of recreational fising eld at te University of Britis Columbia in Tis text not only provides an analysis of te various approaces to valuation of recreational fising, but an update of te management, assessment and policy making for recreational fiseries worldwide. Different approaces to te collection of recreational fising information are used according to te particular circumstances of te fisery and te desired outcomes. However, large-scale surveys (e.g. at national or state-wide level) commonly use off-site tecniques for teir lower cost and greater utility in dealing wit large numbers of fisers dispersed over large geograpical areas. Remote (off-site) survey tecniques ave been used to collect information on recreational fiseries in Britain (NRA, 1995), Canada (Dominy, 1992), England and Wales (Lyons et al, 2002), France (Jantzen, 1998), Germany (Steffens and Winkel, 2002), New Zealand (Teirney, 1995; Teirney et al., 1997), Nordic Countries (Toivonen, 2002), Sout Africa (Griffits and Lambert, 2002), Sweden (Bogelius, 1998) and te United States (Essig and Holliday, 1991; Grambsc and Fiser, 1991; Gentner and Lowter, 2002). Te present survey of recreational fising in Australia used a remote (telepone/ diary) survey tecnique in conjunction wit a number of validation/ calibration surveys to minimise non-response and beavioural biases. Like most large-scale survey tecniques, te survey instrument was constrained by te availability of resources. A justification and discussion of te metods used for te Australian national survey was provided in te feasibility study (Kewagama Researc, 1998).

20 18 Background 1.5. Literature on Australian Recreational Fising Surveys Recreational fising surveys ave been conducted in Australia since te mid-1970 s (Tilzey 1977a, b), but te real growt in recreational fising researc occurred during te 1980 s as fisery agencies recognised te need to consider estimates of arvest from all fising groups in te management of aquatic resources. Recreational fising survey metodology as developed to include te full range of remote, on-site and biological tecniques and te scope of Australian surveys as expanded to include social, economic and motivational factors as well as traditional biological issues in fiseries management. Several undred recreational fising surveys ave now been conducted in Australia and tese surveys encompass te range and diversity of recreational fiseries. Consequently, a substantial body of quantitative information on recreational fising now exists for a range of Australian fiseries. Unfortunately, most surveys ave been limited in teir objectives (e.g. collection of catc/ effort information only or collection of participation/ attitudinal only) and/ or in teir temporal or spatial (single lake or estuary) scale, and tis as reduced teir value in elping to address broader biological, economic and social fiseries management goals and objectives on a national or state-wide basis. Sort-term surveys ave resolved immediate management issues, but tere is a growing desire to incorporate large-scale and longer term monitoring programs, suc as tose in place for commercial fiseries, into te management of recreational fiseries. Te first attempt to provide national information on recreational fising in Australia was commissioned by te Australian Recreational and Sport Fising Confederation in te early 1980 s to draw attention to te size (number of fisers) and economic impacts (expenditure associated wit fising) of te national fising sector (P.A. Management Consultants, 1984). General population or omnibus surveys ave now been conducted in all Australian States and Territories. Wile suc surveys ave provided estimates of te level of participation in recreational fising and te demograpic caracteristics of recreational fisers, tey do not provide estimates of catc and effort. Since te mid-1990 s tere ave been a number of large-scale surveys directed at evaluating recreational catc and effort. Tey include state-wide surveys of te recreational catc in te Nortern Territory (Coleman, 1998) and Queensland (Higgs, 1999; 2001), wile a number of states ave conducted large-scale state-wide surveys on particular fis or fiseries (Steffe et al., 1997; McGlennon, 1999; Sumner and Williamson, 1999; Lyle, 2000; Forward and Lyle, 2002). All states ave conducted regional, single water body or fisery-specific fising surveys in freswater, estuarine and marine waters to resolve specific fiseries management issues. Reviews of te Australian recreational fising survey literature can be found in McGlennon (1995), Kewagama Researc (1998) and McIlgorm and Pepperell (1999) Literature on Australian Indigenous Fising Accounts of indigenous fising activities in Australia ave appeared in te natural istory literature since te arrival of European settlers. Te official records of military officers wit te first fleet (Bradley, ; Tenc, 1791) provided accounts of indigenous fising in te Sydney region. Bone and sell ooks were fabricated, wile nettlebark, kurrajong and oter fibrous plants were used to make fising lines and nets (Bradley, ). Oter plants were used to poison creeks and barriers were erected in areas of tidal influence. Spears and clubs were commonly used and te muttock (pronged spear) was probably te most popular implement (Tenc, 1791). A succession of naturalists and natural istory writers documented te fis fauna of te new colony, including references to indigenous fising (Coen, 1892; de Castelnau, 1872; Oliver, 1871; Tenison-Wood, 1883; Tompson, 1893; Welsby, 1895). Early literature contains references to te skills of indigenous people in te construction and use of fising gear, boating and water skills and te arvesting of fisery resources in coastal and inland waters (Tenison-Wood, 1883). Accounts

21 Background 19 of indigenous fising ave been provided by Banfield (1909) and Gilmore (1986) and an overview of indigenous fising and its supporting literature is found in Bob Dunn s (1991) istory of angling in Australia. Tese istorical accounts of indigenous fising provide a useful description of fising tecniques, target species and aspects of te biology of Australian fis fauna, but little information on te number of fisers or te magnitude of te national, state or regional catc. More recent indigenous fising surveys in Australia ave tended to focus on te fising activities of individual communities and/ or regional fiseries in nortern Australia (Davis, 1983; Gray and Zann, 1988; Smit, 1998; Joannes and MacFarlane, 1991 and Roberts et al, 1996). Tese qualitative studies generally describe fising activities from personal interviews and observation rater tan provide statistical assessments of te fisery. Pointer and Harris (1991) and Harris et al (1993, 1995) obtained detailed catc statistics tat included quantitative assessments of te arvest of aquatic resources by fising metod for islands witin te Torres Strait. Te National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Survey collected demograpic data on indigenous family and culture, ealt, ousing, education, employment, law and justice (ABS, 1994a; 1994b; 1995). Balkanu Land Council and te Queensland Fiseries Service recently sougt to redress te lack of indigenous fiseries statistics in nortern Queensland by establising an indigenous subsistence fising kit for local communities to collect relevant catc and effort data (Turner, 1998).

22 20 Need 2. NEED FOR THE SURVEY 2.1. Fiseries Management Fiseries legislation is te principal instrument used by governments to implement policy wit regard to sustainable arvest of aquatic living resources. Fiseries management is te process wereby a government, in partnersip wit stakeolders, develops, implements and reviews fiseries policy and management arrangements. Tere are biological, economic and social objectives of fiseries management, wic may vary among governments and fiseries depending on te state of fisery resources and community expectations. In fact, most management agencies are concerned wit a range of management objectives and teir interactions. Australian fiseries management agencies ave similar goals in regard to te management of fisery resources. Tey seek to conserve fis stocks, manage sustainable arvesting, protect aquatic abitat and sare te resource among users. A primary role of government is to ensure long-term sustainable utilisation of fiseries resources for te prosperity and well being of te community. To acieve tis goal, government fisery agencies conduct scientific researc to understand fis populations and implement arvesting strategies to control te impacts of fising activity on fis stocks. Quantification of commercial, recreational and indigenous catc by species and fising area is usually a vitally important input to assessment of te impacts of fising and te determination of appropriate management arrangements to ensure sustainable arvesting Potential Impact of Recreational Fising A number of Australian studies ave sown tat recreational fisers account for a substantial proportion of te total annual catc of some fis and aquatic invertebrate species, and te seer number of people involved in recreational fising is forcing management agencies to divert an increasing proportion of teir attention and resources from commercial to recreational fiseries issues (Ramsay, 1991). Results of creel surveys in Sydney metropolitan estuaries ave sown tat te estimated total recreational catc is probably larger tan te reported commercial catc for some areas and species (SPCC, 1984; Henry, 1984). Recreational catces of bream and prawns are probably many times larger tan te commercial catc of te same species in a number of New Sout Wales estuaries (Kearney, 1991). It is becoming clear tat te potential impact of recreational fising on a number of fis and aquatic invertebrate species may be greater tan was previously tougt. Recreational fising effort as generally increased substantially in amount and effectiveness in recent years wit inevitable declines in catc rates, particularly near major population centres (Kearney, 1991). Tecnological advances in fising tackle and in position fixing and fis sounding equipment and te proliferation of information on were and ow to fis in te fising media ave probably also raised te average level of competence of te recreational fising community. As suc, te impact of recreational fisers on te environment and te fis stocks may warrant more stringent assessment and management Assessment of Indigenous Fising Indigenous people are a comparatively small, but important, proportion of te total Australian population. Te Australian Bureau of Statistics reported an indigenous population of about 420,000 people, representing approximately 2.2% of te Australian population, in te 2001 national census (ABS, 2002). However, indigenous people ave significance beyond teir numbers by virtue of teir possession of one of te oldest continuous cultures in te world. Tere is an appreciation of te value of traditional cultures, a recognition tat indigenous people are among te most disadvantaged Australians and a sarpened focus on te rigts of indigenous peoples. Te

23 Need 21 government accepts a special responsibility for indigenous peoples, manifested in a range of programs and activities specifically directed at overcoming disadvantage, wile retaining responsibilities for te provision of services. To understand te requirements of indigenous communities, to appreciate teir traditional cultural beliefs and to deliver appropriate services, tere is a substantial demand on governments for statistical data about indigenous populations. Tis is particularly relevant in regard to an istorical and ubiquitous indigenous activity suc as te arvesting of fisery resources. A demograpic profile of indigenous Australians as become available in recent years from te five-yearly national census (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1992; 1998; 2002) and from te 1994 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Survey implemented following a recommendation of Te Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deats in Custody. However, tese official sources of demograpic and socio-economic information provide no insigt to te overall arvest of fisery resources by indigenous Australians. Te present study is an attempt to redress te lack of indigenous fising information on a national scale by involving indigenous communities in te gatering of fiseries statistics. Tese data will be of value to te management of fiseries resources of importance to indigenous communities. Te data will also be combined wit catc data from oter Australian and international visiting fisers to provide a total view of te exploitation of Australian fisery resources. Accurate statistical information is needed to assist in te formulation and monitoring of policies tat will effectively address te socio-economic problems facing Australia s indigenous populations (Altman, 1992) Te Regulation of Recreational and Indigenous Fising Fiseries management agencies provide te government wit recommendations for resource conservation and use. Tese recommendations may include policies and rules concerning fising opportunity, resource allocation and arvesting strategies. Management tools available for controlling te arvest of fis are broadly classified as input (effort) and output (catc) control. Input managed fiseries are regulated by limiting te fising effort tat may be applied to te resource. Tere is usually no fixed upper limit on te arvest of fisery resources under input controls. Terefore, improvements in fising tecnology (fis sounding and position fixing equipment, vessel size and quality etc) and numbers of fisers may negate attempts to control fising effort and te arvest. Output control strategies set upper limits on te total catc to be taken by individual fisers (e.g. daily bag limits) or from a fisery as a wole (e.g. annual Total Allowable Catc). Output controls are more common to commercial fiseries, particularly tose tat ave fiseries objectives tat include a requirement to acieve economic efficiency. Recreational and indigenous fising in Australia is generally managed by a combination of input and output controls. Individual fisers are often required to adere to daily bag and possession limits, minimum and/or maximum fis size limits, restrictions on te type, size and quantity of fising gear and seasonal or area fising closures. Tese types of restrictions ave generally been implemented wit te intent of controlling te impacts of recreational and indigenous fising on fis stocks, saring fis resources more equitably among competing users or defining responsible fising beaviour. Recreational and indigenous fiseries statistics obtained during te current survey will provide bencmarks against wic future management can be assessed as well as igligting issues tat may require management or researc attention Fisery Management Plans Australian fisery agencies are placing increased empasis on ensuring tat fising activities are ecologically sustainable and tat te rules governing tese activities are transparent and well known by te participants and te community. Tis requires te development of fisery management arrangements tat encompass all users of te resource including commercial,

24 22 Need recreational and indigenous fiseries. It also requires tat te proposed management arrangements be documented in a form tat provides fisers and te community wit a clear statement of intent regarding te exploitation of fisery resources and aderence to sustainability principles Stock Assessment and Sustainability Te recreational and indigenous fising information obtained from te current national survey will be used by management agencies for a variety of purposes. One of te most important potential uses of catc and effort information from te survey will be as an input to assessment of te impacts of fising on stocks of key target species. Stock assessments seek to explain te factors (bot fising and non-fising) tat determine te reproductive success, distribution and abundance of fis populations and, given tese circumstances, to predict te responses of fis populations to different levels of fising pressure. Suc assessments draw on a range of information sources and are subject to a wide variety of uncertainties. Te type of assessment used for a particular fis stock depends on te nature of te species and fisery being studied, te value of te fisery and te cost of gatering information to facilitate te assessment. Te basis for all assessments is an understanding of te key demograpic processes tat limit population size. Tese are te rates at wic fis grow, reproduce and die (natural and fising mortality), recruit and move. Biological data and fiseries statistics are used to construct models of a fisery. Suc models vary substantially in complexity and sopistication. For example, te relatively simple biomass dynamic models use a time series of catc and a time series of relative abundance data to estimate canges in te biomass of te population over time. In contrast, more complex age- and lengtstructured models of populations incorporate more information about te biology of a species (e.g. rates of growt, natural mortality) and specifically consider multiple ages or lengt-classes, rater tan simply te exploitable biomass. Many types of stock assessment models explicitly acknowledge uncertainty in te process of fitting te model to istorical fisery data and in providing estimates of te risk associated wit alternative arvesting strategies. One of te basic requirements of most models of fis populations and fiseries is a time-series of catces (fising-induced mortality or witdrawals) from te stock. Consequently, information on catces from all fising sectors are of importance. Models tat ignore a significant component of te total fising-induced mortality (e.g. do not account for te recreational or indigenous component of total catc) may be biased, may result in incorrect conclusions about te status of a stock and may lead to inappropriate management arrangements for a stock or fisery. Tus, estimates of te recreational and indigenous catc (retained and discarded) of a species are fundamental to determining weter te fising mortality by tese sectors is significant compared to oter sources of fising mortality. Moreover, in cases were te recreational or indigenous arvest does represent a significant component of total fising mortality, knowledge of teir catc is fundamental to accurately representing te total catc from a fisery in models tat are subsequently used to assess te status of stocks and te merits of alternative arvest strategies Resource Allocation between Sectors Australian governments ave generally indicated an intention to manage fiseries according to te principles of ESD, including a need to sare te nation s fisery resources equitably among te various competing community sectors tat use te resources. Tis objective, owever, as been one of te more difficult to acieve because of te common property nature of fis resources and te lack of agreed processes for determining appropriate saring/ allocation targets for particular resources. Tere are many community groups wit an interest in fisery resources, fis abitat or te water tat sustain fiseries. Most groups claim to ave a legitimate rigt of access to a community resource and will use a range of biological, economic, political and social arguments to enance teir sare of te resource and/or reduce te sare of oter users.

25 Need 23 Te greatest source of friction for recreational and indigenous fisers as been te debate wit te commercial fising sector over te ecological sustainability of eac group s activities, and over te relative value to te community of commercial verses recreational/ indigenous use of fis resources. Recreational fisers often blame commercial fisers for reductions in stocks, wo in turn will often deny tis, and counter wit te claim tat te recreational take is under-estimated. Recreational fisers also claim tat in many cases te social or economic value of recreational fising for particular species or in particular areas greatly exceeds te social or economic value of commercial fising for te same species or in te same area. Indigenous fising issues are often completely overlooked during allocation disputes. In te absence of appropriate researc and monitoring programs to provide relevant biological, fisery and socio-economic valuation information, tese types of debates are insoluble. Competition between commercial, recreational and indigenous fisers for te same fis stocks does not occur in all fiseries, and were suc competition does occur teir proportional sare of te total catc taken by eac sector is generally not clear. A compounding factor in te debate over saring of fis resources is an inability of many recreational fisers to relate teir own (peraps small and disappointing) catc to te total recreational catc. Also, recreational fisers tend to overlook te fact tat te beneficiaries of commercial fising are not only te operators, but related businesses, regional economies and te substantial proportion of te national population wo are seafood consumers. Te national recreational and indigenous fising survey metodology can assist in te resolution of fis resource allocation disputes by providing estimates of te total recreational and indigenous catc (retained and discarded) of key species tat are te subject of competition between different user groups. Suc estimates can be expressed as a proportion of te combined catc of a particular resource by all fising sectors, and will provide an indication of te significance of te recreational and indigenous sector and te appropriate level of management. Knowledge of current sectoral catc sares for eac fis resource is important in elping to set or revise catc sare targets, and in determining weter re-allocation is required to meet new catc sare targets. Subsequent surveys to estimate total recreational and indigenous catces of key species will be necessary to determine weter actual catc sares are in line wit te specified catc sare targets Socio-economic Information In recent years, fiseries management agencies in Australia ave begun to collect a range of socioeconomic information not only to elp resolve resource allocation issues and improve resource management, but also to support a range of non-catc initiatives by oter Commonwealt, State and local government agencies. Information on te demograpic profile of fisers, motivations for fising, attitudes to government initiatives and te economic impact of recreational fising is now commonly gatered as part of management programs. Tis information can be used by Commonwealt, State and local government agencies in teir regional planning and infrastructure development programs to enance recreational fising opportunities and promote tourism development. For example, agencies concerned wit sport and recreation, boating and maritime issues, national parks and wildlife, education, tourism, planning and infrastructure development seek a range of information on te recreational sector to support teir initiatives and justify budgetary allocations to community projects related, but not exclusive, to te recreational sector. Collection and distribution of profiling and economic information to oter government agencies and community groups as become a role of fiseries agencies as important as some of te catc and effort data and a furter justification for te conduct of te national recreational and indigenous fising survey.

26 24 Need 3. OBJECTIVES Te objectives of te National Recreational and Indigenous Fising Survey were to obtain estimates of te primary fisery statistics for te non-commercial components of Australian fiseries. Tese fisery statistics include estimates of te number of fisers, te proportion of te Australian population tat goes fising, fising effort, catc and te diversity of species taken by te non-commercial fising sectors. Te survey also sougt information on te expenditure incurred by recreational fisers and te attitude and awareness of fisers to a range of prominent fiseries management issues. Te non-commercial components of Australian fiseries were defined as te recreational sector, indigenous fising in nortern Australia and fising undertaken by international visitors to Australia. Recreational fising as been te subject of considerable researc attention in Australia, but indigenous and overseas visiting fisers ave received far less focus despite teir potential to impact on aquatic resources and contribute to regional economies. Te specific project objectives of te survey were: To determine te participation rate in recreational fising nationally, by States and Territories and regionally, and to profile te demograpic caracteristics of recreational fisers. To quantify catc and effort of te recreational fising sector nationally, by States and Territories and, were appropriate, regionally. To collect data on expenditure by te recreational fising sector nationally and regionally. To establis attitudes and awareness of recreational fisers to issues relevant to teir fisery. To quantify fising activity by indigenous fising communities (were significant) in terms of participation, catc and effort and attitudes. To quantify fising activity of overseas visiting fisers. Tese fiseries statistics and related data were required at a national, state and regional level and sould be spatially and temporally comparable. Catc information from tese non-commercial sectors, wen combined wit te commercial catc estimates, will provide te first complete estimate of te arvest of fisery resources in Australia. Tese data will support te management of all fising sectors and assist fisery resource agencies to address various stock assessment and fisery management issues. It is anticipated tat te survey will provide a metodological and information baseline for future large-scale recreational and indigenous fising surveys in Australia. Te real value of te information collected during te present survey will be realised in future years as te survey is repeated and a time series of recreational and indigenous data becomes available for trend analysis.

27 Survey Context SURVEY CONTEXT 4.1. Overview Te National Recreational and Indigenous Fising Survey was developed as a multifaceted project designed to provide a range of information about non-commercial fising in Australia. Te project comprised tree independent surveys, te National Recreational Fising Survey (NRFS), te Indigenous Fising Survey of Nortern Australia (IFSNA) and te Overseas Visitor Fising Survey (OVFS). Different metodological and analytical approaces were required for eac of tese surveys, reflecting teir varying caracteristics. Eac survey itself was composed of a number of different components for te collection, analysis and validation of data. Output specifications, sample sizes, survey documentation and implementation strategies for eac survey were described in detail in te development report (SDWG, 2000). Te tree different components were meant to encapsulate te range of non-commercial fising in Australia. Fiseries statistics obtained from tese sources, wen combined wit tose for te commercial sector, will provide a more compreensive view of te utilisation of living aquatic resources of Australia. Details of te sampling metodology for eac component of te national recreational and indigenous fising survey were provided in SDWG (2000) and Sections 5, 6 and 7 of te present report Implementation Strategies Te sampling metodology, survey outputs, statistical analyses, data management and survey documentation were specifically tailored to tis survey. Te concept of a national survey for te Australian recreational and indigenous fiseries needed to be developed into working documents (e.g. interviewer manuals, questionnaires, workflow plans) and sampling plans ready for implementation. Additionally, database and analytical tools were required for implementation, along wit training of key personnel trougout Australia. Expertise for preparation of tis material was not universally available, altoug more generalised expertise in recreational fiseries did exist witin fisery agencies in eac State and Territory. Te preferred approac, terefore, was to establis a development team, involving specialist consultants, to prepare all material for te implementation of te national survey and to work closely wit representatives from eac State and Territory to ensure tat te needs of all fisery agencies were met. After considering various options for 'out-sourcing' project functions, staff associated wit te survey recommended a largely 'in-ouse' approac to te management, conduct, analysis and reporting of te survey. A national project manager was appointed to co-ordinate te primary functions of te survey, including liaison wit oter survey management/consultant staff. Commissioning of consultants was minimised to five areas of expertise (survey design, interviewer training and management, statistics, economics and data management). Te current national survey report was prepared in accordance wit a structure agreed by all agencies. Relevant timing, resource inputs and budgetary issues for te implementation of te survey were presented in te development report (SDWG 2000) Recreational Fising Survey A manager was appointed for eac State fisery agency to take responsibility for te day-to-day functions witin eac of te seven Australian States/ Territories (New Sout Wales would ave responsibility for te Australian Capital Territory). Te State manager s responsibilities included recruitment, training and management of survey staff. Eac State manager was assisted by an

28 26 Survey Context office manager recruited for te various administrative, clerical, data entry and editing functions. Additional support staff was required for specific functions suc as data entry at peak times. Te largest group of people to be appointed were te telepone interview staff. Tese people were recruited locally (to te agency concerned) and in accordance wit specific criteria required for teir functions witin te project. About 90 interviewer positions were appointed nationally. Tese staff (and Office Managers) received formal training in all facets of te survey work. Working from ome-based offices, interviewers conducted telepone pases of te survey, including te Screening, Diary and Attitudinal Surveys. Regular liaison/ feedback/ performance monitoring was undertaken by survey management staff. Fisery agencies in eac State/Territory were responsible for all data entry and editing/tabulation of survey data. Final editing, tabulation, expansion, analysis and reporting of te survey results was te primary responsibility of an analysis team Indigenous Fising Survey Te Nortern Territory Department of Business, Industry and Resource Development (NTDBIRD) managed te indigenous fising survey of nortern Australia. Twelve community staff were appointed to conduct interviews in Western Australia, Nortern Territory and Queensland. Tese people were recruited across nortern Australia by NTDBIRD in accordance wit specific criteria required for teir functions witin te project. Tey received toroug formal and 'on-te-job' training in all facets of te survey work. Several communities were assigned to teir local interviewer. Interviewers, wit assistance from te Nortern Territory State manager, were responsible for te initial approac to te communities witin te sample. Te interviewers ten visited teir local communities to obtain permission to conduct te survey and subsequent face-toface interviews for all pases of te survey, including te screening, diary and attitudinal surveys. Survey management staff undertook regular liaison/ feedback/ performance monitoring. NTDBIRD was also responsible for all data entry and editing/tabulation of survey data. Final editing, tabulation, expansion, analysis and reporting of te survey results was te primary responsibility of an analysis team Overseas Visitor Survey An existing survey instrument developed by te Bureau of Tourism Researc was used to obtain information on overseas visitors. Relevant information was extracted from te visitor survey databases and made available for collation by te national project manager National Perspective of te Project Te national recreational and indigenous fising survey was supported at te igest level of government in Australia. Te Standing Committee on Fiseries and Aquaculture, te Ministerial Council on Forestry, Fiseries and Aquaculture and State fisery agencies adopted te recommendations of te National Policy on Recreational Fising and supported te development and implementation of te survey. Ministerial fising advisory councils, fising associations, fising clubs, environmental and indigenous groups and many oter community groups expressed teir support for te collection of fisery statistics troug a range of media. State fisery agencies contributed financial and uman resources. Financial grants from te Australian Natural Heritage Trust (NHT), Fiseries Researc and Development Corporation (FRDC) and State fiseries agencies supported te survey. Te Fiseries Action Program (FAP) of te Department of Agriculture, Fiseries and Forestry Australia (AFFA), administered te project.

29 National Recreational Fising Survey NATIONAL RECREATIONAL FISHING SURVEY J.M. Lyle, G.W. Henry, L.D. West, D. Campbell, D.D. Reid and J.J. Murpy 5.1. Introduction Recreational fising is a popular outdoor activity in Australia. It attracts a large number of people wo derive a range of benefits from te sport. For te past 25 years, community-based surveys in Australia ave suggested tat up to a tird of te population goes fising (McNair Anderson, 1978; P.A. Management Consultants, 1984; Sweeney and Associates, 1988; Pepperell, 1996). Eac year, millions of recreational fisers use a variety of fising tecniques to arvest a diversity of aquatic species trougout Australia. Until recently, it as generally been anticipated tat recreational fising effort would continue to increase in Australia, irrespective of demograpic forecasts, since te predominant socio-economic trend was toward more outdoor leisure activities. Te attention drawn to recreational fising by programs in te national broadcast and print media as raised te level of interest in recreational fising and lifted community expectations regarding te management and conservation of aquatic resources. Australian fiseries management agencies apply a range of measures to protect fis abitat and conserve fis stocks. In regard to recreational fising, most agencies conduct scientific researc to understand fis populations, collect fisery statistics on te recreational sector and implement arvesting strategies to regulate fising activity. However, te recreational fising sector is larger and more diffuse tan oter fising sectors and requires special metods to examine and understand. Te financial resources necessary to develop and implement an appropriate national survey ave not (until recently) been available. Consequently, tere were no precise national estimates of te scale or impact of recreational fising in Australia altoug a number of related sources of information suggested tat tese migt be substantial (PA Consulting, 1992; Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1992; Kearney, 1995). Due to teir limited nature and/or te different goals of te relevant studies, tese reports are tougt to provide, at best, indicative estimates of national recreational fising participation and catc. Intuitively toug, te large number of recreational fisers in Australia would suggest tat te recreational arvest is significant and indeed several small-scale regional surveys ave indicated tat, for some species and situations, recreational catces are comparable to or exceed commercial catces (Hancock, 1995). Te current national survey as been developed to derive fiseries statistics and related data at national, state and regional levels to support te long-term management of recreational fising Survey Overview Te design of te National Recreational Fising Survey (NRFS) built on experiences wit oter large-scale recreational fising surveys and incorporated components developed specifically to address data quality issues (Lyle et al. 2002). Te survey was implemented in early 2000 as a series of concurrent state-wide surveys, conducted and managed in-ouse by eac State and Territory fiseries agency, but co-ordinated nationally. Survey interviewers were specifically recruited and trained by project staff and were managed by te appropriate fiseries agency.

30 28 National Recreational Fising Survey Te primary data sources for te NRFS were a general population screening survey, a diary survey and an attitudinal survey. Te major functions of te screening survey were to estimate te level of participation in recreational fising, provide a socio-demograpic profile of recreational fisers and to recruit fisers to participate in te diary survey. Fising and fising-related economic activity was ten monitored over a 12-mont period using te diary survey. At te completion of te diary period, respondent awareness and attitudes to fising related matters were assessed in a final interview, te attitudinal survey. Data quality issues were addressed troug a series of calibration surveys designed to provide adjustments for non-response and to assess te extent of beavioural cange (unexpected fising) during te diary period. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) resident population information was used to bencmark survey data for coverage and representation and to provide te basis for expansion of data to population estimates. On-site (creel) surveys were also conducted in eac State and Territory to assess fis identification skills of recreational fisers, determine te size distribution of common species and provide independent verification of certain recreational fising activities. Te relationsips of te various components of te NRFS are represented in Figure 5.1. Australian resident population Private dwelling ouseolds Pone owners wite page listed Non-pone owners incl. unlisted numbers Calibration/validation surveys Screening survey Screening sample ABS bencmark data Sample loss Disconnects, etc. Response Non-response Refusal/non-contact Intending fiser Non-intending fiser Non-response follow-up Diary survey Accept diary Refuse diary Non-intending fiser follow-up Fised No fising On-site creel surveys Figure 5.1. Diagrammatic representation of National Recreational Fising Survey.

31 National Recreational Fising Survey Survey Scope Te NRFS encompassed te private dwelling resident population of Australia, aged five years and older, and teir recreational fising activity. Note: residents of Australia s external territories and indigenous communities in nortern Australia were excluded. Te latter group was te focus of te Indigenous Fising Survey of Nortern Australia (refer section 6). Recreational fising was defined as te capture or attempted capture of aquatic animals in Australian waters (freswater, estuarine, marine) oter tan for commercial purposes. All recreational fising tecniques and arvesting activities were included in te survey. Economic activity related to recreational fising (expenditure and selected investment) was also witin scope Sampling Design Te survey design for te general population sampling was based on single-stage cluster sampling (Tompson, 1992) were te ouseold (cosen by random sampling) represented te primary sampling unit and recreational fisers witin te ouseold te secondary unit, wit all fisers in te ouseold included in te sample. Cluster designs are recommended were tere is no frame listing of all elements or were a frame listing is proibitively expensive to obtain (Scaeffer et al., 1996). Te major advantages of cluster sampling over simple random sampling (sub-sampling of fisers witin a ouseold) are te provision of correct weigtings to bot single and multiple fiser-ouseolds and a cost benefit in providing multiple fiser data troug a single (screening survey) contact. Te basis for sampling ouseolds was te wite pages telepone directory (electronic version), wic was used as a proxy for listings of private dwelling ouseolds. Available census data indicate tat about 98% of te Australian population reside in private dwellings suc as ouses, units and apartments, as opposed to non-private dwellings suc as otels, ospitals, jails and military establisments (ABS, 1996). Te use of directory lists rater tan random digit dialling enabled obvious business numbers and multiple ouseold listings to be filtered out and te sample population to be stratified into regions consistent wit tose used by te ABS to report statistical data. A total of 49 strata were identified for te national sample, wit stratification at te Statistical Division (SD) level in all but a few instances were SD s were eiter amalgamated or furter subdivided (Figure 5.2, Table 5.1). Stratum sample sizes were cosen to provide general consistency in terms of te level of precision for reporting of state-wide estimates of participation, total effort and arvest (target levels were less tan 5% relative standard error) (SDWG, 2000). Assumed values of regional participation rates, mean effort, catc rates and response rates, were used to model te effects of stratification and sample size on te precision of state-wide estimates. Systematic random sampling was used in te selection of telepone numbers (and te ouseold attaced to tese numbers). Tis approac provided a probability-sample of telepone numbers, wic gave an equal probability of selection witin a stratum. Te sampling fraction assigned to te stratum was determined by te size of sample required to acieve te required precision (as described above). Telepone numbers for wic no survey data were collected, eiter troug non-response or sample loss, were not substituted.

32 30 National Recreational Fising Survey Figure 5.2. Map of Australia sowing te Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Statistical Divisions. (Information provided by ABS).