Key Threatening Process Nomination Form
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Key Threatening Process Nomination Form for amending the list of key threatening processes under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) 2012 Assessment Period This nomination form is designed to assist in the preparation of nominations of threatening processes consistent with the Regulations and EPBC Act. The listing of a key threatening process under the EPBC Act is designed to prevent native species or ecological communities from becoming threatened or prevent threatened species and ecological communities from becoming more threatened. Many processes that occur in the landscape are, or could be, threatening processes, however priority for listing will be directed to key threatening processes, those factors that most threaten biodiversity at national scale. For a key threatening process to be eligible for listing it must meet at least one of the three listing criteria. If there is insufficient data and information available to allow completion of the questions for each of the listing criteria, state this in your nomination under the relevant question. Note – Further detail to help you complete this form is provided at Attachment A. If using this form in Microsoft Word, you can jump to this information by Ctrl+clicking the hyperlinks (in blue text). Nominated key threatening process 1. NAME OF KEY THREATENING PROCESS Recreational game fishing – competition game fishing especially for sharks, tuna and marlins 2. CRITERIA UNDER WHICH THE KEY THREATENING PROCESS IS ELIGIBLE FOR LISTING Please mark the boxes that apply by clicking them with your mouse. Criterion A Evidence that the threatening process could cause a native species or ecological community to become eligible for listing in any category, other than conservation dependent. Criterion B Evidence that the threatening process could cause a listed threatened species or ecological community to become eligible for listing in another category representing a higher degree of endangerment. Evidence that the threatening process adversely affects two or more listed threatened Criterion C species (other than conservation dependent species) or two or more listed threatened ecological communities. 3. 2012 CONSERVATION THEME: Corridors and connecting habitats (including freshwater habitats) Is the current conservation theme relevant to this key threatening process? If so, explain how. No 4. THREAT STATUS Is the key threatening process listed under State/Territory Government legislation? Is the threat recognised under other legislation or intergovernmental arrangements? The proposed key threatening process is not listed under State / Territory Government legislation nor recognised under other legislation or intergovernmental arrangement to the nominee’s knowledge. Description of the key threatening process 5. DESCRIPTION Describe the threatening process in a way that distinguishes it from any other threatening process, by reference to: a. its biological and non-biological components; b. the processes by which those components interact (if known). Recreational fishing is a ubiquitous activity throughout most of the world that principally involves angling by hook and line, but also may include spearfishing and the use of various nets and traps. Recreational fishing as a rule is open access and effort is generally considered to be increasing in most of these fisheries throughout the world. Growing pressure on fish stocks from recreational fishing strongly suggests that managing only the effects of commercial fishing may be insufficient to prevent fish stocks from being over-exploited. (McPhee et al., 2002). It is increasingly recognised that recreational fishing can have serious impacts on fish stocks and the wider aquatic ecosystem (Cooke and Cowx, 2004, 2006 in Li et al, 2010). High fishing mortality, probably in combination with other external stressors, has been shown to repeatedly influence fish population dynamics and to contribute to the collapse of recreationally exploited fish populations (Barker et al., 2002; Lester et al., 2003; Sullivan, 2003; and Wilberg et al., 2005 in Lewin et al., 2006). Recreational fishing covers a broad range of amateur fishing activities but can be roughly broken down into groups of gamefishers, sportfishers, spearfishers, estuarine fishers and freshwater fishers (Environment Australia, 2002, pp.9-10). The 2001 Australian Shark Assessment Report (Rose, 2001) describes recreational fishing as encompassing two main activities – competition game fishing and general recreational angling. For this reason we have chosen to focus this key threatening process nomination on recreational fishing that is competition game fishing, especially fishing for sharks, tuna and marlins. All other forms of recreational fishing are excluded. Hereafter in this nomination, this type of fishing will be simply referred to as ‘recreational fishing’. Impacts of recreational fishing on sharks Recreational fishing for finfish and sharks can be broadly defined as the use of hook and line with either a rod or handline. Gillnets are also used for recreational fishing in two states only (Tasmania, Western Australia), while cast nets may be used to collect bait in Northern Territory and Queensland and traps can be used by recreational fishers in New South Wales (McIlgorm and Pepperell 1999). Shark that is not returned to the water by general anglers is generally either used as bait or consumed. (Rose, 2001). Pepperell (2005) reports that there are some directed recreational fisheries for sharks around Australia. School and gummy sharks are fished for in Victoria and Tasmania, while elephant fish (a species of Chondrichthyan classified with the sharks) are targeted by a small, specialised recreational fishery in Westernport Bay, Victoria. This is in addition to game fishing which targets the larger, offshore species of shark, which are the focus of this nomination. Most chondrichthyans (hereafter referred to in this nomination using the broad term of ‘sharks’) are characterized by low growth rates, late sexual maturity, and low fecundity compared to bony fish, which makes them vulnerable to fishing mortality. As a result even small levels of mortality from recreational fishing may be enough to cause population decline in some of the harvested species (Steffe et al, 1996). A comparison of 26 shark and 151 bony fish populations found that sharks show twice the fishing extinction risk of bony fishes (Myers & Worm 2005). Also their ability to recover after depletion is low on average: rebound potential of 26 shark populations ranged between 14% (Mustelus californicus) and 1.7% (Squalus acanthias) per year with variability explained by a combined effect of size and preferred habitat. In fact, it was highest for small coastal sharks, intermediate for pelagic and minimal for large coastal species. Deep-water sharks may be among the most vulnerable to fishing, with population growth rates 40–60% lower compared with pelagic, and 55–63% lower compared with coastal species. (Francesco et al., 2010) In 2001 it was reported that, in a 12-month period, approximately 43,000 sharks were retained in Queensland, 11,695 in the Northern Territory, 3,753 in Western Australia south-west area, 8,507 in New South Wales, making a total of 66,955 sharks that were retained in a 12 month period by recreational fishers. At a conservative estimate of 15 kg average weight of shark retained, this represents 1,004 tonne of whole shark, between 11% and 12% of the annual commercial shark catch, harvested from Queensland, New South Wales, Northern Territory and the south-west coast of Western Australia in one year. Estimates of total numbers of sharks caught (both retained and discarded) in the Northern Territory and south-west coast of Western Australia (the only regions with available data at the time) show that an estimated 74,556 sharks were caught in one year. (Rose, 2001) A more recent estimate suggest that recreational anglers in Australia catch over 1.2 million sharks each year, releasing more than 1 million of them (McLoughlin & Eliason, 2008). Although individual fishers may have limited impact, recreational fishing can have a large effect on shark populations due to the large number of people who participate in the fishery (DeFaria et al., 2010). Pepperell (2005) estimated that 81.8% of sharks caught by anglers were released back into the water—considerably higher than for any other species or group of species. This means that 228,000 sharks and rays were caught and kept and a further 1.02 million were caught and released by recreational fishers over a 12-month study period (Pepperell, 2005). Catch-and-release fishing had previously been thought to be beneficial for the conservation of fish stocks based on the premise that most of the fish that are released survive, however expanding interest in animal welfare has promoted debate regarding the ethics of catch-and-release fishing. Knowledge of the survival of released sharks is essential for (1) assessing the validity of tag-and-release for conservation, (2) estimating fishing mortality rates and (3) using the results of tagging programs in stock assessments and studies of migration patterns. McLouglin & Eliason (2008) reviewed available literature on the physical and physiological effects of catching and releasing sharks and approaches to tagging them. Studies by Francesco et al (2010) show that, “…in natural, unexploited systems, sharks often exhibit high abundance and diversity. Yet even light fishing pressure is sufficient