Observer-Based Study of Targeted Commercial Fishing for Large Shark Species in Waters Off Northern New South Wales
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Observer-based study of targeted commercial fishing for large shark species in waters off northern New South Wales William G. Macbeth, Pascal T. Geraghty, Victor M. Peddemors and Charles A. Gray Industry & Investment NSW Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre of Excellence P.O. Box 21, Cronulla, NSW 2230, Australia Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority Project No. IS8-9-M-2 November 2009 Industry & Investment NSW – Fisheries Final Report Series No. 114 ISSN 1837-2112 Observer-based study of targeted commercial fishing for large shark species in waters off northern New South Wales November 2009 Authors: Macbeth, W.G., Geraghty, P.T., Peddemors, V.M. and Gray, C.A. Published By: Industry & Investment NSW (now incorporating NSW Department of Primary Industries) Postal Address: Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre of Excellence, PO Box 21, Cronulla, NSW, 2230 Internet: www.industry.nsw.gov.au © Department of Industry and Investment (Industry & Investment NSW) and the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority This work is copyright. Except as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part of this reproduction 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. DISCLAIMER The publishers do not warrant that the information in this report is free from errors or omissions. The publishers do not accept any form of liability, be it contractual, tortuous or otherwise, for the contents of this report for any consequences arising from its use or any reliance placed on it. The information, opinions and advice contained in this report may not relate to, or be relevant to, a reader’s particular circumstance. ISSN 1837-2112 Note: Prior to July 2004, this report series was published by NSW Fisheries as the ‘NSW Fisheries Final Report Series’ with ISSN number 1440-3544. Then, following the formation of the NSW Department of Primary Industries the report series was published as the ‘NSW Department of Primary Industries – Fisheries Final Report Series’ with ISSN number 1449-9967. The report series is now published by Industry & Investment NSW as the ‘Industry & Investment NSW – Fisheries Final Report Series’ with ISSN number 1837-2112 Contents iii TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS..............................................................................................................................III LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................................................IV LIST OF TABLES.......................................................................................................................................... V ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..........................................................................................................................VI EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................................................................. 7 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 10 1.1. Line fishing in the NSW Ocean Trap and Line (OTL) fishery..................................................... 10 1.2. Shark fishing in the NSW OTL fishery......................................................................................... 13 1.3. Improved infrastructure for fisher-dependent reporting of shark catches.................................. 16 1.4. Objectives of the research ........................................................................................................... 18 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS ......................................................................................................... 19 2.1. Study area.................................................................................................................................... 19 2.2. Observer sampling strategy and organising observer trips........................................................ 20 2.2.1. Non-permit OTL shark fishers............................................................................................................ 20 2.2.2. Sandbar-permit OTL shark fishers...................................................................................................... 20 2.3. Data and sample collection......................................................................................................... 21 2.3.1. Fishing operation data......................................................................................................................... 21 2.3.2. Basic catch data .................................................................................................................................. 21 2.3.3. Biological data and samples from sharks............................................................................................ 21 2.4. Data summary and analysis ........................................................................................................ 23 3. RESULTS .............................................................................................................................................. 24 3.1. Cooperation and participation by OTL fishers targeting sharks ................................................ 24 3.2. Species recorded on observed commercial shark-fishing trips................................................... 24 3.2.1. TACC shark species (whaler, hammerhead and mackerel sharks)...................................................... 24 3.2.2. Non-target species – retained or discarded ......................................................................................... 25 3.2.3. Interactions with threatened and/or protected fish species.................................................................. 25 3.2.4. Interactions with marine reptiles, marine mammals and seabirds....................................................... 25 3.2.5. Biological samples obtained from species of shark ............................................................................ 25 3.3. Summary of catches from observed shark-fishing trips .............................................................. 30 3.3.1. Post-hoc stratification of observed fishing trips for summary of catches ........................................... 30 3.3.2. Total catches reported by fishers targeting TACC sharks during the study period............................. 32 3.3.3. NP-set-Z4 grouping – (non-permit setlining in Zone 4; Sep 08 – Feb 09).......................................... 33 3.3.4. NP-set-Z3 grouping – (non-permit setlining in Zones 1 – 3; Sep 08 – Feb 09) .................................. 33 3.3.5. NP-drum grouping – (non-permit drumlining in Zones 1 – 4; Sep 08 – Feb 09)................................ 35 3.3.6. NP-hand grouping – (non-permit handlining in Zones 1 – 4; Sep 08 – Feb 09) ................................. 35 3.3.7. SP-set grouping – (sandbar-permit setlining in Zones 1 – 4; Feb 09 – Jun 09)................................... 35 3.4. Spatial, temporal and biological profile of catches for TACC shark species ............................. 37 3.4.1. Sandbar shark...................................................................................................................................... 37 3.4.2. Dusky whaler...................................................................................................................................... 42 3.4.3. Spinner shark ...................................................................................................................................... 46 3.4.4. Common blacktip shark ...................................................................................................................... 50 3.4.5. Other TACC shark species.................................................................................................................. 53 3.5. Hooking location (mouth/throat/gut/body) ................................................................................. 56 3.6. Condition of organisms upon capture......................................................................................... 56 3.6.1. Targeted whaler and hammerhead shark species ................................................................................ 56 3.6.2. Discarded non-target organisms.......................................................................................................... 57 4. DISCUSSION........................................................................................................................................ 59 4.1. Value of observer-based research............................................................................................... 59 4.2. General overview of the targeted shark fishery of northern NSW .............................................. 60 4.3. Comparisons with other shark fisheries...................................................................................... 62 4.3.1. Catch composition .............................................................................................................................. 62 Commercial shark fishing in waters off northern NSW (Macbeth et al.) NRCMA Project IS8-9-M-2 iv Contents 4.3.2. Catch quantity and catch rate..............................................................................................................64