Derek Bullock
30-03-2005, 07:46 AM
Primary Industries & Fisheries, # Henry Palaszczuk
28/03/05
Draft coral fishery policy released for stakeholder comment
The Queensland Government is releasing a draft management policy for the State's coral fishery for stakeholder comment.
Primary Industries and Fisheries Minister Henry Palaszczuk said the draft policy aimed to secure the sustainability of the coral fishery by capping harvest levels for live aquarium coral species.
"The coral fishery is not large, with 36 individual operators holding authorities to harvest. #It is already a tightly regulated fishery that operates between the Capricorn Coast and far north Queensland," Mr Palaszczuk said.
"Currently a total allowable catch (TAC) of 200 tonnes annually applies with coral harvesting also restricted to specific coral areas with a boundary of less than 500 metres in width and to a depth of less than six metres below the low water mark."
Mr Palaszczuk said the draft policy was developed in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and industry.
"The release of the draft policy is timely. In recent years, the coral fishery has moved from predominantly supplying the ornamental coral market to supplying the aquarium industry with live coral and live rock," Mr Palaszczuk said.
"Therefore, DPI&F believes management arrangements need to be revised to address the potential for localised depletion of coral if harvesting is allowed to concentrate in specific areas, and to address the impacts if the TAC was taken in only live coral."
Mr Palaszczuk said to maintain the fishery's sustainability the draft policy proposes:
* # # #the TAC of 200 tonnes annually remain and existing individual authority holders annual quotas #of one to four tonnes #also be retained;
* # # #coral harvesters be authorised to take no more than 30% live coral and 70% live rock/coral rubble/ornamental coral from the annual quota;
* # # #quota expressed in units measured as kilograms;
* # # #live coral quota on the number of pieces per kilogram weight harvested, while live rock, coral rubble and ornamental coral are deducted as used quota;
* # # #coral harvesters be permitted to take coral in all Queensland waters, without a depth limitation, north of latitude 2430' south - the southern boundary of Great Barrier Reef Marine Park; and
* # # #provision for the management of future localised depletion problems in high use areas, which are adjacent to Cairns and the Keppel group.
Mr Palaszczuk said it was proposed coral harvesters would be required to keep and provide logbook information and a landing report for purposes of compliance and monitoring of the fishery.
"It is also proposed that Coral harvesters will be required to report their catch via a 24-hour phone system before coming into port, as a condition of a coral authority. #This is called 'prior reporting'," Mr Palaszczuk said.
The draft policy is available from the DPI&F Call Centre on 13 25 23. The deadline for responses is 27 April 2005.
Media contact: John Algate 3239 3004 or 0418 197 350
28/03/05
Draft coral fishery policy released for stakeholder comment
The Queensland Government is releasing a draft management policy for the State's coral fishery for stakeholder comment.
Primary Industries and Fisheries Minister Henry Palaszczuk said the draft policy aimed to secure the sustainability of the coral fishery by capping harvest levels for live aquarium coral species.
"The coral fishery is not large, with 36 individual operators holding authorities to harvest. #It is already a tightly regulated fishery that operates between the Capricorn Coast and far north Queensland," Mr Palaszczuk said.
"Currently a total allowable catch (TAC) of 200 tonnes annually applies with coral harvesting also restricted to specific coral areas with a boundary of less than 500 metres in width and to a depth of less than six metres below the low water mark."
Mr Palaszczuk said the draft policy was developed in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and industry.
"The release of the draft policy is timely. In recent years, the coral fishery has moved from predominantly supplying the ornamental coral market to supplying the aquarium industry with live coral and live rock," Mr Palaszczuk said.
"Therefore, DPI&F believes management arrangements need to be revised to address the potential for localised depletion of coral if harvesting is allowed to concentrate in specific areas, and to address the impacts if the TAC was taken in only live coral."
Mr Palaszczuk said to maintain the fishery's sustainability the draft policy proposes:
* # # #the TAC of 200 tonnes annually remain and existing individual authority holders annual quotas #of one to four tonnes #also be retained;
* # # #coral harvesters be authorised to take no more than 30% live coral and 70% live rock/coral rubble/ornamental coral from the annual quota;
* # # #quota expressed in units measured as kilograms;
* # # #live coral quota on the number of pieces per kilogram weight harvested, while live rock, coral rubble and ornamental coral are deducted as used quota;
* # # #coral harvesters be permitted to take coral in all Queensland waters, without a depth limitation, north of latitude 2430' south - the southern boundary of Great Barrier Reef Marine Park; and
* # # #provision for the management of future localised depletion problems in high use areas, which are adjacent to Cairns and the Keppel group.
Mr Palaszczuk said it was proposed coral harvesters would be required to keep and provide logbook information and a landing report for purposes of compliance and monitoring of the fishery.
"It is also proposed that Coral harvesters will be required to report their catch via a 24-hour phone system before coming into port, as a condition of a coral authority. #This is called 'prior reporting'," Mr Palaszczuk said.
The draft policy is available from the DPI&F Call Centre on 13 25 23. The deadline for responses is 27 April 2005.
Media contact: John Algate 3239 3004 or 0418 197 350