Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery (East Coast) - Status report for reassessment and approval under protected species and export provisions of the ...
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Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery (East Coast) Status report for reassessment and approval under protected species and export provisions of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
This publication has been compiled by Fisheries Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
Enquiries and feedback regarding this document can be made as follows:
Email: info@daf.qld.gov.au
Telephone: 13 25 23 (Queensland callers only)
(07) 3404 6999 (outside Queensland)
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday: 8 am to 5 pm, Thursday: 9 am to 5 pm
Post: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries GPO Box 46 BRISBANE QLD 4001 AUSTRALIA
Website: daf.qld.gov.au
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iTable of contents
Definitions & Abbreviations ................................................................................................................ iii
Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery (East Coast) Summary ............................................................ v
Introduction................................................................................................................................... 1
Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery (East Coast)..................................................................... 1
Non-commercial fishing .............................................................................................................. 2
Legislation & Advisory Bodies ................................................................................................... 4
Management.................................................................................................................................. 4
5.1 General Restrictions ....................................................................................................................... 4
5.2 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) .......................................................................................... 5
5.3 Performance Measurement System (PMS) ................................................................................... 8
5.4 Harvest Strategy ........................................................................................................................... 10
Assessment History ................................................................................................................... 10
Licence & Fishery Symbols ....................................................................................................... 11
7.1 Commercial fishing authorities / fishery symbols ......................................................................... 11
7.2 Trends in commercial fishing authorities ...................................................................................... 11
Catch & Effort ............................................................................................................................. 12
8.1 Data Collection ............................................................................................................................. 12
8.2 Effort ............................................................................................................................................. 13
8.3 Catch ............................................................................................................................................ 13
8.4 Bycatch including Species of Conservation Interest .................................................................... 14
Monitoring and Research .......................................................................................................... 14
Progress against conditions and recommendations ............................................................. 16
References .................................................................................................................................. 20
Appendix ..................................................................................................................................... 21
iiDefinitions & Abbreviations
Active Licence – The definition of an active licence is the same as that used by DAF’s
data reporting system. An active licence is a licence that has
reported catch and effort in the QSCF through the logbook reporting
system irrespective of the amount of catch and effort.
AIVR – Automated Interactive Voice Response (AIVR) system.
Byproduct – The portion of catch retained for commercial sale that was not
intentionally targeted.
BFZ – Burrowing Blackfish Zones
CDR – Catch Disposal Records
DAF – Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
EPBC Act – Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
ERA – Ecological Risk Assessment.
Fishing Licence – A Fishing Licence can have multiple symbols attached including a
net (N) and line (L) fishing symbol. However, operators in the QSCF
are only required to hold a B1 (hand collection) licence.
Fishery Symbol – The endorsement that permits a fisher to access a fishery and
defines what gear can be used i.e. N = Net, L = line, T = trawl. The
number of fishing symbols represents the maximum number of
operators that could (theoretically) access the fishery at a single
point in time.
GBRMP / GBRMPA – Great Barrier Reef Marine Park / Great Barrier Reef Marine
Protected Area.
Guideline – Queensland Ecological Risk Assessment Guideline
ITQ – Individual Transferable Quota.
MoU – Memorandum of Understanding
MSE – Management Evaluation Strategy
PMS – Performance Measurement System
QSCF – Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery.
RHA – Rotational Harvest Arrangement
iiiSAFS – Status of Australian Fish Stocks.
Species of – A limited number of species subject to mandatory reporting
Conservation Interest requirements as part of the Queensland logbook reporting system.
(SOCI) Any reference to ‘SOCI’ refers specifically to the SOCI logbook or
data compiled from the SOCI logbook.
TACC – Total Allowable Commercial Catch.
Target – The primary species or species groups that have been selectively
fished for and retained for commercial, recreational or Aboriginal
peoples and Torres Strait Islander people's purposes.
WTO – Wildlife Trade Operation.
ivQueensland Sea Cucumber Fishery (East Coast) Summary
Feature Details
Species targeted Burrowing blackfish (Actinopyga spinea), white teatfish (Holothuria fuscogilva),
black teatfish (Holothuria whitmaei), prickly redfish (Thelenota ananas), curryfish
(Stichopus herrmanni, Stichopus vastus), blackfish (Actinopyga palauensis)
Fisheries symbols Hand collection
B1 – Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery (east coast) (formerly Bêche-de-mer
Fishery)
Fisheries Legislation From September 1 2019: Fisheries Act 1994 and subordinate legislation
Working Group Sea Cucumber Fishery Working Group
Harvest Strategy Approved for implementation from 1 September 2021. See details at Sea
cucumber fishery: commercial fishing rules in Queensland (daf.qld.gov.au)
Gear The following apparatus are currently permitted for use within the Queensland
Sea Cucumber Fishery:
Commercial
• Hand collection using approved underwater breathing apparatus – hookah,
SCUBA or free dive
Recreational
• Hand collection only (excluding hookah / SCUBA)
A full description of the types of apparatus prescribed for each fishery symbol can
be found in the Fisheries (General) Regulation 2019, Fisheries (Commercial
Fisheries) Regulation 2019, and Fisheries Declaration 2019
Main management Commercial
methods • Size limits
• Limited entry / access
• Species-specific ITQs for black teatfish and white teatfish
• Combined ITQ for other species
• Spatial closures
• Vessel and tender restrictions
• Rotational Harvest Arrangement (RHA)
• Burrowing Blackfish Zones (BFZ)
Recreational
• Possession limits (5)
• Closed waters south of Bowen and in the Gulf of Carpentaria
• Gear restrictions (no take by SCUBA)
• No take species (Black and White Teatfish)
Quota White teatfish TACC – approximately 53 t
Black teatfish TACC – approximately 30 t
Other sea cucumber TACC – approximately 308 t (including burrowing blackfish
catch triggers – 225 t (Lizard Isl. 120 t; Bunker Reef 60 t; Gould Reef 45 t)
Fishing Season 1 July – 30 June
Commercial Fishery B1 – 18 licences
licences
vThis is a limited entry fishery (i.e. no additional licences will be issued for this
fishery)
Total annual harvest Commercial: approximately 391 t (TACC)
by sectors Recreational: Unknown but considered to be marginal
Charter: Unknown but considered to be marginal
Harvest by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples: Negligible
GVP $4,691,469 (2009)
Stock Status White teatfish (Holothuria fuscogilva) listed as ‘Sustainable’ by SAFS 2020
Burrowing blackfish (Actinopyga spinea) listed as ‘Sustainable’ by Queensland
Stock Status 2020
Accreditation under Part 13: Accredited (expires 30 September 2021)
the EPBC Act (Part 13 Part 13A: Accredited (expires 30 September 2021)
& 13A)
viIntroduction
On 25 September 2020, the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
(DAWE) declared the Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery (QSCF) an approved Wildlife Trade
Operation (WTO), subject to conditions of approval
(https://www.environment.gov.au/marine/fisheries/qld/sea-cucumber). The current WTO approval is
due to expire on 30 September 2021.
This is an application for reassessment of the current WTO for the QSCF under Part 13 and 13 (A) of
the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The submission has
been prepared according to requirements of the Australian Government’s Guidelines for the
Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries 2nd Edition (Resources, 2007).
Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery (East Coast)
The Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery (QSCF) is a hand collection fishery that operates in
Queensland and Commonwealth waters from Cape York to Tin Can Bay, including parts of the Great
Barrier Reef Marine Protected Area (GBRMPA). The commercial QSCF has an estimated Gross
Value of Production of $4,691,469 in 2009. A multi-species fishery (Appendix 1), operators primarily
target burrowing blackfish (Actinopyga spinea), prickly redfish (Thelenota ananas), white teatfish
(Holothuria fuscogilva), and curryfish (Stichopus herrmanni and Stichopus vastus). While black
teatfish (Holothuria whitmaei) were historically among the top targeted species, sustainability
concerns led to the Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) limit being set at 0 tonnes in 1999,
making black teatfish a no-take species. Population surveys in 2016 demonstrated that the health of
regional black teatfish stocks had improved to levels suitable for harvest. This led to the reintroduction
in 2019/20 of a precautionary TACC for black teatfish set at 30 tonnes.
To access the QSCF operators must hold a B1 fishery symbol. This symbol governs the area where
an operator can fish and the types of apparatus permitted for use. Under the B1 symbol, fishing
operations are restricted to waters east of longitude 142°31'49"E between latitude 10°41’S and 26°S,
parallel to Tin Can Bay (Figure 1). Of this fishing area, approximately 37% is permanently closed to
fishing and a significant part of the overall fishery is below safe limits for diving. The B1 symbol also
operates under conditions that limit the number of operators permitted to collect sea cucumbers,
imposes vessel restrictions, and defines catch limits at a whole-of-fishery and species-specific level.
As the fisheries reforms and harvest strategy process progresses, licence conditions under the B1
fishery symbol are subject to change e.g. through updated catch limits and stock assessments. While
the fishery is hand collection-only, the use of approved breathing apparatus such as SCUBA and
hookah are permitted for commercial harvest.
Current management arrangements for the QSCF include a Rotational Harvest Arrangement (RHA)
(Table 1) which ensures sustainable and planned distribution of fishing effort to avoid localised
depletions. In addition, some areas demonstrated to have high abundance of burrowing blackfish
have been declared as Burrowing Blackfish Zones (BFZs) (Figure 2). These zones are subject to
different restrictions.
QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 1Non-commercial fishing While the take of sea cucumber is permitted in the recreational and charter sectors, non-commercial take is restricted to east coast waters north of Bowen. Recreational harvest is controlled through in- possession limits (5), spatial closures, and gear restrictions prohibiting the use of breathing apparatus such as SCUBA or hookah. Due to concerns over the vulnerability of several species, white and black teatfish remain no-take species in the recreational sector throughout Queensland waters. While the recreational, charter, and indigenous catch of these species remains negligible, a full account of the catch and effort data for the charter fishery is available through QFish – Queensland’s publicly accessible data mining site (http://qfish.fisheries.qld.gov.au/). Additional information on the Queensland Statewide Recreational Fishing Survey is available at: https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/monitoring-research/monitoring- reporting/recreational-fishing/statewide-recreational-fishing-surveys In addition to the recreational and charter fishing sectors, species retained in the QSCF can be harvested by Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Catch and effort in this fishing sector remains the least understood. However, DAF anticipates that this sector has comparatively low levels of effort with fishing activities and collection levels aligning closely with the recreational fishing sector. QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 2
Figure 1. The prescribed fishing area for the B1 fishing symbol in the Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery (QSCF) (formerly Bêche-de-mer Fishery). QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 3
Legislation & Advisory Bodies
The QSCF is managed in accordance with the objectives of the Fisheries Act 1994, and subordinate
legislation including the Fisheries (General) Regulation 2019, Fisheries (Commercial Fisheries)
Regulation 2019, and Fisheries Declaration 2019.
A stakeholder working group was established as part of the Queensland Sustainable Fisheries
Strategy 2017 – 2027 (the Strategy), to assist the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) with
management of the fishery. The FWG was formally established through an expression of interest
process and includes a wide range of stakeholders from the scientific community, management
agencies, conservation groups, and the commercial and recreational fishing sectors. The FWG
provides advice on the operational and management actions or reforms needed to achieve the
established management objectives for the fishery and will:
• assist with the development of harvest fishing management options for the fishery consistent
with the Strategy;
• assist with the development and implementation of a harvest strategy for the QSCF; and
• provide advice to Fisheries Queensland on operational issues and management of harvest
fishing within the QSCF.
Further information regarding the Sea Cucumber Fisheries Working Group, including communiques is
available at https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/sustainable/fishery-working-
groups.
Management
Commercial catch and effort in the QSCF are managed using input and output controls including
catch limits (TACC and Individual Transferrable Quota; ITQ), gear restrictions, vessel tracking &
restrictions, limited entry, zoning limitations, and spatial closures. Until 1 September 2021 a number of
these restrictions including catch limits are applied through licence conditions. Commercial fishing
activities are also currently subject to an industry-based Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
(Section 5.2) and a Performance Measurement System (PMS) (Section 5.3). The MoU and PMS
arrangements will be formalised as harvest control rules in the Sea Cucumber Fishery Harvest
Strategy, commencing from 1 September 2021 (see Section 5.4).
5.1 General Restrictions
Under the current arrangements, the number of vessels operating under a single licence is restricted
to the primary boat and up to 4 tenders no longer than 7m in length (State of Queensland, 2019).
Attendance restrictions require tenders to remain within 5 nautical miles from the primary vessel.
Licence conditions dictate that a maximum of 10 divers can operate under a licence at any one time.
Gear is restricted to hand-collection, with the use of approved breathing apparatus such as SCUBA /
hookah.
At a species-specific level, output controls are in place for white teatfish (53 tonne TACC limit) and
black teatfish (30 tonne TACC limit). These restrictions are complemented by a 308 tonne multi-
species basket TACC limit for all other species of sea cucumber, within which a 225 tonne catch
QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 4trigger is set for burrowing blackfish (Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2020a). The TACC
limits are currently enforced through licence conditions and implemented through ITQs.
As a large proportion of the fishing activity occurs within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
(GBRMP), provisions governing the use of marine resources within the marine park also exert
significant influence on the extent of all QSCF operations. Licence holders require a permit issued by
the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to operate in the marine park. Under the current zoning
plan, commercial fishing including for Sea Cucumbers is prohibited in approximately 37% of the
GBRMP. Outside of these protected areas, commercial fishers may apply for permits to harvest sea
cucumber in the General Use and Habitat Protection Zones. Further information on GBRMPA zoning
can be found here https://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/access-and-use/zoning/zoning-maps.
In the recreational fishing sector, fishers are not permitted the use of breathing apparatus (e.g.
SCUBA or hookah) and harvest rates are restricted by an in-possession limit of 5 individuals and a
boat limit of 10 individuals (combined species). While the recreational and charter fishing sectors are
not managed or included in the current quota limits, the recreational take of black and white teatfish is
prohibited throughout Queensland waters, as is the take of all sea cucumbers south of latitude 20°
South near Bowen and in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Under the Fisheries Act 1994, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are entitled to the use of
prescribed traditional and non-commercial fishing apparatus in waters open to fishing. Size and
possession limits, and seasonal closures do not apply to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
peoples.
5.2 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
The MoU currently in place is an agreement between licence holders and DAF, created to ensure
sustainable and planned distribution of fishing effort and avoid localised depletion. Among other
management arrangements, the MoU outlines the Rotational Harvest Arrangement (RHA) for areas of
the fishery that overlap with the GBRMP (Figure 2; Table 1). Under the RHA, the fishery is divided up
into 158 zones, with 53 zones open to fishing in years 1 and 2, and 52 zones open to fishing in year 3.
Each zone may be fished for a maximum of 18 days every three years. The percentage of quota held
in the fishery by licence holders determines the number of rotational harvest zones available to that
licence holder (Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2020a). The RHA has been in place since
2004 and has been an important tool in achieving and maintaining sustainability within the QSCF
(Skewes et al., 2014).
In addition to the RHA, the MoU includes supplementary zoning for the harvesting of burrowing
blackfish – BFZs (Figure 2). BFZs are specific locations identified as having high abundances of
burrowing blackfish and in areas where the take of sea cucumber is limited almost exclusively to this
species (Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2020a). Allowable catch limit triggers are applied to
each of these zones and a maximum of 225 tonnes (total) across all regions (Department of
Agriculture and Fisheries, 2020a). This catch is included as part of the ‘other species’ sea cucumber
basket quota (308 tonnes). These zones, while not specified in permit conditions or legislation, have
specific rules and limits applied:
• No time limit applies when catching burrowing blackfish;
QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 5• In the first year of rotation, 15 days are allocated to each operator for the targeting of species
other than burrowing blackfish in the BFZs;
• In the second and third rotation years, only burrowing blackfish may be taken;
• The operator who first identifies the BFZ has exclusive use of it for the first rotational year;
• A single fishing trip is limited to fishing operations in either the northern zone (north of 19°
south) or the southern zone (south of 19° south, including Marion Reef), but not in both;
• From July 2004, three BFZs have been managed through individual catch trigger limits: Lizard
Island 120 t; Bunker Reef 60 t; Gould Reef 45 t.
The MoU also outlines commercial minimum size limits for each species, which are at least 15%
larger than their size at maturity (Table 1). Setting the limit above the size of sexual maturity helps to
ensure that individuals have reproduced at least once before recruiting to the fishery. From 1
September 2021, the MoU will be formalised in harvest control rules under the Sea Cucumber Fishery
Harvest Strategy (see Section 5.4).
Table 1. Rotational Harvest Arrangement (RHA) annual zone allocation, including Ashmore and Boot
Reefs
YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3
C3 C6 C7 C10 C13 C1 C4 C8 C11 M3 C2 C5 C9 C12 M1
M2 M5 M8 M11 M14 M6 M9 M12 M15 M18 M4 M7 M10 M13 M16
M17 M20 M23 M26 M29 M21 M24 M27 M30 M33 M19 M22 M25 M28 M31
M32 M35 M38 M41 M44 M36 M39 M42 M45 M48 M34 M37 M40 M43 M46
M47 M50 M53 M56 M59 M51 M54 M57 M60 M63 M49 M52 M55 M58 M61
M62 O1 O4 O7 O10 O2 O5 O8 O11 O14 O3 O6 O9 O12 O15
O13 O16 O19 O22 O24 O17 O20 O25 O28 O31 O18 O21 O23 O26 O29
O27 O30 O33 O36 O39 O34 O37 O40 O43 O46 O32 O35 O38 O41 O44
O42 O45 O48 O51 O54 O49 O52 O55 O58 O61 O47 O50 O53 O56 O59
O57 O60 O63 O66 O69 O64 O67 O70 O73 O76 O62 O65 O68 O71 O74
Ashm
O72 O75 C14 O22a CS1 ore / O77 CS2
Boot
QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 6Figure 2. Map of the Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery (formerly the Bêche-de-mer Fishery) as of 2014 showing the RHA zones, existing BFZs, two QSCF offshore fishing zones (Suamarez and Marion Reefs), and one general fishery permit area (Ashmore Reef). The remainder of the GBRMPA area is divided into zones that are either open or closed to sea cucumber fishing (Skewes et al., 2014). QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 7
Table 2. Minimum size limits for target sea cucumber species in the Queensland Sea Cucumber
Fishery.
Common Name Species Name Minimum size limit
Sandfish Holothuria scabra 20cm
White teatfish Holothuria fuscogilva 40cm
Prickly redfish Thelenota ananas 50cm
Actinopyga palauensis,
Blackfish 20cm
Actinopyga spinea
Redfish Actinopyga echinites 20cm
Surf redfish Actinopyga mauritiana 25cm
Black lollyfish Holothuria atra 20cm
Greenfish Stichopus chloronotus 20cm
Stichopus herrmanni,
Curryfish 35cm
Stichopus vastus
Elephant’s trunkfish Holothuria fuscopunctata 40cm
Brown sandfish Bohadschia vitiensis 25cm
Leopardfish Bohadschia argus 35cm
Amberfish Thelenota anax 50cm
5.3 Performance Measurement System (PMS)
The existing PMS formalises the objectives, performance indicators, performance measures and
management responses, which were developed by DAF with input from stakeholders (Department of
Primary Industries and Fisheries, 2008). The PMS was subject to Management Strategy Evaluation
(MSE) testing by the CSIRO (Skewes et al., 2014) and the management regime was found to be
working effectively in mitigating sustainability risks for key species. The MSE report is publicly
available at: https://publications.csiro.au/rpr/pub?pid=csiro:EP1311565
Formerly supported by a Management Advisory Group (MAG) and Scientific Advisory Group (SAG),
the PMS is now supported by the Sea Cucumber FWG. The objectives of the PMS are to:
• maintain stocks of sea cucumbers at sustainable levels, minimise risks of unsustainable
harvest and to recover stocks of sea cucumber that are considered to have been fished to
below sustainable levels;
• protect endangered and threatened species;
• minimise fishery impacts on the ecosystem;
• ensure adequate compliance; and
• establish management responses if any aspect of the MoU is not adhered to e.g. effort in
each rotation zone exceeding the permitted 18 days per zone, which can be monitored
through vessel tracking.
QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 8Under the PMS, sustainable catch limits (where possible) are set at no more than ≤10% of estimated
biomass with ‘sustainable’ being defined as biomass not falling by ≥15%. The intention of the PMS is
to ensure catch limits do not exceed 10% of estimated biomass. The PMS also includes Review
Reference Points (RRP) or catch triggers for each species (Table 3). The triggers were developed in
consultation with CSIRO scientists. The RRPs are conservative and account for the fact the stocks
are not heavily targeted. If an RRP is exceeded, the PMS includes several management responses
that can be applied by DAF. The management responses are listed below from least to most severe:
• increase the RRP;
• commit to intervention / further action if a RRP is reached in a subsequent year;
• allow fishing above RRP to continue for next quota year and require that it remain below RRP
until a resource assessment is delivered by industry and partially defined catch limit(s) are
endorsed by the FWG;
• fishing to return to levels below RRP until a resource assessment (with methodology
endorsed by the FWG) is delivered by industry and spatially defined catch limit(s) endorsed
by the FWG;
• fishing for species to cease in certain area(s) (key targeted area(s)) and fishing in all other
areas to continue below RRP while a resource assessment (with methodology endorsed by
FWG) is delivered by industry for the targeted area;
• fishing for species to cease until a resource assessment (with methodology endorsed by the
FWG) is delivered by industry and spatially defined catch limit(s) endorsed by the FWG.
Table 3. Catch triggers listed in the Performance Measurement System (PMS)
Species Catch trigger Species Catch trigger
White teatfish – Zone 1 40 tonnes Brown sandfish 30 tonnes
White teatfish – Zone 2 13 tonnes Surf redfish 25 tonnes
Blackfish (A. palauensis) 25 tonnes Deepwater redfish 25 tonnes
Burrowing blackfish (A. spinea) – Zone 1 15 tonnes Leopardfish 30 tonnes
Burrowing blackfish (A. spinea) – Zone 2 15 tonnes Stonefish 10 tonnes
Burrowing blackfish (A. spinea) – Lizard 120 tonnes Elephant trunkfish 50 tonnes
Burrowing blackfish (A, spinea) – Gould 45 tonnes Tigerfish 25 tonnes
Burrowing blackfish (A. spinea) – Bunker 60 tonnes Greenfish 50 tonnes
Prickly redfish 40 tonnes Amberfish 50 tonnes
Curryfish (S. hermanni) 50 tonnes Flowerfish 25 tonnes
Curryfish (S. vastus) 25 tonnes Lollyfish 50 tonnes
Sandfish 15 tonnes Snakefish 25 tonnes
Golden sandfish 10 tonnes Pinkfish 50 tonnes
QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 95.4 Harvest Strategy
The Sea Cucumber Fishery Harvest Strategy 2021-2026 was released for public consultation in
September 2020. Public consultation closed on 31 January 2021 and the final strategy has been
approved for implementation from 1 September 2021(see Harvest strategies | Department of
Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland (daf.qld.gov.au). The harvest strategy defines three species as
Tier 1 target species: black teatfish, white teatfish, and burrowing blackfish. As Tier 1 species, the
management regime will include performance indicators surrounding biomass reference points
produced by stock assessments. Tier 1 management will also involve reactive trigger points
connected to biomass levels, set to reduce fishing pressure as necessary. The remaining sea
cucumber species will be classed as Tier 2, and will be managed by reactive catch triggers prompting
the implementation of a TACC for relevant species (Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2020b).
Assessment History
In 2004, a fishery-wide ecological assessment was compiled to investigate the ecologically
sustainable management of the fishery against the principles, objectives, and guidelines of
Ecologically Sustainable Development (Roelofs, 2004). The fishery was subsequently subject to a
Management Strategy Evaluation (Skewes et al., 2014). An updated ERA was drafted in July 2021
and is currently undergoing a review process. The final ERA report will be published on the DAF
eResearch archive at eResearch Archive - Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
(daf.qld.gov.au)
At present, no species in the QSCF have been subject to a modelled stock assessment. Spatial
density estimates have previously been prepared for burrowing blackfish and used as the basis for
setting catch triggers for the BFZs (set at 5% of standing biomass). Condition 6 of the current QSCF
WTO requires stock assessments to be completed for black teatfish and white teatfish. These
assessments are underway and will be delivered by 30 September 2021. Final reports will be made
publicly available. At this stage, no other sea cucumber species have been prioritised for stock
assessments. DAF will assess the need for subsequent stock assessments based on the species,
harvest rates, and conservation or sustainability concerns.
In addition to the stock assessments required by Condition 6 of the existing WTO, Conditions 4 and 5
address the need for further assessment and monitoring of key species, including black teatfish and
white teatfish. A survey assessing the population biomass of black teatfish was completed in April
2021, the results of which will be incorporated into the species-specific stock assessment. For further
information of the progress of these conditions, see Section 10 (Process against conditions and
recommendations).
While formal stock assessments have not been completed for any key species, status assessments
for white teatfish and burrowing blackfish were included in the 2020 National Status of Australian Fish
Stocks (SAFS) report. Both species were classified as sustainable stocks using the SAFS weight of
evidence approach. Results of previous status assessments for these species and the 2020 results
are tabled in Appendix 2. In previous years, status assessments were completed for white teatfish
and burrowing blackfish in Queensland. In both instances these species were also classified as
sustainable (Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2018).
QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 10Licence & Fishery Symbols
7.1 Commercial fishing authorities / fishery symbols
Access to Queensland’s commercial fisheries is managed using fishery symbols, which define what
apparatus can be used in each fishery (e.g. N = net, L = line) and the area of operation. In each
fishery, the total number of symbols represents the number of fishers that could potentially access the
fishery at any one time. This differs from data on the number of ‘active’ licences, which represents the
number of operators that have used their symbol to access the fishery over a 12-month period.
The B1 fishery symbol covers all commercial sea cucumber hand-collection operations on the
Queensland east coast. This symbol does not include the harvest of sea cucumber in adjacent areas
(e.g. the Gulf of Carpentaria or the Torres Strait). There are currently 18 B1 fishery symbols that can
be used in the QSCF. As Queensland has a limited licencing policy, this number will not increase
without management intervention.
7.2 Trends in commercial fishing authorities
Reporting systems used by DAF will classify a licence as ‘active’ when the operator has reported
catch and effort from a fishery. This will be done irrespective of the days fished, the frequency of the
fishing events or the amount of catch that is reported. Consequently, data on the number of ‘active’
licences may include operators that have fished infrequently, have small catch quantities, or
undertake very limited fishing events.
In the above examples, the catch and effort reporting system may show that two separate licences
were active in the fishery, despite the operators using the same fishery symbol at different times of
the year (i.e. the licence holder and the lessee). Consequently, the number of ‘active’ licences may be
higher than the total number of symbols (Table 4). Despite the above anomalies, data on the number
of active licences were presented as it provides insight into the number of operators that accessed the
QSCF over a 12-month period.
Data collected from the fishery show that participation rates in the QSCF peaked between 2000 and
2006, after which, the number of active licences declined by approximately 70% before stabilising at
around four and seven active licences per financial year over (Table 4). As symbol numbers remained
the same from 2000 to 2020, this decline is likely due to changing fishing behaviours, changes in
market demand and licence consolidation verse management intervention (e.g. licence buybacks).
Table 4. An overview of the Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery (east coast). Total and active
licences, retained catch (tonnes), and effort (days fished). Effort data were sourced from AIVR and
commercial logbook reporting, with catch data sourced from Buyers Reporting Logbooks. Note:
Where active licences appear higher than the total number of fishing symbols, this is a result of
‘licence leasing’ as discussed in Section 5.1.
Financial year No. symbols Active licences Effort Catch (tonnes)
2000-2001 17 21 1,010 244
2001-2002 18 21 1,178 262
2002-2003 18 20 970 283
2003-2004 18 21 1,024 267
QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 11Financial year No. symbols Active licences Effort Catch (tonnes)
2004-2005 18 21 804 367
2005-2006 18 24 852 286
2006-2007 18 13 805 284
2007-2008 18 12 869 317
2008-2009 18 9 703 356
2009-2010 18 8 665 355
2010-2011 18 6 610 387
2011-2012 18 6 535 329
2012-2013 18 7 525 334
2013-2014 18 4 489 318
2014-2015 18 7 528 361
2015-2016 18 5 534 356
2016-2017 18 4 532 338
2017-2018 18 5 418 314
2018-2019 18 6 581 302
2019-2020 18 6 382 395
Catch & Effort
8.1 Data Collection
Catch and effort in the QSCF is monitored from multiple data sources. Fishers utilise the Automated
Interactive Voice Recording (AIVR) system to prior report catches before coming into port, and
Unloaded Fish Notices once landed. Managers use this information to monitor quota usage, and (if
applicable) implement additional measures if / when the TACC limits are reached.
Catch can also be verified using the Beche-de-mer Buyers Reporting Logbook (BB02). This logbook
provides a more detailed, species-specific account of the weighed and processed product, and works
to provide an added method of catch data validation.
Fishers must also complete the Bêche-de-mer and Trochus Fisheries Logbook (BD04). These
commercial logbooks record daily information on:
- The retained catch
- Fishing times
- Location of catch and effort
- Fishing equipment used (in this case, the number of divers and diving hours)
While commercial logbooks also report catch, these records were historically based on numbers of
individuals and required the use of an estimated weight conversion factor. This, at times,
overestimated the amount of catch being retained in the fishery. While this situation has been rectified
since 2014 with the introduction of the BD04 commercial logbook, the Buyers Reporting Logbook data
/ Unloaded Fish Notices provide a more accurate account of historical catch trends and individual
QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 12rates of harvest in this fishery. This is the primary reason why the Buyers Reporting Logbook and Unloaded Fish Notices are used (for example) to monitor long term catch trends, assess individual rates of harvest, monitor quota usage (Unloaded Fish Notices only), and are used within stock assessments and indicative sustainability evaluations (e.g. SAFS). In line with this approach, all catch data presented in this Scoping Study is based on the Buyers Reporting Logbook data and Unloaded Fish Notices. There are no discards in the QSCF due to the highly selective nature of hand collection fisheries, and as such there is no requirement to report this. Interactions with Species of Conservation Interest (SOCI) are required to be reported in the SOCI logbook. However, interactions with SOCI are limited in the QSCF. In addition to catch records, commercial logbooks provide information on effort, and this data is commonly used for further data analysis on catch per unit effort to better monitor fishery performance. Permitted effort can be verified using vessel tracking information. The commercial fishery logbook is available at https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/fisheries/monitoring- reporting/requirements/logbooks Reporting requirements for the QSCF were also reviewed as part of the harvest strategy development process. Updated reporting arrangements, which will apply from 1 September 2021 are described at 1A.-Reporting-flowcharts_v1.0_details-removed-Sea-cucumber.pdf (daf.qld.gov.au) The suitability and applicability of implementing more responsive catch reporting systems e.g. introducing electronic logbooks (via a smartphone application) is also being considered to enable reporting of catch and effort in real time. A summary of Buyers Reporting Logbook catch data (2000– 2020) is provided in Appendix 3. 8.2 Effort Effort (days fished) in the QSCF peaked in the 2001/02 financial year and declined progressively over the post 2007/08 period (Table 4). While showing a degree of variability, these declines have stabilised since 2011/12 with total effort fluctuating between 380 and 580 fishing days. While difficult to quantify, this decline in effort can be attributed to a range of factors e.g. changing fishing behaviour, shifting effort to adjacent jurisdictions (e.g. Torres Strait), management intervention and the expansion of the GBRMP representative areas program. Sea cucumber effort has spread over time with a large proportion of the east coast effort grids now registering between 1-10 days fished. However, most of the effort remains localised around areas north of Cairns, to the east of Mackay / Rockhampton, and along the Great Barrier Reef. Rotational harvesting is used within the B1 fishing grounds in the GBRMP to reduce localised depletions and overexploitation of sea cucumber species. On this basis, the fishing grounds are divided up into zones to be fished on a rotational basis only once every three years. Due to privacy regulations, effort distribution maps cannot be provided for fisheries operating with less than five vessels. As such, effort maps for the QSCF are not available. 8.3 Catch Catch data for the B1 fishery gives an absolute or non-standardised value of what is being harvested across the Queensland east coast (Appendix 3). This data shows some variability, with catch trends QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 13
not necessarily following those observed in the effort data. For example, total catch over the 2000/01
to 2019/20 period increased (244t in 2000/01, 395t in 2019/20), while both participation rates and
effort (days fished) decreased (Table 4). As with overall catch, species composition has changed
alongside updated management arrangements. This is reflected in the Buyers Reporting Logbook
catch data where six species (burrowing blackfish, white teatfish, black teatfish, prickly redfish,
curryfish, and blackfish) now make up around 90% of the reported catch (Appendix 3).
8.4 Bycatch including Species of Conservation Interest
As a hand collectable fishery, bycatch in the QSCF is confined to target species that do not meet the
regulations e.g. those that have previously been classified as no take or animals that are below
minimum legal size limits. While it is possible for operators to encounter SOCI species in an active
fishing environment, the likelihood of interactions occurring with fishing apparatus is negligible due to
the apparatus being used and the fishing method being employed.
Monitoring and Research
Stakeholder feedback received during the development of the Strategy identified a need to address
existing knowledge gaps and improve public confidence in the information being used to manage
Queensland’s fisheries resources. The Strategy recognises this feedback and includes commitments
to improve monitoring and research programs, develop new data validation protocols, trial novel
monitoring technology, implement a social and economic monitoring program, prepare regular stock
assessments and implement a program of ecological risk assessments.
As part of the foundational reforms outlined in the Strategy, Action 1.1 commits to the development of
a fisheries monitoring and research plan to outline standards for improved data collection, and guide
the identification of data needs, resources, and priorities. A Monitoring and Research Plan was
released in August 2017 and is available at https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/queensland-
sustainable-fisheries-strategy/resource/fc7da976-661c-43ba-aaaa-9df8c2cb39d3.
This plan defined immediate priorities for monitoring and research at the commencement of the
Strategy. Monitoring and research priorities are now derived on an ongoing basis from;
• Information needs for harvest strategies;
• Stock assessment recommendations;
• Stock status evaluations;
• Ecological Risk Assessments;
• EPBC Act approval conditions; and
• Fishery Working Groups
Action 1.3 in the Strategy commits to developing partnerships to trial the use of novel technologies for
fisheries monitoring, such as apps, robotic vision, spatial interfaces and mapping, social media, and
citizen science. Since the rollout of the Strategy, there are now several ongoing projects contributing
to this commitment. Potential for robotic vision and on-board electronic monitoring have been
assessed via two contracts, progressed as a partnership between QDAF and the Advance
Queensland Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program (see further details at
https://advance.qld.gov.au/sbir-recipients). The results of these programs have now been
incorporated into a broad data validation and improvement plan currently being implemented.
QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 14The harvest strategy describes the performance schedule for the fishery including modelled assessments of Tier 1 species. In addition to the stock assessments set out in the harvest strategy, Conditions 4 and 5 of the WTO re-assessment describe the need for further assessment and monitoring of key species (black teatfish and white teatfish), the results of which will complement the species-specific stock assessment. For additional information on the assessment of species in the QSCF, see Section 6 (Assessment History). For information on QDAF’s progress against the above conditions, see Section 10 (Progress against conditions and recommendations). Roll out of the compulsory Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) commenced in Queensland on 1 January 2019. VMS data provides detailed spatial and temporal information on the activities of operators in the fishery. While the system is new to some other Queensland commercial fisheries, the QSCF has been required to use it for some time. The eighth state-wide recreational fishing survey began in February 2019 and was published in 2021. The last state-wide recreational fishing survey was in 2013. While the recreational take of sea cucumber on the Queensland east coast is limited, this survey provides additional information on recreational fishing effort, and economic and social indicators across the state. Further information on current and previous recreational fishing surveys is available at https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business- priorities/fisheries/monitoring-research/monitoring-reporting/recreational-fishing/statewide- recreational-fishing-surveys. Catch and effort in the QSCF is recorded and monitored through the AIVR system, Unloaded Fish Notices, the Beche-de-mer Buyers Reporting Logbook (BB02), and the Bêche-de-mer and Trochus Fisheries Logbook (BD04). As discussed in Section 8, these catch reporting frameworks work to validate fisheries data by cross-referencing across systems. In addition, data collected by the monitoring programs are entered into the Fisheries Queensland data system, where they are subject to various quality control measures. Quality control in the data systems is being further enhanced by measures described in the Sustainable Fisheries Strategy Data Validation Plan (see https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/queensland-sustainable-fisheries-strategy/resource/dfbddda3- f0e4-47a2-ba25-644b999734d8). Fisheries data are available publicly via the QFish system at http://qfish.fisheries.qld.gov.au/. Some restrictions are placed on the availability of data obtained through QFish to protect confidentiality, and the QSCF is currently subject to these restrictions given the limited number of vessels accessing the fishery. Data can also be extracted from the system on request via the Fisheries Data Coordinator. QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 15
Progress against conditions and recommendations
Number Condition Progress
1 The Queensland Department of Agriculture and On September 1 2019 the Fisheries Regulation 2008 was repealed and replaced with
Fisheries (QDAF) must ensure the operation of the the Fisheries (Commercial Fisheries) Regulation 2019, Fisheries (General) Regulation
Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery (East Coast) is 2019, Fisheries Declaration 2019 and Fisheries Quota Declaration 2019. The QSCF
carried out in accordance with the management continues to be managed in accordance with the Queensland Fisheries Act 1994 and its
arrangements specified in the Queensland Fisheries subordinate legislation listed above. Schedule 1, Part 2 of the Fisheries (Commercial
Act 1994, Fisheries (General) Regulation 2019, Fisheries) Regulation 2019 now defines the fishery, fishery symbol, fishery area, what
Fisheries (Commercial Fisheries) Regulation 2019, fish may be taken, and other conditions.
and the Fisheries Declaration 2019.
2 QDAF must inform the Department of Agriculture, The Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery was last assessed in September 2020.
Water and the Environment (DAWE) of any
From 1 September 2021, the sea cucumber fishery will be managed under the
intended material changes to the Queensland Sea
Queensland sea cucumber fishery harvest strategy. New commercial fishing rules will
Cucumber Fishery (East Coast) management
apply from this date. Details of the new management arrangements, the harvest
arrangements, so DAWE can determine if these
strategy and reporting requirements are available at Commercial fishing rules |
changes affect the assessment against which
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland (daf.qld.gov.au)
Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999 decisions are made.
3 The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Completed
Fisheries must provide annual reports on the
QDAF will continue to produce and present reports annually to the DAWE as per the
Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery (East Coast) to
condition.
the Department of Agriculture, Water and the
Environment every 12 months, from the date of the
approval of the wildlife trade operation. These
reports must be consistent with Appendix B of the
QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 16Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable
Management of Fisheries – 2nd Edition.
4 The Queensland Department of Agriculture must Completed
design a survey to estimate population biomass and
The peer reviewed survey design was provided to DAWE on 31 January 2021.
density of Black Teatfish (Holothuria whitmaei) in
waters within the area of Queensland Sea The Zone 2 survey of Black Teatfish density and population biomass was completed in
Cucumber Fishery (East Coast) south of 19 degrees April 2021. Results of the survey are published in the document library at Department of
south. The proposed transect locations will be Agriculture and Fisheries | Draft Sea Cucumber Fishery Harvest Strategy
detailed in the survey design. (engagementhub.com.au)
This fishery-independent design approach must be
peer-reviewed by 31 January 2021. The Zone 2
survey must be completed and results published by
31 July 2021.
5 By 30 April 2021, the Queensland Department of Completed
Agriculture and Fisheries must conduct a feasibility
A feasibility study for a fishery independent survey of White Teatfish populations was
study for divers and / or remotely operated vehicles
completed and provided to DAWE for comment prior to 30 April 2021. The report is
to conduct a fishery independent survey of the
available in the document library at Department of Agriculture and Fisheries | Draft Sea
White Teatfish (Holothuria fuscogilva) population in
Cucumber Fishery Harvest Strategy (engagementhub.com.au)
the area of Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery
(East Coast) that will:
• Be suitable to estimate population biomass
and density for the species;
• Be peer reviewed;
• Provide information to evaluate the use of
survey data in a stock assessment; and
QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 17• If feasible, include a proposed date for
completion and publication of survey results.
The results of the White Teatfish survey feasibility
study must be made publicly available by 31 July
2021.
6 By 30 September 2021, the Queensland On track
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries must
A project team has been formed to prepare these stock assessments and is meeting
complete and publish stock assessment(s) for the
weekly. The assessments are on track for delivery by 30 September 2021. Black
Black Teatfish (Holothuria whitmaei) and White
Teatfish survey results from Condition 4 will be incorporated into the stock assessment.
Teatfish (H. fuscogilva) in the Queensland Sea
Approved stock assessment reports will be published on the QDAF eResearch archive
Cucumber Fishery (East Coast). The stock
at eResearch Archive - Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
assessment for Black Teatfish must be based on
(daf.qld.gov.au).
the results of the survey undertaken as part of
Condition 4.
7 By 30 September 2021, the Queensland On Track
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries are to:
Catch and effort in the QSCF is monitored through the Bêche-de-mer and Trochus
a. Maintain the Total Allowable Catch for White
Fisheries Logbook and the use of an AIVR system. All operators in the QSCF are
Teatfish (Holothuria fuscogilva) in the
required to complete the Bêche-de-mer and Trochus Fisheries Logbook and provide
Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery (East
information as set out in Section 8 (Catch & Effort). Managers use information gathered
Coast) at no more than 53 tonnes;
through the AIVR system to monitor quota usage in real or near time, and (if applicable)
b. Maintain the Total Allowable Catch for Black implement additional measures if and when the TACC limits are reached. In addition,
Teatfish (Holothuria whitmaei) in the catch data is also obtained through the Beche-de-mer Buyers Reporting Logbook which
Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery (East provides an accurate account of the weighed and processed product, and can be cross-
Coast) at no more than 30 tonnes; and, referenced with information submitted through the Bêche-de-mer and Trochus Fisheries
Logbook and AIVR.
c. Provide a report to the CITES Scientific
Authority of Australia, as part of the annual
Location and effort data is obtained through both the commercial logbooks and Vessel
reporting referred to in Condition 3, on the
Monitoring System, both of which remain compulsory for commercial fishers in
QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 18amount of Black Teatfish and White Teatfish Queensland. Moreover, effort and harvest are limited to areas open to fishing as per the
harvested in the Queensland Sea Cucumber zoning set out in the GBRMP, and rotational harvesting on a 3-year basis (RHA).
Fishery (East Coast) by weight, the number of
individuals and locations of harvest. Owing to the above data validation and monitoring systems in place, the Total Allowable
Commercial Catch of white teatfish has remained at or below the 53 tonne catch limit
since its introduction in 2004 (average 47 tonnes from 2004 – 2020). Similarly, since the
reopening of the black teatfish TACC at 30 tonnes in 2019, catch of the species has
remained below this catch limit (29 tonnes in 2019/20).
The 2020/21 catch limits for both white teatfish and black teatfish have been reached,
and take of both of these species has ceased.
Quota Season TAC Total Usage % Used
Black
01 Jul 2020 -
Teat 30000 KG 29980 KG 100
30 Jun 2021
Fish
White
01 Jul 2020 -
Teat 53001 KG 52994 KG 100
30 Jun 2021
Fish
As part of the annual reporting referred to in Condition 3, QDAF will provide annual
harvest reports for the two species.
QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 19References Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (2018). Queensland stock status results. Available at https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/monitoring-research/data-reporting/status- queensland-fish-stocks/queensland-stock-status-results?SQ_VARIATION_1425228=0 (Accessed 14 December 2020). Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (2020a). Assessment of the Queensland Sea Cucumber Fishery (East Coast) (formerly the Queensland East Coast Bêche-de-mer Fishery). Available at https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/8f14dda4-e744-4170-8124- 5f8e1c654d16/files/qld-sea-cucumber-assessment-sept-2020.pdf (Accessed 14 December 2020). Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (2020b). Sea Cucumber Harvest Strategy: 2021-2026. Consultation Draft. Available at https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business- priorities/fisheries/sustainable/harvest-strategy (Accessed 15 March 2021). Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Q. G. (2008). Performance Measurement System: Queensland East Coast Beche-de-mer Fishery. Available at https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/52774/Fisheries-PMS-Beche-de-mer-2008.pdf (Accessed 28 January 2021). Resources, D. o. E. a. W. (2007). Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries. Canberra. Roelofs, A. (2004). Ecological assessment of Queensland's East Coast Beche-de-mer Fishery. Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland Government. Skewes, T., Plagányi, E., Murphy, N., Pascual, R. & Fischer, M. (2014). Evaluating rotational harvest strategies for sea cucumber fisheries. CSIRO. Brisbane, pp. 176. CC BY 173.170. State of Queensland (2019). Fisheries (Commercial Fisheries) Regulation 2019. QSCF (East Coast) WTO Agency Submission, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, 2021 20
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