TARFish take on RecFAC #83 - scalefish review proposals
The Scalefish Review is progressing with the Minister set to make decisions on the package of proposals in coming weeks.
The draft departmental advice document was considered at RecFAC #83 on 19 July. We can’t share the specific document with you but we can share TARFish’s position on the matters considered.
The lack of supporting information to aid understanding of RecFAC members, particularly the expected impacts of commercial proposals, was very frustrating. Information that had been requested at the previous RecFAC meeting was not provided and TARFish believes it is unfair and risky to ask the members to provide advice without the benefit of having access to it.
Importantly, the excellent work of Tasmania’s spear fishers appears to be working – we’re confident we’ll get the right decision on that with no ban likely to be put in place.
Below is a summary of the main items that were discussed at the meeting.
Before you jump into the summary, we take this opportunity to re-state a couple of our key positions and advise on one we’ve changed.
Firstly, TARFish remains concerned that the package of proposals comes without any guarantees – there are no harvest strategies or recovery plans in place, no models to estimate when fisheries may recover. We support the precautionary principle but not a blank cheque. That’s why TARFish is seeking a “sunset clause” on any changes. What do we mean by that? We mean that in 3 years, if there are no recovery plans, no harvest strategies and no empirical data or modelling to guide management decisions that all recreational settings revert to what they are now. We need investment in getting the right information to make informed decisions.
Secondly, we are very concerned that the proposal to land flathead whole or with heads and frames is a risk - to fishing enjoyment and potentially to our reputation. Using bins and cleaning stations is a nice idea but one that is very risky - with local councils expected to clean and maintain them and dispose of waste. We have been advocating for a technology solution for catch monitoring. We would like to see an app-based solution or even simply placing the fish on a brag mat and taking a photo. Not only would it be better for compliance, it would also mean the data needed to make decisions on empirical evidence would be gathered.
Last but not least, TARFish has changed its position on sand flathead. We had originally said we would support a bag limit of 2 in Frederick Henry and Norfolk Bays and the D’Entrecasteaux Channel. The TARFish Board reconsidered its position following extensive consultation and examination of the available information. TARFish believes that the slot size and a bag limit of 5 will provide significant protection whilst a recovery plan and harvest strategy are developed.
We will not support anything less than 5 anywhere in the state until those critical management plans are in place.
It is also important to consider that the Department’s draft advice was to not progress recommending a ban on commercial fishing in those areas. So if there are enough fish to allow commercial fishing, there is enough to sustain a bag limit of 5 for recreational fishers. TARFish will always update and amend positions when new or additional information becomes available.
In closing, we continue to encourage the Government to consider offsets to this proposed restrictions by providing alternative fishing opportunities - you can read about them here.
RecFAC #83 Summary
Sand Flathead
TARFish no longer supports a bag limit of 2 in any part of the south-east on the basis that the Department is unlikely to recommend extending the ban on commercial fishing and that the uncertainty of how access will be returned is asking too much of recreational fishers. TARFish’s new position is now a bag limit of 5 for all of the south-east.
If there are enough fish to allow commercial activity, there’s enough for a bag limit of 5 in our view.
We need the recovery plan, harvest strategy and empirical evidence of catch and modelling on recovery. We need a “sunset clause” on any changes that sees them revert to what they are now in the absence of those critical management plans and information to support them.
At the RecFAC meeting, TARFish strongly advocated for a bag limit of 5 fish for the east and south coasts, and 10 elsewhere. The map below shows TARFish’s position on bag and size limits that was very well supported by the majority of RecFAC members.
RecFAC also supported TARFish’s position that the ban on commercial fishing in Frederick Henry and Norfolk Bays be extended.
Like TARFish, many RecFAC members were frustrated by the lack of clarity on the timeline to develop a recovery plan and harvest strategy and therefore the lack of certainty on what will trigger a return of access.
TARFish believe these are essential foundations to provide certainty and clarity about what we need to do to keep and return greater access to sand flathead.
There was a lot of discussion regarding the proposal to land sand flathead whole or with heads and frames.
TARFish does not support the proposed landing requirements that all flathead species be landed whole or as fillets with heads and frames.
We would like to see a digital solution using a catch app on mobile phones. The risk of environmental nuisance, costly removal and reputational risk to rec fishers from the proposal to land whole with heads and frames is significant in TARFish’s view.
There were a range of views at RecFAC due to the complexity of compliance but generally, there was support for a digital solution if it could be done properly but noted that it was unlikely in the short term.
Southern Calamari
TARFish’s position on calamari is well known (well we hope it is).
TARFish rejects the proposed bag, possession and boat limits for recreational fishers.
The commercial proposals appear to be in a complete muddle with no clarity on a timeline for implementation.
TARFish has been backing an extended spawning closure in the north for some time and RecFAC were very supportive of an extended spawning closure of two months.
Interestingly, a RecFAC member came up with a proposal to have a split bag limit across the season with a reduced bag of 5 pre-spawning and then reverting to 10 post-spawning closure.
TARFish thinks this makes a lot of sense and protects the pre-spawning aggregations. However, TARFish strongly maintains its position that there should be no change to any recreational settings until the commercial catch is reduced to sustainable levels.
TARFish also very specifically advocated for maintaining the bag limit of 10 in the south and east to offset any potential bag cut for sand flathead.
This position was supported by RecFAC.
We are concerned that there will be very limited fishing opportunities in the southeast from the combination of the proposals for sand flathead, calamari and striped trumpeter.
Striped Trumpeter
Well, we finally got verbal confirmation of the impact of the proposed minimum size limit change from 55cmto 62cm for striped trumpeter.
The size limit change is unlikely to have much effect on the West Coast but on the East Coast and in the South East it means that about 75% of stripeys will become undersize.
It is important to support the science that says the size limit increase is needed to allow the stock to re-populate itself so TARFish supports the size limit change. RecFAC members also supported the change.
It was a completely different outcome for the proposed bag, boat and possession limits.
There was no support at RecFAC for the changes given the huge impact that the size limit change will have.
Bastard Trumpeter
Like striped trumpeter, there was support for the proposed minimum size limit change from 38 to 42 cm to support the stock to re-populate itself so TARFish supports the size limit change. RecFAC members also supported the change.
The majority of RecFAC members supported the proposed bag, boat and possession limit changes. TARFish did not support them.
The majority of RecFAC members supported the proposed commercial management. TARFish did not support them. The impact of the proposed changes to the commercial sector is minimal and it is unclear why the commercial sector should be overly advantaged in this shared fishery.
Southern Garfish
Both TARFish and RecFAC supported not progressing with the proposed changes.
Jackass Morwong
TARFish and the majority of RecFAC members did not support introducing a boat limit.
Making amendments to management settings by public notice
TARFish did not support this measure and the Government is not recommending progressing it. This was also supported by RecFAC – a great result.