Reference point management and the role of catch-per-unit effort in prawn and scallop fisheries

Abstract

This study provided an in-depth description of the changes in fishing gear and technological improvements affecting fishing power for the Queensland eastern king prawn (Penaeus plebejus), southeast Queensland saucer scallop (Amusium balloti), and Torres Strait brown tiger (Penaeus esculentus) and blue endeavour (Metapenaeus endeavouri) prawn in major Queensland and Torres Strait (Australia) fisheries from 1960 to 2000. The effects of changes were quantified using generalised linear modelling, producing average annual increases in fishing power, standardising their catch rates, and developing stock assessment models that consider the annual increases in fishing power and stock-recruitment relationships. The Queensland Trawl Fishery Management Plan defines catch rate reference points for major stocks, and review events are required when catch rates fall below 70 per cent of those reported for the period 1988-1997. This study applied the models to assess the plan's reference points and proposed alternatives that the Queensland Fisheries Service (QFS) and Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) are actively considering to manage the stocks and reduce the likelihood of overfishing.