MOODY MARINE LTD Ref: 82110 v3 Assessors: Richard Banks (Lead Assessor and P3), Dr Kevin Stokes (P1), Geoff Dews (P2). MSC Assessment Report for Spencer Gulf Prawn (Penaeus (Melicertus) latisulcatus) Fishery Client: World Wildlife Fund and the Spencer Gulf and West Coast Prawn Association Inc Version: 3 Public Comment Draft Report Certification Body: Client Contact: Moody Marine Ltd Alison Cross Moody International Certification World Wildlife Fund Merlin House California Marine Office Stanier Way 171 Forest Avenue Wyvern Business Park Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA Derby DE21 6BF UK Peter Trott, Fisheries Programme Manager, Level 13, Tel: +44 (0) 1633 544663 235 Jones St, Ultimo, NSW 2007 Australia Fax: +44 (0) 1633 675020 Simon Clark SGWCPA PO Box 8 (South Quay Boulevard) Port Lincoln SA 5606, Australia FN 82052 v1 Page 1 CONTENTS 1 SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................... 4 1.1 THE ASSESSMENT TEAM ...................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 ASSESSMENT TIMELINE ........................................................................................................................ 4 1.3 ASSESSMENT OUTCOME........................................................................................................................... 4 1.4 SCORES FOR EACH PRINCIPLE .................................................................................................................. 4 1.5 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................................... 4 1.6 CONDITIONS AND TIMESCALES ................................................................................................................ 5 1.3 THE FISHERY PROPOSED FOR CERTIFICATION ........................................................................................ 7 1.4 REPORT STRUCTURE AND ASSESSMENT PROCESS ................................................................................. 7 1.5 STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS ATTENDED ................................................................................................... 8 1.6 OTHER INFORMATION SOURCES ............................................................................................................ 9 2 GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS USED IN THE REPORT ................................................................. 14 3 BACKGROUND TO THE FISHERY ................................................................................................ 15 3.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 15 3.2 BIOLOGY OF THE TARGET SPECIES ..................................................................................................... 15 3.3 HISTORY OF THE FISHERY .................................................................................................................. 17 3.4 FLEET AND GEAR DESCRIPTION ......................................................................................................... 17 4 STOCK ASSESSMENT ...................................................................................................................... 19 4.1 INFORMATION ................................................................................................................................... 19 4.2 STOCK ASSESSMENT AND REFERENCE POINTS .................................................................................... 21 5 FISHERY MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK.................................................................................... 22 5.1 HARVEST STRATEGY ......................................................................................................................... 22 5.2 HARVEST CONTROL TOOLS................................................................................................................. 25 5.3 RESEARCH AND DATA ....................................................................................................................... 26 6 ECOSYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS ................................................................................................ 27 7 GOVERNANCE .................................................................................................................................. 43 7.1 MANAGEMENT BODIES ...................................................................................................................... 43 7.2 FISHERIES REGULATIONS ................................................................................................................... 46 7.3 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ............................................................................................................ 47 7.4 CONSULTATION PROCESSES ............................................................................................................... 48 7.5 INCENTIVES....................................................................................................................................... 49 7.6 THE FISHERIES SPECIFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN.................................................................................... 49 7.7 DECISION MAKING PROCESS ............................................................................................................... 56 7.8 ENFORCEMENT AND SURVEILLANCE .................................................................................................. 57 7.8.1 Fisheries Services .................................................................................................................... 57 7.8.2 The Committee at Sea .............................................................................................................. 58 7.9 RESEARCH PLANS.............................................................................................................................. 59 7.10 PERFORMANCE REVIEW PROCESS .................................................................................................. 60 8 OTHER FISHERIES AFFECTING TARGET STOCK .................................................................... 61 9 STANDARD USED ............................................................................................................................. 61 9.1 PRINCIPLE 1 ...................................................................................................................................... 61 9.2 PRINCIPLE 2 ...................................................................................................................................... 62 9.3 PRINCIPLE 3 ...................................................................................................................................... 62 10 BACKGROUND TO THE EVALUATION ....................................................................................... 64 10.1 EVALUATION TEAM ...................................................................................................................... 64 10.2 PREVIOUS CERTIFICATION EVALUATIONS ....................................................................................... 65 FN 82052 v1 Page 2 10.3 INSPECTIONS OF THE FISHERY ....................................................................................................... 65 11 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION ................................................................................................ 66 11.1 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION ..................................................................................................... 66 11.2 STAKEHOLDER ISSUES................................................................................................................... 66 12 OBSERVATIONS AND SCORING ................................................................................................... 67 12.1 INTRODUCTION TO SCORING METHODOLOGY .................................................................................. 67 13 LIMIT OF IDENTIFICATION OF LANDINGS FROM THE FISHERY ........................................ 67 13.1 TRACEABILITY WITHIN THE FISHERY .............................................................................................. 67 13.2 AT-SEA PROCESSING ..................................................................................................................... 67 13.3 POINTS OF LANDING ...................................................................................................................... 67 13.4 ELIGIBILITY TO ENTER CHAINS OF CUSTODY ................................................................................... 67 13.5 ACTUAL ELIGIBILITY DATE ........................................................................................................... 68 14 ASSESSMENT RESULTS .................................................................................................................. 68 14.1 CONDITIONS .................................................................................................................................. 68 14.2 RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................................................................... 74 15 APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................................... 75 15.1 APPENDIX A: SCORING.................................................................................................................