Harvest strategy policy and stock rebuilding for Commonwealth fisheries in Australia: Moving toward MEY Peter Gooday Branch manager Productivity, water and fisheries Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics
Ministerial Direction Recover overfished stocks Develop a best practice harvest strategy policy Implement ITQs for all stocks unless there are significant impediments to their use
Fishing concession buyback Four target fisheries Overfished or at risk of overfishing Two stage competitive tender across fisheries Between 35% and 55% of entitlements purchased in three of the target fisheries
Area of northern prawn fishery
Net economic returns: northern prawn fishery 240 210 180 150 120 90 60 30 revenue costs net economic returns $m 2007-08 -30 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
NPF management issues Input control system Difficulty in controlling effort and catch Continual changes to regulations Efficiency and negotiation costs ITQs proposed as a superior alternative A condition of inclusion in the buyback Bioeconomic modelling indicates excess capacity
Area of southern and eastern scalefish and shark (SESS) fishery
Net economic returns: Commonwealth trawl sector of the SESS fishery 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 revenue costs net economic returns $m 2007-08 -10 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Net economic returns: gillnet, hook and trap trawl sector of the SESS fishery 50 40 30 20 10 revenue costs net economic returns $m 2007-08 -10 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2005-06 2006-07
Southern and eastern scalefish and shark fishery Latent effort: Catch as % of available TAC in 2006 (selected species) Pink ling Blue grenadier Flathead Blue eye trevalla Gemfish (western) Saw shark Orange roughy (eastern) Orange roughy (western) Smooth oreodory (cascade) Mirror dory Orange roughy (Albany & Esperance) Oreo Orange roughy (southern) John dory Redfish School whiting Smooth oreodory 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Overfished or overfishing is occurring Uncertain Not overfished and overfishing is not occurring
Results of bioeconomic model of the Commonwealth trawl sector of the SESS fishery Species BMEY/BCUR BMEY/BMSY Optimal harvest at steady state (MEY) Initial TAC during rebuild* Harvest (2004) tonnes tonnes tonnes Orange roughy Cascade Spotted warehou 1.64 1.47 995 665 1600 1.30 1.08 4117 3114 4100 Pink ling (trawl) 1.80 1.29 1397 914 1073 Tiger flathead 1.05 1.03 3830 2980 3200 * This is the initial TAC during the rebuild phase. The TAC will increase through time over the rebuild period up to the optimal TAC at steady state.
Entitlement buyback in the SESS 50% reduction in trawl boat permits 30% reduction in gillnet boat permits 57% reduction in shark boat permits
Per cent reduction in SESS TACs: 2005-2009 (selected species) Orange Roughy (Eastern) Orange Roughy (Western) Orange Roughy (Albany & Esperanc e) Orange Roughy (Southern) Orange Roughy (Casc ade Plateau) Deepwater Sharks East Deepwater Sharks West Sc hool Whiting Gemfish (western) Jackass Morwong Redfish Saw Shark Family Elephant fish family Silver Warehou Oreos Pink Ling John Dory -100-80 -60-40 -20
Area of eastern tuna and billfish fishery
Net economic returns: eastern tuna and billfish fishery $m 2007-08 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10-10 -20-30 1994-95 1995-96 revenue costs net economic returns 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Harvest Strategy Policy Commercial fish species managed for long term biological sustainability and economic profitability Clearly defined reference points that trigger management action Target biomass and fishing levels to be consistent with MEY
Example harvest control rule
MEY issues MEY estimates not available for most fisheries Transition path Updating MEY Multispecies fisheries Low value fisheries
A proxy for MEY B MEY = 1.2*B MSY B MEY = 0.48*B 0 Use more suitable proxies if available
MEY issues MEY estimates not available for most fisheries Transition path Updating MEY Multispecies fisheries Low value fisheries
MEY issues MEY estimates not available for most fisheries Transition path Updating MEY Multispecies fisheries Low value fisheries
MEY issues MEY estimates not available for most fisheries Transition path Updating MEY Multispecies fisheries Low value fisheries
MEY issues MEY estimates not available for most fisheries Transition path Updating MEY Multispecies fisheries Low value fisheries
Gross value of production of Commonwealth fisheries in 2006-07 ($A million) Northern prawn SESS Commonwealth Trawl sector Southern Bluefin Tuna Eastern Tuna and Billfish SESS Gillnet Hook and Trap sector SESS GAB trawl sector Torres Strait prawn Torres Strait rock lobster Small fisheries 20 40 60 80
Conclusion Realising benefits requires management change HSP provides improved transparency and certainty MEY target frames the debate