BCA - Ecologically sustainable development of the fishery for Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) around Macquarie Island: population parameters, population assessment and ecological interactions

Funded Activity Summary

The Patagonian toothfish fishery is expanding worldwide and it may play a pivotal role in the development of an Australian fishing industry in the Southern Ocean. The recommended TAC for toothfish in other Southern Ocean regions was revised upwards by the 1996 CCAMLR scientific committee. For example, in the CCAMLR area 58.5.2 (primarily the AFZ around Heard and McDonald Islands) a TAC of 3800 metric tonnes of toothfish was set. As a result considerable national and international interest in the fishery is expected.

Given the conservation value of Macquarie Island it is expected that operation of the fishery will be closely scrutinised -- the scrutiny is already clear at the national ( MACSAG, AFMA, DPIE and conservation groups) level. Development of the Macquarie Island fishery provides a great opportunity as a demonstration project to illustrate that fishery development can be achieved while protecting conservation values -- a demonstration of Ecologically Sustainable Development in action. Furthermore, much of what will be learnt will also be relevant to the emerging Heard Island toothfish fishery.

To date little research has been done to establish the basic biological parameters of the toothfish necessary to develop sound management policies. As recognised by both the Macquarie Island Fish Stock Assessment Group and the Sub-Antarctic Ecosystem Assessment Group there is a real need to develop a comprehensive program of research which not only addresses basic biological parameters such as age and stock structure, but also examines the distribution and abundance of this species so that effective management of the fishery can proceed. As the Macquarie Island area is likely to be sensitive to possible ecosystem changes brought about by a developing fishery, there is also a need to understand where toothfish 'fit into' the broader offshore Macquarie Island ecosystem, and likely ecosystem effects.

Objectives:
1. Determine the key population parameters (age validation, growth, age of maturity, mortality of fished cohorts, and population structure after age validation), distribution, movements and relative abundance of the Patagonian toothfish around Macquarie Island.
2. Assess the usefulness of DNA micro satellite markers for determining stock structure.
3. Assess the biological and physical oceanographic effects on catch rates, toothfish availability, and interactions between the fishery and non-target species.
4. Assess the magnitude and composition of the fishery bycatch, and identify the food chain linkages between the fishery, the toothfish, the main bird and mammal species.
5. Develop population models for the Patagonian toothfish fishery and provide strategies for developing and managing the fishery.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 09-09-2003

End Date: 01-07-2004

Funding Scheme: Funding Scheme not available

Funding Amount: $5,445.45

Funder: Fisheries Research and Development Corporation

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

There are no FoR codes available for this funding activity

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Ageing | Animal Health | Biology | Data | Fisheries Management | Marketing | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Productivity | Risk reduction | Stock Assessment | Sustainability

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