Queensland Sustainable Fisheries Strategy2017–2027

Progress report Year 1

Foundation reforms

Reform

tool

sIm

plementing reforms

10 reformareas

Responsive decisions

Fishing rules

and access

Harv

est

stra

tegi

es

Resource

allocation

Impacts on

non-target species

Sustainable catch limits

Improved

monitorin

g and

research

Impr

oved

en

gage

men

t

Compliance

Resourcing

8 working groups, which met 19 times in 2017–18

Sustainable Fisheries Expert Panel established

and met 3 times in 2017–18

More than 620 regional face-to-face meetings

17% growth in Facebook

followers in 2017–18*

11 new species monitored

Recreational and commercial fishing apps under development

Innovation project using cameras, sensors and image recognition

Ecological risk assessment (ERA)

guideline published and ERAs started

Resource reallocation

policy published

20 new compliance

officers recruited, including 16 in the Great Barrier Reef

Gladstone Queensland

Boating and Fisheries Patrol office reopened and new boat is now operational

New powers and penalties

proposed under the Act for black-marketing – more than 90% support from consultation

Final vessel tracking policy

and guidelines released and $3m allocated for rebates

Harvest strategy

guideline published and work commenced on drafting harvest strategies

Discussion papers on

regulatory changes released for trawl, crab and inshore fisheries

Discussion paper released on amendments to the Fisheries Act 1994 with changes to allow responsive

decisions using pre-agreed rules in harvest strategies

All actions on track

Key achievements in first 12 months

* as at 19 June 2018

11 already

delivered

33 actions

In June 2017, the Queensland Government released the Sustainable Fisheries Strategy 2017–2027, paving the way for Queensland to have a world-class fisheries management system. These reforms will ensure healthy fish stocks that will support thousands of Queensland jobs. The strategy outlines 33 actions to be delivered across 10 reform areas and sets targets to be achieved by 2020 and 2027.

$5.78m spent in 2017–18 as

part of the $20.8m additional funding over 3 years

2 Sustainable Fisheries Strategy 2017–2027 Progress report – Year 1

Delivery on track key

Progress report

Reform area Delivery on track Comment

1. Improved monitoring and research Good progress on new monitoring, including reef species, scallop, juvenile snapper, blue swimmer crab and eastern king prawn. New social and economic indicators to be rolled out in 2018–19.

2. Sustainable catch limits

Catch limits will be set out in harvest strategies.

3. Improved engagement Significant efforts have been made including traditional and novel methods of engagement. Further work is needed to build relationships and communicate the reform process and objectives of the strategy.

4. Impacts on non-target species

Good progress on finalising guidelines for ecological risk assessments, with technical work underway.

5. Resource allocation Existing catch shares to be explicit in harvest strategies. Reallocation policy released to deal with requests for closures/net free areas.

6. Harvest strategies Guideline released and drafting of harvest strategies underway.

7. Fishing access and rules Discussion papers on reforms to key fisheries released. Regulatory changes expected in 2019.

8. Responsive decisions New process proposed under amendments to the Fisheries Act 1994 to allow responsive decisions using pre-agreed harvest strategies.

9. Compliance Excellent progress with 20 new Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol officers recruited and Gladstone office reopened. Vessel tracking on track to be on all net, crab and line boats by 1 January 2019. Cross-decking will continue with other enforcement organisations (e.g. police, maritime safety and marine parks). Cultural liaison officers identified.

10. Resourcing Good progress rolling out new funding.

Overall commentsOverall progress has been good in the first 12 months. There has been particularly strong effort in compliance, engagement and rolling out new monitoring. One-third of all the actions in the strategy have been delivered in the first 12 months. All of the actions due to be delivered in 2017–18 were complete. As with any major reform program, there are challenges in communicating with stakeholders, understanding the change process and dealing with uncertainty. A strong focus has been put on better engagement, but relationships need to be further built between government, commercial fishers, recreational fishers and other community groups as the reform process progresses.

Areas for focus in next 12 monthsThe next 12 months will focus on reviewing fishing rules, amending legislation and developing harvest strategies. This will culminate in an amended Act and new Regulation proposed to commence in July 2019. There will be a continued focus on improved engagement and collecting better data to underpin decisions and the roll out of new technologies.

On track

On track

On track

On track

On track

On track

On track

On track

On track

Minor issues

On track

Minor issues

Completed or delivered

Major issues

Not yet commenced

Sustainable Fisheries Strategy 2017–2027 Progress report – Year 1 3

Measuring progress against targetsTo measure our performance over time, targets have been set for both 2020 and 2027. This progress report sets the baseline for these targets that we can measure against in future years. This will help track our performance and ensure we are achieving the outcomes identified.

CS84

28 0

7/18

Target Baseline 2017–18

Sustainable catch limits based on maximum economic yield (around 60% biomass)

23 stock assessments for species or species complex that enables a biomass or on maximum sustainable yield calculation8 catch based quotas currently, but not explicitly set using biomass targets.

No overfished stocks in Queensland fisheries 2 overfished stocks (scallop and snapper)

Increased certainty for commercial operators No data yet (to be collected in 2018)

Reduced volume of fisheries regulation 933 pages of regulation (733 pages of Fisheries Regulation and 200 pages in the trawl management plan)

Improved trends of compliance rates* 91% compliance rate

Responsive and consultative approach to fisheries management

The overall satisfaction with Fisheries Queensland’s engagement: 56/100Other measures to be developed

2027 targets

*The QBFP has moved to an intelligence-based approach to compliance, which may result in lower compliance rates due to targeting non-compliance rather than random on-water inspections.

Progress report

Set baseline

Target Baseline 2017–18

Sustainable catch limits based on maximum sustainable yield (around 40–50% biomass)

23 stock assessments for species or species complex that enables a biomass or on maximum sustainable yield calculation.8 catch based quotas currently, but not explicitly set using biomass targets.

Harvest strategies for all fisheries 0 harvest strategies in place

Maintained export approvals 100% export approvals in place

Improved stakeholder satisfaction with engagement The overall satisfaction with Fisheries Queensland’s engagement: 56/100

Increased satisfaction of recreational fishers Overall satisfaction of recreational fishers in Queensland: 61/100

Better data for fish stocks 15 species undefined; 57 species not assessed; 4 species with negligible data

2020 targets

Major milestones and reporting timeline

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027

Progress report

Progress report

Progress report

Progress report

Progress report

Progress report

Progress report

Progress reportMid term review

Deliver of final evaluation

report

4 Sustainable Fisheries Strategy 2017–2027 Progress report – Year 1