Application for Reassessment of the Queensland Coral Fishery

Submission for the reassessment of the Queensland Coral Fishery Wildlife Trade Operation under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity and Conservation Act 1999

2016–17 Effort Year

Wildlife Trade Operation Condition 5

This publication has been compiled by Fisheries Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. © State of Queensland, 2018. The Queensland Government supports and encourages the dissemination and exchange of its information. The copyright in this publication is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia (CC BY) licence. Under this licence you are free, without having to seek our permission, to use this publication in accordance with the licence terms.

You must keep intact the copyright notice and attribute the State of Queensland as the source of the publication. Note: Some content in this publication may have different licence terms as indicated. For more information on this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/deed.en The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The Queensland Government shall not be liable for technical or other errors or omissions contained herein. The reader/user accepts all risks and responsibility for losses, damages, costs and other consequences resulting directly or indirectly from using this information.

Introduction

The Queensland Coral Fishery (QCF) is a harvest (hand collection) fishery managed by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF).

This report provides an annual review of the harvest of coral taxa collected in the QCF and includes the following:

 analysis of harvest and harvest trends by species/species group  spatial analysis of harvest by species/species group  updated risk assessments for species/ groups as they become available, and  any changes to management arrangements for CITES listed species.:

This report covers fishing activity during the 2016–17 financial year.

Fishery description

The QCF is a small scale, quota managed, hand harvest fishery. The QCF commenced as a licenced fishery on 1 July 2006.

The fishery extends from the tip of Cape York to the southern extent of the (GBRMP) at a latitude of 24 degrees 30 minutes south (Error! Reference Figure 1: Map of the Queensland Coral Fishery source not found.). Commercial coral harvesters can harvest from all tidal waters (under Queensland jurisdiction) that are open to coral harvesting under Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) zoning. This is referred to as "roving harvest". Two small areas south of the GBRMP are open to harvesting under specific licences.

The fishery has two Coral Collection Areas (CCA): Cairns and Keppel. These CCAs encompass the historical effort hotspots; however the fishery has seen significant spatial diversification in recent years; most notably in the Mackay region. The CCAs are monitored for trends in catch and effort levels against thresholds in the fishery Performance Measurement System, however no extra management applies to these regions. Effort in the Keppel CCA has remained low but stable (Figure 2). Effort in the Cairns CCA has reduced since 2012–2013. Collection from areas outside of the two CCAs (‘Other’) in 2016–17 has increased beyond the peak observed in 2010–11, however is similar to 2015–16. Most of this increase in effort has been in the Mackay region.

QCF - regional effort history 2006-07 to 2015-16 700

600

500 Cairns

400 Keppel

300 Other

Effort Effort (no.ofdays) 200

100

Figure 2: History of effort in the Coral Collection Areas and outside of these in the Queensland Coral Fishery.

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Main features of the fishery in 2016–17

Feature Details

Species targeted The commercial Coral Fishery is based on the collection of a broad range of species from the classes Anthozoa and Hydrozoa. The key components of the fishery are:  Specialty live corals (includes anemones, soft and hard corals)  Ornamental corals  Live rock (i.e. dead coral skeletons with algae and other organisms living on them)  Coral rubble (i.e. coarsely broken up coral fragments)  Coral sand (i.e. finely ground up particles of coral skeleton)–only taken as incidental.

Fishery symbol D

Current management Fisheries Act 1994; Fisheries Regulation 2008, Policy for the Management of the Coral Fishery 2016

Gear Coral may only be taken by hand or by using hand-held non-mechanical implements, such as a hammer and chisel. Licence holders may also use underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA or hookah) when taking coral.

Main management The following management measures are in place for the commercial fishery under legislation and policy: methods  Limited entry: 59 Commercial Harvest Fishery Licences are endorsed for the coral fishery.  Quota managed: 200 t Total Allowable Commercial Catch [split between specialty coral (30%) and other coral (70%)].  Limits on the number of boats and collectors operating under a licence at any one time.  Collection by hand or hand-held implements only. From 1 July 2006 to June 2015 the commercial coral fishery has operated under the Policy for the Management of the Coral Fishery (the Policy). Queensland DAF implemented several changes to the operation and management of the fishery on 1 July 2009 following the review of the Policy in 2008. A major reform of the Policy was completed in May 2016 that changed reporting of collected CITES listed hard corals from categorised weights to actual weights for quota deduction and catch monitoring purposes. Operational arrangements under the new Policy came into effect on 1 July 2016.

Quota Total Allowable Commercial Catch = 200 t [split between specialty coral (30%) and other coral (70%)]

Fishing season 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017

Commercial fishery Total number of licences in the fishery – 59 licences Number of active licences – 36

Management Operational arrangements under the new Policy commenced on 1 July 2016. changes

Accreditation under Part 13: accredited 26 June 2015 the EPBC Act (Part Part 13A: current accreditation (Wildlife Trade Operation) expires 22 June 2018 13 and 13A)

Total annual harvest 81 t (comprised of 29 t specialty coral and 52 t other coral)

GVP No estimate for 2015–16.

Stock status Queensland DAF assesses the risk to species collected in the QCF at periodic Ecological Risk Assessment workshops as a proxy for stock status. The 2013 workshop found that from a total 220 species assessed, there were no high risk species, 17 species at moderate risk, and 63 species at low risk in the fishery. Species greater than negligible risk are closely monitored through the PMS.

Monitoring Real-time quota monitoring

Catch and effort data Routine – logbook data entry checks, data extraction checks and range checks validation

Complementary The fishery operates in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Co-managed by permit with the Great Barrier management Reef Marine Park Authority.

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General catch statistics

Approximately 81t (comprised of 29 t specialty coral and 52 t other coral) was reported collected in the QCF in 2016–17 (Error! Reference source not found. & Table 2). This represents an overall 7.6 t decrease since 2015–16. Both the weight and number of pieces of Specialty Coral collected reduced when compared to the previous year. The collection of Acroporid pieces remains the highest in 2016–17 (

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Table 4). Acroporid corals generally comprise the majority of all Ornamental Coral reported in the fishery. The end use for Acroporid species may be either as live specimens or cleaned and dried for ornamental purposes or both.

Table 1: Total yearly harvest of Coral (Specitality and Other) in the QCF from 2006–07 to 2016–17 (Source: Queensland DAF CFISH database, 20 Feb 2018)

Year Weight (t) 2006–07 84.6 2007–08 100.2 2008–09 87.2 2009–10 78.6 2010–11 74.5 2011–12 74.1 2011–13 89.9 2013–14 98.8 2014–15 93.3 2015–16 88.4 2016–17 80.8

Table 2: Number of individual pieces (derived from logbooks) and weight (derived from quota) of Speciality Coral species collected in the Queensland Coral Fishery from 2006–07 to 2016–17 (Source: Queensland DAF CFISH database, 20 Feb 2018).

Year No. of pieces Weight (kg) 2006–07 90,671 14.27 2007–08 145,149 18.64 2008–09 171,439 19.95 2009–10 180,829 19.89 2010–11 208,961 21.63 2011–12 225,765 23.63 2011–13 264,687 26.40 2013–14 285,669 34.67 2014–15 305,248 32.45 2015–16 334,061 33.02 2016–17 323,381 28.79

Taxonomic changes

The taxonomic classification recently changed for a number of CITES listed species monitored through this report. This report refers to the current taxonomy (Table 3).

Table 3: Updated taxonomic classifications of CITES reported species.

Old Classification New Classification

Acanthastera lordowensis Micromussa lordhowensis

Blastomussa merletti Blastomussa merleti

Scolymia australis Homophyllia australis

Scolymia vitiensis Lobophylla vitiensis

Gorgoniidae spp. Alcyonacea

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Table 4: Number of individual pieces of coral species collected in the Queensland Coral Fishery for the quota years 2013–14 to 2016–17 (Source: Queensland DAF CFISH database, 20 February 2018).

Number of individual pieces Species or common name 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17

Acanthastrea amakusensis - - - 1888

Acanthastrea bowerbanki - - - 1253

Acanthophylia deshayesiana - - - 1888

Acanthophyllia deshayesiana - - - 198

Acroporidae 50374 53724 55616 88555

Actinaria 247 548 299 131

Agariciidae 444 385 482 -

Alcyonaces - - - 11133

Alcyonacea 7943 15108 13567 9724

Alveopora spp. - - - 3911

Antipathidae (black corals) 6 - - 73

Blastomussa merleti 1283 977 1294 1058

Blastomussa spp. - 458 111 -

Blastomussa wellsi 3731 3816 4121 3090

Caryophylliidae - - - 4

Catalaphyllia jardinei 15937 15283 16531 15181

Caulastrea spp - 35 58 -

Clavulariidae 631 1091 412 1773

Coral rubble 11 10 10 24

Corallimorph 6688 6422 7132 4574

Cynarina lacrymalis 2787 2266 2821 3039

Dendrophylliidae 1922 2438 3601 912

Duncanopsammia axifuga 8754 8336 8032 7713

Entacmaea quadricolor 2704 2451 1588 1132

Euphyllia ancora - - - 15158

Euphyllia glabrascens 8265 10134 13288 9793

Euphyllia paraancora - - - 2150

Euphyllia spp. 21723 22979 18980 3456

Faviidae 15276 14553 17231 11103

Fungia cyclolites - - - 6284

Fungiidae 11785 13203 15015 5622

Goniastrea australensis - - - 3453

Goniopora/Alvepora 9415 11953 13001 35

Gorgonacea 476 794 289 675

Helioporidae - 95 468 58

Heteractis crispa - - - 187

Heteractis magnifica - - - 97

Homophyllia australis - - - 21207

Hydrocorals 853 328 327 558

Leptoseris spp. - - - 661

Living rock 2232 1212 924 740.6

Lobophyllidae vitiensis 18706 20540 24747 2233

Merulinidae 1201 351 929 661

Micromussa lordhowensis 29214 27260 40961 33215

Milleporidae 181 276 828 528

Moseleya latistellata - - - 399

Mussidae 17003 15935 17155 15086

Nephtheidae 6981 5628 5480 2331

Oculinidae 380 2485 2306 719

Other coral 13595 15472 19722 4974

Pachyseris spp. - - - 343

Paralcyoniidae 455 67 77 186

Pectiniidae 4370 3468 5714 2762

Pennatulidae 2 2 - 217

Plerogyra sinuosa 3343 3363 3261 2837

Pocilloporidae 340 647 754 841

Poritidae 637 583 1295 685

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Number of individual pieces Species or common name 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17

Sarcophyton - 4 30 -

Seriatopora spp. - - - 286

Siderastreidae 4 - - -

Stylophora spp. - - - 193

Trachyphyllia geoffroyi 6896 12914 9177 8515

Tubiporidae 796 835 1309 920

Turbinaria spp. 496 1329 580 1627

Xeniidae 5650 3809 3371 2826

Zoanthidae 1932 2433 1171 2505 Grand Total 285669 306000 334065 323380.6

Spatial analysis of harvest by species/species group

General summary - Coral Collection Areas

Annual harvest levels are monitored for the two Coral Collection Areas (CCAs) through the Performance Measurement System (Error! Reference source not found.). Performance against these reference points are discussed within the table.

The majority of the harvest (254,369 pieces or 75%) continues to be collected outside of the two CCAs (Figure 3). Only 23,692 (7%) pieces were collected from the Keppel CCA and 60,525 pieces (18%) from the Cairns CCA in 2016–17 (Figure 3).

Overall collection of speciality coral pieces increased by 4% in 2016-17 (Figure 4, Figure 5). The collection of speciality coral pieces in CCA’s (Cairns and Keppel) was similar to 2015–16 levels (Figure 3, Figure 4, Figure 5). Speciality coral collection in Mackay and Cairns was the highest across all regions (41% and 33% respectively), although both reduced slightly from 2015-16 (Figure 5). Collection in Townsville and South Queensland increased by 156% and 51% respectively, equating to 10% each of the total speciality coral harvest in 2016-17 (Figure 4, Figure 5).

350000 Other Keppel Cairns 300000

250000

200000

150000

100000

50000 Number of Coral Pieces Coral of Number

2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 Other Coral Specialty Coral

Figure 3: Regional breakdown of QCF logbook general categories in the Queensland Coral Fishery for the quota years 2006–07 to 2016–17 (Source: Queensland DAF CFISH database, 20 Feb 2018).

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350000 Townsville South Queensland 300000 North Queensland Mackay Keppel 250000 Cairns

200000

150000

100000 Number of Coral Pieces Coral of Number 50000

Figure 4: Sub-regional breakdown of QCF logbook general categories in the Queensland Coral Fishery for the quota years 2006–07 to 2016–17 (Source: Queensland DAF CFISH database, 20 Feb 2018).

140000 Cairns Keppel 120000 Mackay North Queensland South Queensland 100000 Townsville

80000

60000

40000 Number of Coral Pieces ofCoral Number

20000

Figure 5: Sub-regional breakdown of Specialty coral quota reporitng in the Queensland Coral Fishery for the quota years 2006–07 to 2016–17 (Source: Queensland DAF CFISH database, 20 Feb 2018).

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Updated risk assessment for species/groups

The 2013 ERA review found 17 species at moderate risk, and 63 species at low risk in the fishery. The new management policy for the QCF introduced in 2016 changed logbook reporting requirements in 2016–17. Species that are at greater than negligible risk from the fishery are now monitored through the PMS by numbers only. The measures account for finer levels of spatial detail to ensure local scale unsustainable depletions of these species are not occurring. Revision to management arrangements

Queensland DAF implemented several changes to the operation and management of the fishery on 1 July 2016 following a review of the Policy from 2013 to 2015. The major reform to the Policy changed reporting of collected CITES listed hard corals from categorised weights to actual weights for quota deduction and catch monitoring purposes. These changes will ensure accurate monitoring of total species removal is achieved. This document reports the catch and effort levels for harvested CITES species under the new reporting conditions. Only total pieces collected will be displayed as no size or weight measurements are reported by collectors in 2016–17.

These new reforms address concerns raised from the coral collection industry, the findings of the 2013 ERA review and recommendations of the 2014 Non Detriment Finding report. The changes include:

 A new quota reporting system that improves on the current categorised weight system for determining quota.  A revised logbook reporting system that provides more detailed species level reporting.  A revised Policy for the Management of the Coral Fishery, incorporating the improvements indicated above, and following industry consultation. Sustainable Fishing Strategy

A condition of the current WTO for the QCF is for DAF to finalise the review and update of the performance measurement system (PMS) for the fishery, which will include improved measurments that respond to local depletions. This review is currently underway as part of Queensland’s Sustainable Fisheries Strategy 2017–2027 (SFS). The SFS outlines the government’s reform agenda for fisheries management over the next ten years, identifying 33 actions across ten major areas of reform (see https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/queensland-sustainable-fisheries-strategy).The major areas of reform include: Improved monitoring and research, setting sustainable catch limits, improved stakeholder engagement, ERA’s, resource allocation, harvest strategies, fishing rules and access, responsive decision making, compliance and resourcing.

The applicability and suitability of the QCF PMS is now being reviewed as part of the SFS. The development of a harvest strategy is a priority for the QCF, which aims to incorporate and replace the PMS, providing a framework that specifies pre-determined management actions in the QCF to achieve an agreed ecological, economic and social management objectives. Queensland will continue to monitor and report against the existing fishery PMS (where data allows) until the broader management reform process associated with the SFS is complete. QCF working group

As part of the SFS the QCF has also established a fisheries working group comprising of representatives from Fisheries Queensland, the QCF, GBRMPA and an independent scientist. The working group meet on 12/03/18 to provide advice on the operational aspects of managing the QCF and the development of a harvest strategy consistent with the SFS. A number of revision and management arrangements were discussed at their first meeting, these included:

 Current issues associated with the fishery.  Key objectives and recommendations to set the future direction and aspirations for the QCF.  Potential management and reform options that would address these objectives.

The next working group meeting is arranged for June 2018 to refine the objectives and management review options for the QCF. The input and ideas from working group members and all stakeholders will be used during the development of a harvest strategy that will incorporate a revised PMS.

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Detailed analysis – CITES species of concern

Error! Reference source not found. summarises the performance measures and outcomes for CITES species of concern in the QCF. The performance measures were developed to provide early detection of unsustainable harvest trends across the overall fishery, not the regional CCAs. Regional values especially where the indicator was triggered (Table 6). It is important that analysis of the percentage change also considers the magnitude of the change in collection numbers to interpret the observed changes in the correct context (see Table 7).

Table 5: Summary table for performance measures and outcomes for CITES species of concern in the Queensland Coral Fishery for 2016–17.

Performance measure Performance

1. Annual catch (kg) of species of greater than negligible ecological risk 1. Triggered for: (listed below) is >30% higher or lower than mean catch over the  Acropora spp. (+62%) previous 2 years; or  Entacmea quadricolor (-44%) 2. Greater than 80% of the annual catch of a species of greater than negligible ecological risk occurs in a single 6 x 6 nm logbook site. Comment There are no prescribed management actions once thresholds Species greater than negligible risk from the QCF as determined by the are triggered. The PMS for the fishery is due to be updated after coral fishery 2008 ERA are: the commencement of the 2016–17 season. The revised PMS  Trachyphyllia geoffroyi will have new spatial triggers and defined management  Micromussa lordhowensis responses to better deal with exceeding triggers.  Blastomussa merleti  Blastomussa wellsi The new Policy for management of the fishery has reformed the  Homophyllia australis & Lobophylla vitiensis reporting of coral collection and shift quota reporting from  Duncanopsammia axifuga categorised estimated weights to actual weight. This will provide  Euphyllia glabrescens greater confidence in observed changes in reported harvest.  Plerogyra spp Harvest under the new arrangements commenced on 1 July  Catalaphyllia jardinei 2016.  Cynarina lacrymalis  Acropora spp 2. Not triggered for any species  Alcyonacea  Entacmea quadricolor

Greater than 75% of quota used in <6 months Not triggered

Table 6: Table of percentage change against the harvest performance indicator for CITES listed species identified at greater than low ecological risk in the QCF and species of concern identified by the CITES Scientific Authority for 2016–17. Values highlighted in red have exceeded the existing +/- 30% PMS measure; values in pink exceeded the measure when applied to within and outside the regional Coral Collection Areas. Blank values indicate no harvest in 2016–17. Interperation of results from this table should also consider catch statistics provided in Table 7.

Species Cairns Keppel Other QFCAll Acropora spp. -5% 161% 207% 62% Alcyonacea 50% -47% 4% 25% Blastomussa merleti -31% -100% 160% -7% Blastomussa wellsi -44% -100% -7% -22% Catalaphyllia jardinei 26% 203% -56% -5% Cynarina lacrymalis 31% -80% -22% 20% Duncanopsammia axifuga -31% 52% 13% -6% Entacmaea quadricolor -63% -68% 84% -44% Euphyllia glabrescens 5% 786% -22% -16% Homophyllia australis & Lobophyllia vitiensis -1% 16% 4% 4% Micromussa lordhowensis 415% -26% 1% -3% Plerogyra sinuosa -28% -20% 3% -14% Trachyphyllia geoffroyi -8% -43% -23%

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Table 7: Number of individual pieces for CITES listed corals reported at species level and species identified at greater than low ecological risk in the QCF.

Species CCA 2013–2014 2014–2015 2015–2016 2016–2017 Cairns 116 153 309 1189 Micromussa lordhowensis Keppel 10628 7062 8786 5838 Other 18470 20045 31866 26188 QFCAll 29214 27260 40961 33215 Cairns 42501 38872 35888 35591 Acropora spp. Keppel 641 317 192 663 Other 7232 14535 19536 52301 QFCAll 50374 53724 55616 88555 Cairns 1672 1631 1476 868 Blastomussa wellsi Keppel 3 1 72 0 Other 2056 2184 2573 2222 QFCAll 3731 3816 4121 3090 Cairns 1221 918 1003 665 Blastomussa merleti Keppel 0 0 48 0 Other 62 59 243 393 QFCAll 1283 977 1294 1058 Cairns 8615 9087 7852 10684 Catalaphyllia jardinei Keppel 174 309 648 1451 Other 7148 5887 8031 3046 QFCAll 15937 15283 16531 15181 Cairns 2568 2107 1889 2616 Cynarina lacrymalis Keppel 0 0 10 1 Other 219 159 922 422 QFCAll 2787 2266 2821 3039 Cairns 5257 4409 3126 2587 Duncanopsammia axifuga Keppel 795 543 240 596 Other 2702 3384 4666 4530 QFCAll 8754 8336 8032 7713 Cairns 2028 2171 1036 596 Entacmaea quadricolor Keppel 7 169 133 49 Other 669 111 419 487 QFCAll 2704 2451 1588 1132 Cairns 1245 2272 2192 2344 Euphyllia glabrescens Keppel 0 0 14 62 Other 7020 7862 11082 7387 QFCAll 8265 10134 13288 9793 Cairns 269 415 185 451 Alcyonacea Keppel 91 81 24 28 Other 116 298 80 196 QFCAll 476 794 289 675 Cairns 2063 2011 1604 1307 Plerogyra sinuosa Keppel 10 122 61 73 Other 1270 1230 1596 1457 QFCAll 3343 3363 3261 2837 Cairns 743 930 930 922 Homophyllia australis and Keppel 444 165 481 373 Lobophyllia vitiensis Other 17519 19445 23336 22145

QFCAll 18706 20540 24747 23440 Cairns 5595 6586 5879 5766 Trachyphyllia geoffroyi Keppel 0 0 0 0 Other 1301 6328 3298 2749 QFCAll 6896 12914 9177 8515

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Information compiled by

Anthony Roelofs

Luke Albury

Acknowledgements

Genevieve Phillips

Danielle Stewart

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