East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery From 1 September 2019 identified as the East coast trawl fishery (see Schedule 2, Fisheries (Commercial Fisheries) Regulation 2019). Status report for reassessment and approval under protected species and export provisions of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) May 2021 This publication has been compiled by Fisheries Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. Enquiries and feedback regarding this document can be made as follows: Email: [email protected] Telephone: 13 25 23 (Queensland callers only) (07) 3404 6999 (outside Queensland) Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday: 8 am to 5 pm, Thursday: 9 am to 5 pm Post: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries GPO Box 46 BRISBANE QLD 4001 AUSTRALIA Website: daf.qld.gov.au Interpreter statement The Queensland Government is committed to providing accessible services to Queenslanders from all culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. 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Contents 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 3 1.1 Queensland Sustainable Fisheries Strategy 2017-2027 - Progress of regulatory reform ...................... 6 2 Brief description of the fishery ............................................................................................................ 8 3 Legislation and Advisory Bodies ........................................................................................................ 9 4 Key Management Controls ................................................................................................................... 9 4.1 Recent Management Changes ............................................................................................................. 11 4.2 Changes to commercial fishing rules .................................................................................................... 12 4.2.1 Trawl ...................................................................................................................................... 12 4.2.2 Vessel tracking....................................................................................................................... 13 4.2.3 Saucer scallop ....................................................................................................................... 13 4.2.4 White spot disease restrictions .............................................................................................. 15 4.2.5 Licence and Fishery symbols ................................................................................................ 16 5 Catch and Effort .................................................................................................................................. 17 6 Target, Byproduct and Bycatch Species .......................................................................................... 22 6.1 Major commercial species .................................................................................................................... 23 6.1.1 Prawns ................................................................................................................................... 23 6.1.2 Scallops ................................................................................................................................. 23 6.1.3 Moreton Bay bugs .................................................................................................................. 23 6.1.4 Squid ...................................................................................................................................... 23 6.1.5 Permitted species .................................................................................................................. 24 6.2 Bycatch ................................................................................................................................................. 25 7 Status of target stocks ....................................................................................................................... 28 8 Research and Monitoring ................................................................................................................... 29 9 References ........................................................................................................................................... 32 10 Progress against conditions of approval Queensland East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery .............. 33 11 Progress against conditions of approval for Part 13 ...................................................................... 47 12 List of Appendices .............................................................................................................................. 51 APPENDIX 1 ................................................................................................................................................. 52 APPENDIX 2 ................................................................................................................................................. 76 APPENDIX 3 ................................................................................................................................................. 77 APPENDIX 4 ................................................................................................................................................. 78 APPENDIX 5 ................................................................................................................................................. 79 APPENDIX 6 ................................................................................................................................................. 80 APPENDIX 7 ................................................................................................................................................. 81 APPENDIX 8 ................................................................................................................................................. 82 APPENDIX 9 ................................................................................................................................................. 83 APPENDIX 10 ............................................................................................................................................... 84 APPENDIX 11 ............................................................................................................................................... 85 Figures Figure 1 - Quad otter trawl gear used in the ECOTF. ..................................................................................... 9 Figure 2 - Effort (days fished) and catch (tonnes) for the ECOTF 1988–2019. ............................................ 18 Figure 3 - Percentage of total catch weight of principal otter trawl species groups (Source: Fisheries Queensland CFISH Database, 5 August 2020). ........................................................................... 19 Figure 4 - Annual landed catches of principal otter trawl species, 2010–19 (Source: Fisheries Queensland CFISH Database, 5 August 2020). ................................................................................................ 19 Figure 5 - Nominal catch per unit effort (kg/day) of ECOTF principal species, 2010–2019 (Source: Fisheries Queensland CFISH Database, 5 August 2020). ........................................................................... 20 Figure 6 - Effort (days fished) recorded in logbooks in the ECOTF regions of GBRMPA, Moreton Bay and Other East Coast 2010–2019. ....................................................................................................... 21 Figure 7 - Total Catch (tonnes) recorded in logbooks in the ECOTF regions of GBRMPA, Moreton Bay and Other East Coast 2010–2019. ....................................................................................................... 21 Figure 8 - Effort (days fished) and Number of Active Licences for the ECOTF 1988–2019 ......................... 22 Figure 9 - Percentage of Predominant Permitted Species caught in ECOTF and Total Permitted Species Catch (t) 2010–2019...................................................................................................................... 24 Figure 10 - Total Number of Interactions with Species of Conservation