Spatial Analysis of Potential Recreational Fishing Reef Locations in Port Phillip Bay David Ball and Allister Coots
March 2010 Fisheries Victoria Department of Primary Industries
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Executive Summary
The Port Phillip Bay Recreational Fishing Reefs • Commercial shipping, dredge material are one of a range of initiatives that the Victorian grounds and dredging work areas Government is undertaking to enhance • Seagrass and natural reefs recreational fishing opportunities and facilities • Existing artificial reefs under the Enhanced Recreational Fishing Program. • Heritage sites • Sub‐sea pipelines The objectives of this study were: • Marine National Parks and Sanctuaries • To identify existing spatial data for marine • Environmentally significant sites assets and activities that may be incompatible with deployment of • Fishery research sites recreational fishing reefs in Port Phillip Bay A 1 km buffer was applied to the above marine (PPB) assets and activities, and commercial fishing • To undertake spatial analysis with a areas with medium/high effort were presented geographic information system (GIS) to on a single map. This map identified an area identify areas that may provide suitable between Mordialloc and Frankston where locations for deployment of recreational recreational fishing reefs may not conflict with fishing reefs in PPB. existing marine assets and activities. Field investigations within this area are required to Spatial data were identified for the following identify suitable sites for the deployment of marine assets and activities in PPB: recreational fishing reefs. • Aquaculture zones and commercial fishing
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary...... iii
Introduction...... 1 Objectives...... 1
Material and Methods ...... 2 Spatial Data...... 2 Spatial Analysis...... 2
Results and Discussion ...... 3 Spatial Data and Mapping ...... 3 Future Analysis...... 3
Acknowledgments ...... 6
References ...... 6
List of Tables Table 1. Marine assets and activities and spatial data...... 4
List of Figures Figure 1. Distribution of marine assets and activities considered incompatible with recreational fishing reefs...... 5
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Introduction
The Port Phillip Bay Recreational Fishing Reefs are one of a range of initiatives that the Victorian Government is undertaking to enhance recreational fishing opportunities and facilities under the Enhanced Recreational Fishing Program. This initiative will involve trialling the deployment of three recreational fishing reefs in Port Phillip Bay (PPB). Scientific studies will be undertaken over the following three years to assess the potential of these reefs to provide new opportunities for recreational fishers, consistent with protecting the local marine environment. The trials will be conducted in consultation with the Department of Sustainability and Environment and other relevant Government agencies. Monitoring of the effects of the new reefs on local fish populations and a range of other marine species will be a key focus of these trials. Objectives The objectives of this study were: • To identify existing spatial data for marine assets and activities that may be incompatible with deployment of recreational fishing reefs in PPB • To undertake spatial analysis with a geographic information system (GIS) to identify areas that may provide suitable locations for deployment of recreational fishing reefs in PPB.
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Material and Methods
• Spatial Data All purse seines • All haul seines The Fisheries Research Branch (FRB) maintains a • All mesh nets marine spatial database and also manages the Victorian component of the national Oil Spill • Hooks and lines. Response Atlas (OSRA). These datasets were searched to identify spatial layers for marine Spatial Analysis assets and activities that may be incompatible A 1 km buffer was applied to the marine assets with recreational fishing reefs. and activities to provide a conservative The following additional data were also required separation between these features and the areas for the analysis: to be considered for possible recreational fishing reefs. • Heritage site locations from Heritage Victoria • PPB Channel Deepening Program (CDP) Commercial fishing effort for each gear type works locations from the Port of Melbourne group was measured by the average annual total Corporation (PoMC) effort in days, and the average annual number of fishers recording a catch in each fishing cell. • Commercial fishing catch and effort from Fishing cells were classified as having low fishing Fisheries Victoria (FV). effort where: Commercial fishers are required to submit catch • Average annual number of fishers was <3 and effort returns to Fisheries Victoria on a • Average annual total effort was <5 days. monthly basis. Commercial fishing returns in PPB are based on a 5 minute grid of fishing cells. All other fishing cells were classified as medium/high effort. The fishing cells with a The analysis in this report was undertaken in medium/high effort and areas of all the buffered June/August 2008. Catch and effort data for the features were displayed in the GIS. Any locations preceding three year period (i.e. July 2004 to June that did not intersect these areas were considered 2007) were extracted from the Fisheries Victoria as being potentially suitable for recreational catch and effort database. Data were extracted for fishing reefs. the following gear type groups:
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Results and Discussion
and Sanctuaries (see above) and other areas of Spatial Data and Mapping special value. The areas of special value Spatial data for assets and activities in PPB identified in PPB were seagrass beds at Clifton identified as incompatible with establishing Springs and sponge beds at Capel Sound (LCC recreational fishing reefs are summarised in 1996). Table 1. The main features and activities Fisheries Victoria conducts an annual trawl represented by these data are outlined below. survey of PPB to monitor long term trends in The PoMC provided data on the locations of biomass and abundance of common fish species existing commercial shipping activities (e.g. (Parry et al. 2009). The trawl survey samples 22 shipping channels and anchorages), dredge depth‐stratified fixed sites across four regions in material grounds (DMG) and works locations for PPB. the CDP. The PoMC also provided data for A map showing the area of the assets and locations of navigations aids which included activities in Table 1 with a 1 km buffer, and marker piles and buoys at existing artificial reefs fishing cells with a medium/high effort is in PPB. The PoMC navigation aids data included presented in Figure 1. Figure 1 identifies an area the positions of fixed markers used in between Mordialloc and Frankston and within recreational yacht racing. The positions of the fishing cells C8–10, D9 and D10 where yacht racing buoys are included in Figure 1 for recreational fishing reefs may not conflict with information, but the currency of these locations existing marine assets and activities. was not confirmed during this study. The locations of seagrass beds and natural reef Future Analysis mapped from aerial photography in 2000 were The map presented in Figure 1 identifies an area extracted from data produced by Blake and Ball on the eastern side of PPB which was assessed as (2001). being suitable for possible recreational fishing The locations of aircraft and ship wrecks sites reefs. Field investigations within this area are and zones, and other infrastructure zones (e.g. required to identify suitable sites for the piers, navigation features) in PPB protected by deployment of recreational fishing reefs. the Heritage Act 1995 were provided by Heritage Further refinement of the spatial data presented Victoria. in this study and definition of the 1 km buffer Marine protected areas in PPB were the Port applied to all assets and activities may be Phillip Heads Marine National Park (Mud required in the future to identify other areas that Islands, Point Lonsdale, Point Nepean, Popes are suitable for potential recreational fishing Eye, Portsea Hole and Swan Bay) and the reefs. The commercial fishing cells present a Jawbone, Point Cooke and Ricketts Point Marine broad‐scale description of the distribution of Sanctuaries. fishing effort in PPB. The specific locations of fishing effort by the different gear groups within The Land Conservation Council (LCC) made each fishing cells could also be investigated recommendations on the protection of significant further to define suitable areas for potential environmental values in the Victorian marine recreational fishing reefs in other regions within environment (LCC 1996). The LCC PPB. recommendations included areas that were subsequently gazetted as Marine National Parks
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Table 1. Marine assets and activities and spatial data. Feature/Activity Description Data Source Aquaculture Aquaculture zones. OSRA Commercial fishing Fishing effort data from July 2004 to June 2007 FV for purse seines, haul seines, mesh nets and hooks and lines. Dredge material grounds (DMG) DMG and CDP construction zones. PoMC and dredging work areas Commercial shipping Shipping channels and anchorages. PoMC Natural reefs 2000 seagrass mapping (Blake and Ball 2001). FRB Seagrass 2000 seagrass mapping (Blake and Ball 2001). FRB Existing artificial reefs Navigation markers for existing artificial reefs. PoMC Heritage sites Ship and aircraft wrecks, protected zones and Heritage Victoria other protected infrastructure zones. Subsea pipelines Methane pipeline across PPB between OSRA Mordialloc and Williamstown. Marine protected areas Marine National Parks and Sanctuaries. OSRA Environmentally significant sites Special Management Areas recommended by OSRA LCC (1996). Fishery research sites FV annual trawl survey areas. FRB Recreational yacht racing Locations of fixed marker buoys for recreational PoMC markers yacht racing courses
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PPB
Recreational
Fishing
Reef
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5 Figure 1. Distribution of marine assets and activities considered incompatible with recreational fishing reefs.
Acknowledgments
Georgie Raby coordinated the project at Fisheries Danielle Lee and Paul Mantyvirta at the Port of Victoria. Melbourne Corporation provided access to data for PPB channel deepening program works Patrick Miller and Hannah Steyne at Heritage locations, dredge material grounds and Victoria, Department of Planning and commercial shipping channels and anchorages. Community Development provided access to heritage data for PPB.
References Blake, S., and Ball, D. (2001b). Seagrass mapping Port Phillip Bay. Marine and Freshwater Resources Institute Report No. 39, Queenscliff. Land Conservation Council (1996) Marine and coastal special investigation, draft final recommendations. Land Conservation Council, Melbourne. Parry, G.D., Werner, G.G, White, C.A, Hirst, A.J., Heislers, S., and Walker, T.I, (2009) Port Phillip Bay Annual Trawl Sub‐Program Progress Report No. 2. Fisheries Victoria Technical Report Series No. 50, Department of Primary Industries, Queenscliff.
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