East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery Regional Risk Assessments. Species of Conservation Concern

Abstract

The East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery (ECOTF) has been the subject of many historical risk assessments. The most recent of these was published in 2023 by Fisheries Queensland and assessed the risk posed by trawling operations at a whole-of-fishery level, focusing on species with ongoing conservation concerns. This current report provides further context to the outputs of this previous study by establishing regional-specific risk profiles for the same 62 species.

To allow for greater flexibility and minimise the potential of risk overestimates occurring, the regional assessments were developed using a Likelihood and Consequence Analysis (LCA). This methodology considers the consequence of a species interacting with the ECOTF and the likelihood of the consequence coming to fruition within the current fishing environment. The LCA is fully-qualitative and assigns each species with an indicative risk rating of negligible, low, low-medium, medium, or high.

A cross-comparison of the species distribution data and prescribed management boundaries produced an assessment list of 43 species for the Northern Trawl Region, 46 species for the Central Trawl Region, 46 species for the Southern Inshore Trawl Region, 49 species for the Southern Offshore Trawl Region and 30 species for the Moreton Bay Trawl Region. Across the entire assessment, only two species were found to be at high risk while the majority were classified as either low or low-medium risk.

These regional assessments may be built on through subsequent assessments examining the risk posed to additional species and/or emerging priorities. With additional information, some species scores may be further refined. Alternatively, where necessary improved evidence may facilitate the removal of species from subsequent regional assessments.