Ecological Risk Assessment of the Shark Bay Invertebrate Fisheries
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Western Australian Marine Stewardship Council Report Series No. 16 Ecological Risk Assessment of the Shark Bay Invertebrate Fisheries February 2020 Correct citation: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) (2020). Western Australian Marine Stewardship Council Report Series No. 16: Ecological Risk Assessment of the Shark Bay Invertebrate Fisheries. DPIRD, Western Australia. Important disclaimer The Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the State of Western Australia accept no liability whatsoever by reason of negligence or otherwise arising from the use or release of this information or any part of it. Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Gordon Stephenson House 140 William Street PERTH WA 6000 Telephone: (08) 6551 4444 Website: dpird.wa.gov.au ABN: 18 951 343 745 ISSN: 2205-3670 (Print) ISBN: 978-1-921258-48-0 (Print) ISSN: 2205-3689 (Online) ISBN: 978-1-921258-49-7 (Online) Copyright © State of Western Australia (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development) 2020 ii Western Australian Marine Stewardship Council Report Series No.16 Executive Summary The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development in Western Australia uses an Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) approach that considers all relevant ecological as well as social, economic and governance issues to deliver community outcomes. Ecological risk assessments (ERAs) are undertaken periodically to assess the impacts of fisheries on all the different components of the aquatic environments in which they operate. This report provides information relating to an ERA undertaken for the Shark Bay Prawn Managed Fishery (SBPMF), the Shark Bay Scallop Managed Fishery (SBSMF) and the Shark Bay Crab Managed Fishery (SBCMF) in 2019. The assessment focused on evaluating the ecological impact of these fisheries (i.e. prawn trawl, scallop trawl and crab trap) on all retained species, bycatch, endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) species, habitats, and the broader ecosystem. The risk assessment methodology utilised for the 2019 ERA is based on the global standard for risk assessment and risk management (AS/NZS ISO 31000). This methodology applied a consequence-likelihood analysis, which involves the examination of the magnitude of potential consequences from fishing activities and the likelihood that those consequences will occur given current management controls. All of the risk issues were assessed using a consultative and structured workshop held on 11 September 2019. Except for the interaction of fishing with two of the target species, all issues were scored medium, low or negligible risk using the adopted methodology. Risk rankings of medium or less are considered acceptable risks for a well-managed fishery, subject to ongoing management practices and performance monitoring. Risks to the sustainability of stocks of two target species were ranked high and severe: brown tiger prawns in the SBPMF, and saucer scallops in the northern Shark Bay area of the SBSMF, respectively. Corrective management actions already adopted for the SBPMF and SBSMF are expected to reduce the risk to an acceptable level of medium risk over the assessment timeframe of five years. Western Australian Marine Stewardship Council Report Series No.16 iii Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 1 PART 1 ...................................................................................................................................... 2 1 Aquatic Environment ............................................................................................................ 2 2 Shark Bay Prawn Managed Fishery ...................................................................................... 5 2.1 Current Fishing Activities ............................................................................................. 5 2.2 Fishing Gear and Methods ............................................................................................ 7 2.3 Retained Species ........................................................................................................... 8 2.3.1 Western king prawns ........................................................................................... 9 2.3.2 Brown tiger prawns.............................................................................................. 9 2.3.3 Other species ........................................................................................................ 9 2.4 Bycatch Species ........................................................................................................... 10 2.5 ETP Species ................................................................................................................. 12 2.6 Habitat and Ecosystem Impacts .................................................................................. 13 3 Shark Bay Scallop Managed Fishery .................................................................................. 17 3.1 Current Fishing Activities ........................................................................................... 17 3.2 Fishing Gear and Methods .......................................................................................... 19 3.3 Retained Species ......................................................................................................... 19 3.3.1 Saucer scallops................................................................................................... 19 3.3.2 Other species ...................................................................................................... 20 3.4 Bycatch Species ........................................................................................................... 20 3.5 ETP Species ................................................................................................................. 20 3.6 Habitat and Ecosystem Impacts .................................................................................. 21 4 Shark Bay Crab Managed Fishery ...................................................................................... 21 4.1 Current Fishing Activities ........................................................................................... 21 4.2 Fishing Gear and Methods .......................................................................................... 24 4.3 Retained Species ......................................................................................................... 24 4.3.1 Blue swimmer crabs .......................................................................................... 25 4.3.2 Other species ...................................................................................................... 26 4.4 Bycatch Species ........................................................................................................... 26 4.5 ETP Species ................................................................................................................. 26 4.6 Habitat and Ecosystem Impacts .................................................................................. 26 iv Western Australian Marine Stewardship Council Report Series No.16 5 Risk Assessment Methodology ........................................................................................... 28 5.1 Scope ........................................................................................................................... 29 5.2 Risk Identification ....................................................................................................... 29 5.3 Risk Analysis, Evaluation and Treatment ................................................................... 30 6 References ........................................................................................................................... 32 7 Appendix A ......................................................................................................................... 36 PART 2 .................................................................................................................................... 39 Western Australian Marine Stewardship Council Report Series No.16 v List of Abbreviations BRD Bycatch Reduction Device CDR Catch Disposal Record CPL Carnarvon Peron Line CW Carapace width DPIRD Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (Western Australia, former Department of Fisheries) EBFM Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone ERA Ecological Risk Assessment ESD Ecologically Sustainable Development ETP Endangered, Threatened and Protected (species) FHPA Fish Habitat Protection Area MSC Marine Stewardship Council MSY Maximum Sustainable Yield NPF Northern Prawn Fishery SBCMF Shark Bay Crab Managed Fishery SBPMF Shark Bay Prawn Managed Fishery SBSMF Shark Bay Scallop Managed Fishery TACC Total Allowable Commercial Catch VMS Vessel Monitoring System WA Western Australia vi Western Australian Marine Stewardship Council Report Series No.16 INTRODUCTION The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD, Department) in Western Australia (WA) uses an Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) approach that considers all relevant ecological as well as social, economic and governance issues to deliver community outcomes (Fletcher et al. 2010; 2012). Ecological risk assessments (ERAs) are undertaken periodically