Application for reassessment under the EPBC Act of the South Coast Managed Fishery September 2020

GENERAL INFORMATION

Area of the South coast of Western Australia (south of 34° 24’ S, between 116° 00’ E and 129° 00’ fishery E), Western Australia, Australia (see map at Figure 1). Gear used Pot based fishing method. Clause 4 of the South Coast Crustacean Managed Fishery Management Plan 2015 defines that a ‘pot’ means a rock pot as defined in the Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995

Information Information on crustacean species retained by the South Coast Crustacean Fishery and page links to management information is here:  Management Plan – South Coast Crustacean Managed Fishery Management Plan 2015  Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of Western Australia 2018/19 MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS

Legislation The South Coast Crustacean Managed Fishery is managed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) under the following legislation:  Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (FRMA, will be replaced by the Aquatic Resources Management Act once enacted);  Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995 (FRMR);  FRMA Section 43 Order, such as relevant prohibition on fishing - marine park orders. Fishers must also comply with the requirements of (but not limited to):  The Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act);  Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Act 2012;  Western Australian Marine Act 1982;  Western Australian Wildlife Conservation Act 1950; and  Western Australian Conservation and Land Management Act 1984. Regulations, South Coast Crustacean Managed Fishery Licence. exemptions or licence designation Management South Coast Crustacean Managed Fishery Management Plan 2015 plan Other N/A management documents FISHERY STATUS

Annual report Pages 191 - 196 of the Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of Western Australia 2018/19 (SRFAR). Stock The Fishery target catch species include southern rock lobster ( edwardsii) and assessment western rock lobster (), as well as deep-sea species namely, giant crab (Pseudocarcinus gigas), crystal crab (Chaceon albus) and champagne crab ( acerba).

The most recent stock assessments for the South Coast Crustacean resource are reported annually in the SRFAR based on the status of indicator species for each relevant Zone. The stock status of indicator species is assessed every year using a weight-of-evidence approach that considers all available information. The indicator species for each Zone are; Zone 1 western rock lobster, Zone 2 crystal , Zone 3 and 4 southern rock lobster.

In 2017/18, the annual stock assessment assessed crystal crabs in Zone 2 to be unsustainable. A subsequent stock assessment for the 2018/19 season assessed both crystal crabs in Zone 2 and southern rock lobster in Zone 3 to be unsustainable.

Noting the sustainability concerns in Zones 2 and 3, and given the relatively poor spatial and effort data used to inform the stock assessment, a new mandatory fishing return, the ‘South Coast Crustacean Trip Return’ (Trip Return), was introduced into the fishery in September 2019. The new Trip Return provides the Department with catch and effort information on a finer spatial scale (trip by trip basis) and replaces the old monthly returns (which collected monthly data at a broader spatial scale).

Following the 2017/18 annual stock assessment, the Department and licence holders have been discussing the overall trend of decreasing catches in Zones 2, 3 and 4 and the need to rebuild stock levels on a longer term basis. These discussions relate to developing both short and long term management options to increase abundance levels, profitability of fishers and to ensure on-going sustainability of these stocks in the relevant zones. Management options may include seasonal closures, pot reductions and potentially transitioning to individually transferable quota over the longer term.

The Department’s consultation will also take into account the impacts of COVID19 which caused a significant reduction in fishing activity following market failure. This reduced fishing effort should have had a positive impact on the stock sustainability. However, additional measures are still required and the Department will be seeking to take some form management action for this current fishing season (2020/2021). Ecological Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management assessments are reviewed annually against a risk provisional South Coast Crustacean Resource Status report, which is publically assessment available.

SPECIES

Target The South Coast Crustacean Managed Fishery (SCCMF) is a multi-species, effort- species controlled pot based fishery, with catches of southern rock lobster () and western rock lobster (Panulirus cygnus) as well as deep-sea crab species namely, giant crab (Pseudocarcinus gigas), crystal crab (Chaceon albus) and champagne crab (Hypothalassia acerba).

How, J. and Orme, L. 2019. South Coast Crustacean Resource Status Report 2019. Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of Western Australia 2018/19: The State of the Fisheries eds. D.J. Gaughan and K. Santoro. Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia. pp. 191-196

By-product The gear used in this fishery generates minimal bycatch and the design of the pots is species such that their potential to ‘ghost fish’ if lost is negligible. (retained) & Bycatch species (non- retained) Protected The SCCMF operates in areas adjacent to Australian Sea Lion (ASL) colonies. Pots species fished in areas potentially frequented by juvenile ASLs are required to be fitted with a Sea Lion Exclusion Device (SLED). These devices are designed to stop the entrance and accidental drowning of ASLs. In the 2017/18 season there were no ASL interactions attributed to the SCCMF.

There was one reported whale entanglement attributed to the SCCMF gear, for the 2017/18 season.

Turtles can become entangled in float rigs of lobster pots, however there have been no reported entanglements in SCCMF fishing gear since 2012/13.

PROGRESS AGAINST PREVIOUS EPBC Act CONDITIONS (2017) 1. Operation of this fishery will be carried out in accordance The SCCMF has and will continue to operate in accordance with the South with the management regime under the WA Fish Resources Coast Crustacean Managed Fishery Management Plan 2015 Management Act 1994 and the WA Fish Resources (management plan). Management Regulations 1995.

2. The WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional There have been no material changes to the fishery’s management plan or Development (DPIRD) to inform the Department of the arrangements that could affect the criteria on which the EPBC Act Environment and Energy of any intended material changes to decisions are based. this fishery's management arrangements that may affect the assessment against which Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 decisions are made. 3. DPIRD, in its annual Status reports of the fisheries and The Department produces SRFAR annually. SRFAR reports for the years aquatic resources of Western Australia, to report on this fishery 2006/07-2017/18 which include information required under Condition 3, against performance measures that relate to its sustainability can be found at http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/About- Us/Publications/Pages/State-of-the-Fisheries-report.aspx. A. DPIRD to finalise and implement the mandatory ASL Completed. Mitigation Strategy by mid - 2018 to ensure that appropriate measures are in place throughout the fishery to minimise The Department implement the mandatory Australian Sea Lion (ASL) interactions with Australian Sea Lions Mitigation Strategy in September 2019. This strategy included an amendment to the management plan to require fishers to have pots fitted with Sea Lion Exclusion Devices (SLED) when fishing in the revised SLED Zones in the fishery. Prior to the amendment to the management plan, it is the Department’s understanding that some operators voluntarily fished with SLEDs in the relevant zones.

As part of the ASL mitigation strategy, operators have the option to use fixed on-board cameras in lieu of SLEDs, where the Department will monitor ASL interactions. To date, no operators have taken up this option.

SLED zones are shown in Figure 1 below and are legislated under Schedule 4 of the Management plan.

Figure 1. Boundaries of the South Coast Crustacean Managed Fishery (source: WA DPIRD)