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FRDC FINAL REPORT JUVENILE SCALLOP DISCARD RATES AND BED DYNAMICS: TESTING THE MANAGEMENT RULES FOR SCALLOPS IN BASS STRAIT Malcolm Haddon, Julian J Harrington and Jayson M Semmens July 2006 FRDC Project No. 2003/017 Australian Government Fisheries Research and Development Corporation Tasmanian Aquaculture &: Fisheries Institute University of Tasmania Natirnr:ud Library of Am,tni!lfa Cataloguing-in-Publication Entrr Haddon, M:aicolm, 1953- . Juvenile scallop discard rates and bed dynamics: testing the management rules for scallops in Bass Strait. Bibliography. ISBN l 86295 334 1. 1. Scallop fisheries - Bass Strait (Tas. and Vic.) - Management 2. Scallop culture - Bass Strait (Tas. and Vic. ). 3. Scallops - Ecology - Bass Strait (Tas. and Vic.). I. Harrington, Julian J. (Julian James), 1975-. II. Semmens, J. M., 1969- . IH. Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute. IV. Title. 639.4609946 Published by the Marine Research Laboratories, Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 49, Hobart, Tasmania 7001. E-mail:[email protected] Ph. (03) 6227 7277 Fa.x (03) 6227 8035 The opinions expressed in this report are those of the author/sand are not necessarily those of the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute. © Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute, University of Tasmania 2006. Copyright protects this publication. Except for purposes permitted by the Copyright Act, reproduction by whatever means is prohibited without the prior written permission of the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute. Malcolm Haddon, Julian ,J Harrington, Jayson M Semmens July 2006 FRDC Project 2003/017 © Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute 2006 This work is copyright. Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), no part of this publication may be reproduced by any process, electronic or otherwise, without the specific written permission of the copyright owners. Neither may information be stored electronically in any form whatsoever without such permission. The Fisheries Research and Development Corporation plans, invests in and manages fisheries research and development throughout Australia. It is a statutory authority within the portfolio of the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, jointly funded by the Australian Government and the fishing industry. Table of Contents Juvenile Scallop Discard Rates and Bed Dynamics: Testing the Management Rules for Scallops ir1 Bass Strait. t'Ion Technical Summary 1 Objectives: 1 Benefits and Adoption: 2 Non-Technical Summary: 3 Acknowledgements 7 ,-, Background f Need 9 Objectives 9 Structure of the Report 10 1. Commercial scallops (Pectenfumatus) and Spatial Management 11 1.1 Introduction 11 1.2 Biology and Ecology of Pecten fumatus 12 1.2.1 Distribution 12 1.2.2 Reproduction and Recruitment 12 1.2.3 Post-Settle1i1ent Growth 13 1.3 History of the Bass Strait Scallop Fisheries: Boom and Bust 13 1.3.1 Pre 1980 14 1.3.2 The Boom: 1980 - 1986 14 1.3.3 Post 1990 15 1.4. Why the 'Busts'? 16 1.5. The Introduction of Spatial Management Strategies 17 1.5.1 Victorian Fishery 17 1.5.2 Central Bass Strait (Commonwealth) Fishery 18 1.5.3 Tasmanian Fishery 18 1.5.4 Other Legislation 18 1.5.5 Cun-ent Management Strategies 19 1.6 Testing the Management Rules for Scallops (FRDC 2003/017) 19 2. Use of VMS Data to Determine the Extent and Intensity of Scallop Fishing. 20 2.1 Introduction 20 2 .2 Use of VMS in Survey Design and Analysis 20 2.2.1 Data 'Screening' 21 2.2.2 Defining Fishing Extent and Intensity of Fishing 21 2.2.3 Defining Fishing Extent and Intensity of Fishing 22 2.3 Results 22 Page ii FRDC Final Report, Project 2003/017 Sp11tiai Dymimks of Scai!op Beds 2.3.1 Commonweaith-Managed Fishery- Extent and Intensity of Fishing 22 2.3.2 Tasmanian-Managed Fishery - Extent and Intensity of Fishing 26 2.3.3 Comparison of Tasmanian with Comri1onwealth Scallop Beds 2.3.4 Accuracy of VMS Methodology 29 2.4 Potential Improvements of VMS Methodology 32 2.5 General Discussion 33 2.6 General Conclusions 35 3. Dredged Benthic Assemblages. 36 3 .1 Introduction 36 3 .2 Methods and Materials 36 3.3 Results/ Discussion 40 3.3.1 Species List 40 3.3.2 Basic Descriptive Statistics 44 3.3.3 Distribution of the Major Bycatch Species 45 3 .4 Conclusions 51 4. 'Good' and 'Marginal' Scallop Beds. 52 4.1 Introduction 52 4.2 Methods and Materials 52 4.2.1 Between Scallop Bed Comparison 53 4.2.2 Within Scallop Bed Comparisons 53 4.2.3 Statistical Analysis 54 4.3 Results 55 4.3. l Between Scallop Bed Differences 55 4.3.2 Benthic Communities in Scallop Beds Located in Commonwealth Managed Regions 57 4.3.3 Benthic Communities in Scallop Beds Located in Tasmanian Managed Regions 60 4.4 Discussion 61 4.4.1 Benthic Assemblages of Different Scallop Beds 61 4.4.2 'Good' and 'Marginal' Scallop Beds 62 4.4.3 Scallop Abundance: Implications for Scaliop Fishery Management 62 4.4.4 Conclusions 63 5. The Consequences of Differing Intensities of Scallop Dredge Fishing Upon Benthic Communities. 64 5 .1 Introduction 64 5 .2 Methods and Materials 65 5.2.1 Survey Design and Methods 65 5.2.2 Statistical Analysis 67 5.3 Results 67 5.3.l Commonwealth-Managed Fishery 67 FRDC Final Report Project 2003/017 Page iii 5.3.2 Tasmanian-Managed Fishery 70 5 .4 Discussion 73 5.4.1 Defining Scallop Beds - Discrete vs. Patchy 75 5.4.2 Impiications for Management 75 6. Sequence of Surveys: Overview of Survey Results. 6.1 Introduction 76 6.2 General Methods 76 6.2. l Dredge Surveys 77 6.2.2 Modal Groups and Length Frequency 78 6.3 Results 81 6.3.1 Findings from the Sequence of Surveys 81 6.3.2 Recruitment Events: Overview 83 6.4 Discussion 88 6.4. l Scallops Do Not Die at 80 mm Shell Length 88 6.4.2 Broader Scale Settlement of Scallops Can Occur 88 6.4.3 Commercial Fishing Does Not Kill AH Scallops 88 7. Variable Growth of Scallops. 89 7 .1 Introduction 89 7.2 Methods 91 7.2.1 General Methods 91 7.2.2 Statistical Analyses 92 7.3 Results 93 7.3.1 Top (Right) Valve Weight vs. Lower (Left) Valve Weight 94 7.3.2 Height Predicted by Length 96 7.3.3 Shell Depth Predicted by Length 97 7.3.4 Scallop Shell Weight vs. Shell Length 98 7.3.5 Meat Weight as Predicted by Shell Length 100 7.4 Discussion 102 7.4.1 Relative Growth and the Discard Rule 102 7.4.2 Shell Fragility 103 8. Scallop Bed Dynamics. 104 8.1 Introduction 104 8 .2 General Methods 104 8.2.1 Modal Analysis of Length Frequency Data: Measuring Scallop Growth 105 8.2.2 The Impact of Fishing on Scallops 106 8.3 Results 107 8.3.1 Growth Rates 107 8.3.2 Effect of Scallop Density on Growth 1li Page iv FRDC Final Report, Project 2003/017 8.3.3 Patterns of Scallop Density and Size Within a Bed 113 8.3.4 The impact of Fishing on Scallops 116 8 .4 Discussion 118 8.4.1 Ageing vs. lv!odal Progression 118 8A.2 The lrnpact of Commercial Fishing on Scallops 119 8.4.3 Juvenile Settlement Success and Fishing Intensity. 120 8.4.4 Management Implications 120 9. Underwater Video Scallop Surveys. 123 9.1 Introduction 123 9.2 The Undetwater Video System 123 9.3 Video Observations of Different Habitat Types 125 9.3.1 Dense Scallop Bed 125 9.3.2 Dense Doughboy and Commercial Scallop Habitat 126 9.3.3 Barren Ground 126 9.3.4 ScrewsheI! Habitat 126 9.3.5 Soft Bottom Sponge Habitat 127 9.4 Problems with Underwater Video Scallop Surveys 127 9.4.1 Collection of Video in the Field 127 9.4.2 Post-Survey Analysis of Video 128 9.5 Future Directions in Video Surveys 129 9.5.1 Ability to Measure Scallops 129 9.5.2 Automated Video Analysis 129 10. Acoustic Surveys of Scallop Beds and Examining the Impact of Dredging. 131 10 .1 Introduction 131 10.2 Methods 131 10.2. l Study Site 13 l 10.2.2 Detection of Known Scallop Habitat 132 10.2.3 Single Beam Acoustic Survey Design 133 10.2.4 Single Beam Acoustic Data Analysis 133 10.2.5 Detecting Scallop Habitat Using Single-Beam Acoustics 135 10.2.6 Detecting the Impact of Scallop Dredging Using Single-Beam Acoustics 135 10.2.7 Bathymetry 135 10.2.8 Side Scan Sonar 136 10.3 Results 136 10.3.1 Identifying Levels of Fishing Activity 136 10.3.2 Single Beam Acoustics - Detecting Scallop Habitat 137 10.3.3 Single Beam Acoustics - Detecting the Impact of Scallop Dredging 139 10.3.4 Bathymetry 140 10.3.5 Side Scan Sonar 141 FRDC Final Report Project 2003/017 Page V 10.4 Discussion 142 10.4.1 Detecting Scallop Habitat using Single Beam Acoustics 142 l 0.4.2 ls bathymetry the Answer? 143 10.4.3 Detecting the Impact of Dredge Fishing 143 10.5 Conciusions 144 11. Fishery Dependent Surveys. 145 11.1 Introduction 145 11.2 Exploratory Permit Fishing, 2003 145 l 1.2.1 Expression ofinterest and Allocation of Permits 145 11.2.2 Methodologies: Data Entry and Analysis 146 11.2.3 Results: An Overview 146 11.2.4 Usability of Data in Analysis/ Presentation 147 11.2.5 Complete Data / Survey Technique 147 11.2.6 Partially Complete Data/ Survey Technique 148 11.2.