Summary of the Victorian Rock Lobster Fishery Management Plan

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Summary5 of the Victorian Rock Lobster Fishery Management Plan

Objective Strategy Action Performance
Indicator 		Target Implementation
Schedule 		Lead Agency Key
Partner(s) 		Funding Source
Sustainability
of the rock
lobster
resource
  1. Rebuild the
    stock
    biomass
 Fisheries Victoria to
develop improved
methods of standardising
catch per unit effort in the
first year of this
management plan 		Catch per unit effort
provides an
adequate measure
of rock lobster
abundance 		Improved methods
for determining rock
lobster abundance 		First year of
plan 		Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
research
budget6
   Fisheries Victoria to use
regional assessments to
measure spatial
differences within zones 		Spatial differences
within zones are
adequately
incorporated into
biomass estimates 		Calculations of stock
biomass build rate
detect changes within
zones 		First year of
plan 		Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
research
budget
   Within the first year of
this management plan,
Fisheries Victoria and
relevant stakeholders will
establish a resource
assessment working
group for the purpose of
improving fishery
assessments and will
report to the Management
Advisory and TAC
Forums 		A defined biomass
build-rate is used to
set annual Total
Allowable
Commercial Catch
levels 		The estimated
available biomass
reaches 40 per cent of
B1951 within agreed
time frames 		First year of
plan 		Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
research
budget
   Ongoing responsibility
for the operation of this
working group to be
transferred to relevant
stakeholders within two
years 		    Relevant
stakeholders 		Fisheries
Victoria 		Rock lobster
management
budget7
   Fisheries Victoria will use
the decision rules
specified in the previous
rock lobster fishery
management plan in
determining the Total
Allowable Catch in 2010 		Total Allowable
Catch in 2010 set in
accordance with the
previous Rock
Lobster Fishery
Management Plan 		Decision rules
introduced in this
management plan are
tested prior to
implementation 		2010 Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
management
budget
   Fisheries Victoria will run
the new decision
framework in parallel
with the rules specified in
the previous rock lobster
fishery management plan
in 2010 		Decision framework
established in this
management plan is
run in parallel with
the rules specified
in the previous plan 		Performance of
decision rules
introduced in this
management plan is
compared against the
rules specified in the
previous plan 		2010 Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
management
budget
   Fisheries Victoria will in
consultation with
relevant stakeholders,
undertake a review of the
new decision framework
in 2010 		Working group is
established to
review decision
rules 		Decision rules
introduced in this
management plan are
assessed as adequate
for the purpose of
fishery management 		2010 Fisheries
Victoria 		Relevant
stakeholders 		Rock lobster
management
budget
   Following the 2010
review, and after the
incorporation of any
changes, Fisheries
Victoria will in
consultation with
relevant stakeholders,
implement the new
decision framework in
setting the Total
Allowable Catch in 2011 		Decision rules
introduced in this
management plan
are implemented
with agreed
amendments if
required 		Decision rules
introduced in this
management plan are
an effective
management tool for
the rock lobster
fishery 		2011 Fisheries
Victoria 		Relevant
stakeholders 		Rock lobster
management
budget
   Fisheries Victoria to
review and assess the
appropriateness and
effectiveness of fishery
management tools 		Management tools
are regularly
reviewed to ensure
they are appropriate
to manage the
fishery and or
rebuild stock
biomass 		Appropriate
management
strategies ensure
sustainable
management of rock
lobster resource 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
management
budget
   Seafood Industry Victoria
to prepare a Code of
Practice that will include
appropriate practices for
returning undersize rock
lobster and berried
females to the sea alive 		    Seafood
Industry
Victoria 		Fisheries
Victoria 		 
   Fisheries Victoria will
continue to use onboard
observers to monitor rock
lobster discards and
consider this information
during annual stock
assessments 		Rock lobster
discards levels
monitored by
onboard observers;
data incorporated
into stock
assessment model 		The stock assessment
model becomes a
more effective
predictor of stock
biomass 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
research
budget
   Industry will monitor
means, including changes
to pot design, to reduce
rock lobster mortalities 		    Industry Fisheries
Victoria 		 
   Seafood Industry Victoria
to develop measures to
manage deaths in coffs
and wet wells early in the
life of the plan 		    Seafood
Industry
Victoria 		Fisheries
Victoria 		 
   Fisheries Victoria to
introduce the
requirement that, from 1
July 2011, operators must
deduct from their quota
the estimated weight of
rock lobsters that will be
stored in coffs or wet
wells 		Measures to manage
deaths in coffs and
wet wells are
incorporated into a
Fisheries
Regulations as
required 		Reduced mortalities
in coffs and wet wells
will improve the
sustainability of the
rock lobster industry 		By 1 July 2011 Fisheries
Victoria 		Seafood
Industry
Victoria 		Rock lobster
management
budget
  2. Maintain the
ecological
integrity of
the fishery
ecosystem 		Seafood Industry Victoria
to incorporate the
Victorian Rock Lobster
Fishery Code of Practice for
Reducing Whale
Entanglements into the
industry Code of Practice
that will be developed for
the commercial fishery 		    Seafood
Industry
Victoria 		Fisheries
Victoria 		 
   Industry to report
incidental interactions
with protected species
using the Protected Species
Interactions form 		    Industry   
   Fisheries Victoria to
continue to use onboard
observers program to
monitor the impacts of
by-catch on the fishery 		Levels of by-catch
and by-product
taken by rock
lobster fishers is
monitored by
onboard observers 		Levels of by-catch
and by-product taken
by rock lobster
fishers are
understood and
appropriately
influence fishery
management
decisions 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		Seafood
Industry
Victoria,
Industry 		Rock lobster
management
budget
   Fisheries Victoria to
review the final report on
rock lobster habitat and
take appropriate action as
necessary 		A study of rock
lobster habitats will
be considered and
appropriate actions
developed 		Assist in the
sustainable harvest of
rock lobster by
maintaining the
ecological integrity of
reef habitats and
adjacent marine
biological
communities on the
Victorian coast 		Following the
release of
habitat study 		Fisheries
Victoria 		Seafood
Industry
Victoria,
Industry 		Rock lobster
management
budget
   Fisheries Victoria will
continue to monitor the
potential impacts of
climate change on the
rock lobster fishery and
will develop a response if
required 		Fisheries Victoria
continues to
monitor the
potential impacts of
climate change on
the rock lobster
fishery and will
develop a response
if required 		Industry practices
and stock assessment
model are
appropriately
modified in response
to climate change 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		Seafood
Industry
Victoria,
Industry 		Rock lobster
management
budget
   Fisheries Victoria will
give high priority to
collaborative research
with adjacent
jurisdictions that is aimed
at understanding the
potential impacts of
climate change on the
rock lobster fishery 		Collaborative
research aimed at
understanding the
potential effects of
climate change is
undertaken 		A better
understanding of the
effects of climate
change on the rock
lobster fishery is
reached 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
research
budget
   Within the first year of
this management plan,
Fisheries Victoria to
review the rock lobster
fishery ecological risk
assessment in
consultation with
relevant stakeholders 		A review of the rock
lobster fishery
ecological risk
assessment is
undertaken 		Risks facing the rock
lobster fishery are
adequately
understood and
inform fishery
management 		First year of the
plan 		Fisheries
Victoria 		Relevant
stakeholders 		Rock lobster
research
budget
   This review will consider
the adequacy of its
assessment of the
ecological risks associated
with cetacean
entanglements 		A review of the rock
lobster fishery
ecological risk
assessment that
addresses cetacean
entanglements is
undertaken 		Ecological risks
associated with
cetacean
entanglements are
understood and
inform fishery
management 		First year of the
plan 		Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
research
budget
Resource
access and
utilisation 		3. Facilitate an
economically
efficient
commercial
fishery 		Fisheries Victoria will
continue to provide a
mechanism for fishery
operators to vary Rock
Lobster Fishery Access
Licence in specified
circumstances 		The process of
varying Rock
Lobster Fishery
Access Licence in
specified
circumstances is
made more efficient 		An economically
efficient commercial
fishery 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
management
budget
   Fisheries Victoria to realign
the licensing and
quota periods to begin on
1 July and finish on 30
June the following year 		The rock lobster
licensing year and
quota period to
begin on 1 July and
run until 30 June the
following year 		Alignment of the
licensing year and the
quota period will
improve rock lobster
fishery
administration and
fishery management 		First year of the
plan 		Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
management
budget
   Fisheries Victoria to
amend the Initial Quota
Order for the Western
Zone from 4000 quota
Units to 3633.48 quota
units 		The Initial Quota
Order for the
Western Zone rock
lobster fishery is
amended in
accordance with the
requirements of the
Fisheries Act 		The Initial Quota
Order for the
Western Zone rock
lobster fishery
reflects the correct
number of quota
units in the fishery 		First year of the
plan 		Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
management
budget
   Starting in 2010, Fisheries
Victoria to conduct a poll
of Rock Lobster Fishery
(Western Zone) Access
Licence holders to
determine if a winter
closure will be
implemented each winter
for the duration of this
fishery management plan 		There is a
demonstrated high
level of support by
the commercial rock
lobster industry for
winter closures of
the fishery 		An economically
efficient commercial
fishery 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		Industry Rock lobster
management
budget
   Fisheries Victoria to
monitor current
arrangements for receivers
and processors of rock
lobster during annual
compliance reviews and
take appropriate action if
required 		Current
arrangements for
receivers and
processors are
reviewed annually 		Receivers and
processors of rock
lobster are
appropriately
authorized 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
management
budget
   Fisheries Victoria and
Seafood Industry Victoria
to explore the potential
costs and benefits of
initiatives and where
appropriate, implement
measures to enhance
quota trading, investment
and industry
development 		The costs and
benefits of
initiatives to
improve the
effectiveness of
quota trading are
considered and
where appropriate,
implemented 		Appropriate
initiatives improve
effectiveness of the
quota trading market 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		Seafood
Industry
Victoria 		Rock lobster
management
budget
   Fisheries Victoria to
change the definition of
rock lobster in the
Fisheries Act to include
all species of the family
Palinuridae 		All rock lobster are
included in the
family Palinuridae 		Ensure that
legislative power to
regulate all species of
rock lobster landed in
Victoria is included is
the Fisheries Act 		First year of
plan 		Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
management
budget
   Fisheries Victoria to
undertake a management
review if the annual catch
of eastern rock lobster
exceeds one tonne, and, if
necessary, implement
specific controls to
manage the fishery 		The eastern rock
lobster fishery is
sustainably
managed 		Ensure the eastern
rock lobster fishery is
managed sustainably 		During life of
plan 		Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
management
budget
   Fisheries Victoria to
collaborate with New
South Wales Fisheries to
co-operatively manage
eastern rock lobster
stocks 		The eastern rock
lobster fishery is
sustainably
managed 		Ensure the eastern
rock lobster fishery is
managed sustainably 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		Seafood
Industry
Victoria 		Rock lobster
management
budget
   Seafood Industry Victoria
to undertake an economic
survey and analysis of the
rock lobster fishery and
develop indicators of
economic and financial
performance within the
first year of this fishery
management plan 		    Seafood
Industry
Victoria 		Fisheries
Victoria 		 
   The Fisheries Cost
Recovery Standing
Committee to advise DPI
on an appropriate cost
sharing arrangement for
economic performance
monitoring for the fishery 		Economic
monitoring of the
rock lobster
industry is
appropriately
resourced 		Appropriate costsharing
arrangements
between industry and
Fisheries Victoria 		Ongoing Fisheries Cost
Recovery
Standing
Committee 		Seafood
Industry
Victoria 		Rock lobster
management
budget
   On behalf of the rock
lobster industry, Fisheries
Victoria to send the
Victorian Rock Lobster
Fishery Management Plan
for assessment under the
Environment Protection
and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 		Management plan
submitted for
assessment under
the Environment
Protection and
Biodiversity
Conservation Act
before the current
accreditation
expires in March
2009 		Maintain authority to
export rock lobster 		First year of
plan 		Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
management
budget
   Seafood Industry Victoria
to lead subsequent reassessments
of the fishery
under the Environment
Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 		    Seafood
Industry
Victoria 		  
  4. Maintain
recreational
and
Aboriginal
use 		Fisheries Victoria to
maintain the current
management regime
(with the exception of the
alignment of the bag and
possession limits) for the
recreational rock lobster
fishery until recreational
catch is integrated into
the management decision
framework 		Current
management
arrangements for
the recreational rock
lobster fishery
remain and are
maintained until
recreational catch is
integrated into the
management
decision framework 		The rock lobster
management decision
framework is
informed by an
understanding of all
impacts on the
resource 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
management
budget
   Fisheries Victoria to
introduce regulations that
align the daily bag and
possession limits in, on or
next to Victorian waters 		The daily rock
lobster bag and
possession limits in,
on or next to
Victorian waters are
aligned 		To remove a
regulatory anomaly
whereby the rock
lobster possession
limit becomes the de
facto bag limit in, on
or next to Victorian
waters 		First year of
plan 		Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
management
budget
   Noting the need to
protect the spawning
biomass, Fisheries
Victoria to maintain the
recreational fishery legal
minimum length
consistent with the
commercial sector 		Unless there is a
need to protect
spawning biomass,
legal minimum
length to remain
consistent with the
commercial sector 		Legal minimum
length and other
relevant controls are
appropriate to ensure
sustainable
recreational rock
lobster take 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
management
budget
   Within the first two years
of this management plan,
Fisheries Victoria to
prepare a discussion
paper for public comment
outlining options for
estimating recreational
catch 		A discussion paper
outlining options
for estimating
recreational catch is
prepared 		Ensure that
recreation catch is
adequately
understood for the
purpose of fishery
management 		First two years
of plan 		Fisheries
Victoria 		  Recreational
Fishing Grant
Program
$10,000
(estimated cost)
   Fisheries Victoria and
recreational stakeholders
to discuss integration of
the resultant estimates
into the stock assessment
process and the
management decision
framework 		Implement agreed
method(s) to
estimate
recreational take of
rock lobster 		The stock assessment
model accurately
considers recreational
take of rock lobster 		Second year of
plan 		Fisheries
Victoria 		VRFish,
recreational
stakeholders 		Rock lobster
management
budget
   Fisheries Victoria to
continue to authorise
fishing for specified
cultural and ceremonial
purposes under a general
permit issued to members
of the Aboriginal
community 		Take of rock lobster
beyond recreational
bag limits for
specified cultural
and ceremonial
purposes is
appropriately
authorised 		Reflect the Victorian
Government's policy
on resource access by
Aboriginal
Australians 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
management
budget
Costeffective,
participatory
management 		5. Promote
stakeholder
participation
in decisionmaking 		Seafood Industry Victoria
to produce an
overarching Code of
Practice that documents
and demonstrates the
methods they employ to
operate in an
environmentally and
socially sustainable
manner 		    Seafood
Industry
Victoria 		Fisheries
Victoria 		 
   Fisheries Victoria to
continue consulting with
stakeholders through the
annual Fishery
Management and Stock
Assessment Workshops
and the Total Allowable
Catch Forum 		Stakeholder
consultation
continues through
the annual Fishery
Management and
Stock Assessment
Workshops and
Total Allowable
Catch Forum 		Demonstrate
commitment by DPI
to effectively engage
stakeholders in
decision-making
processes 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		Seafood
Industry
Victoria,
Relevant
stakeholders 		Rock lobster
research
budget (Stock
Assessment
Workshop)
Rock lobster
research
budget (Fishery
Management
Workshop and
Total Allowable
Catch Forum)
   Fisheries Victoria, in
consultation with the
commercial and
recreational sectors, to
establish a Management
Advisory Forum or
equivalent within the first
year of this fishery
management plan to
provide for stakeholder
representatives to
regularly communicate
with and provide advice
to Fisheries Victoria 		A Management
Advisory Forum or
equivalent is
established 		A mechanism is put
in place whereby
stakeholder
representatives are
able to regularly
communicate with
and provide
management advice
to Fisheries Victoria 		First year of
plan 		Fisheries
Victoria 		Relevant
stakeholders 		Rock lobster
management
budget
   Ongoing responsibility
for the operation of the
forum to be transferred to
industry within two years
of establishing the
Management Advisory
Forum 		   Within two
years of
establishing the
Management
Advisory
Forum 		Fisheries
Victoria 		  Relevant
stakeholders
  6. Deliver and
monitor costeffective
management
arrangements 		Fisheries Victoria to
continue to determine the
annual Rock Lobster
Fishery Access Licence
levy through the
Regulatory Impact
Statement process
following advice from the
Fisheries Cost Recovery
Standing Committee 		Annual Rock
Lobster Fishery
Access Licence levy
is set in accordance
with the principles
of cost recovery 		Rock Lobster Fishery
Access Licence
holders and
government will
equitably contribute
to the cost of
management,
compliance and
research through an
annual levy imposed
at licence renewal 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		Seafood
Industry
Victoria 		Rock lobster
management
budget
   Should there be a need to
more effectively track
lobster from the point of
capture to sale, Fisheries
Victoria to undertake a
review of cost-effective
methods to track rock
lobsters from the points
of take to sale 		A review of
methods to track
rock lobster from
the points of take
through to retail
sale is undertaken 		Cost-effective
management of the
rock lobster fishery 		During life of
plan 		Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
management
budget
   The Marine Advisory
Forum, in consultation
with relevant
stakeholders, will
develop a five-year plan
for establishing priorities
for investment in research
and development in the
rock lobster fishery 		A five-year plan for
establishing
industry priorities
for investment in
research and
development is
produced 		Identify research
needs using clear
mechanisms that
ensure the needs of
management and
stakeholders are met 		First year of
plan 		Marine
Advisory
Forum 		Fisheries
Victoria,
Seafood
Industry
Victoria,
VRFish 		Rock lobster
research
budget
   Fisheries Victoria,
through the Fisheries
Research and
Development Reference
Group, will engage with
the commercial and
recreational fishery and
aquaculture sectors to
identify, develop, fund
and report on projects in
which the sectors are coinvestors 		The commercial and
recreational sectors
are formally
engaged in
identifying,
developing, funding
and reporting of
research and
development
projects in which
the sectors are coinvestors 		An enhanced ability
to plan research and
investigate funding
opportunities is
achieved 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		Relevant
stakeholders 		Rock lobster
research
budget
   Fisheries Victoria will
explore opportunities for
more efficient and
effective use of research
and development
resources, to enhance
capability and to
demonstrate the impacts
of research and
development 		Research needs are
considered using
clear mechanisms
that ensure the
needs of
management and
stakeholders 		Research that ensures
the needs of
management and
stakeholders are
considered is funded,
conducted and
reported against 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		Seafood
Industry
Victoria,
VRFish 		Rock lobster
research
budget
   Fisheries Victoria and
relevant stakeholders will
identify funding
opportunities and
facilitate increased
investment in research
and development that
supports the rock lobster
fishery 		Research and
development
investment in
cooperative research
is obtained 		Expanded the
funding base for
research beyond
traditional sources 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		Seafood
Industry
Victoria,
VRFish 		Rock lobster
research
budget
   Industry to monitor
national and international
developments in rock
lobster aquaculture
research 		    Industry Fisheries
Victoria 		 
   All proposed
translocations of rock
lobsters for aquaculture
or other purposes will be
assessed in accordance
with the Guidelines for
Assessing Translocations of
Live Aquatic Organisms in
Victoria 		The environmental
risks of all
proposed
translocations are
assessed and
understood 		Translocation risks
are understood and
considered when
proposed
translocations are
considered for
approval 		Ongoing Translocation
Evaluation
Panel 		Fisheries
Victoria,
Industry 		Fisheries
Victoria
fisheries
management
budget
  7. Achieve
compliance
with
legislation 		Fisheries Victoria to
review the current
compliance strategy for
the rock lobster fishery
during 2009/10 and target
compliance activities
based on a formal
compliance risk
assessment and
intelligence reports 		Compliance
activities focus on
the main threats
identified during a
formal compliance
risk assessment 		Fulfil community
expectations that
non-compliance is
cost-effectively
managed to ensure
that fishery resources
are maintained at
sustainable levels and
aquatic habitats
protected 		First year of
plan 		Fisheries
Victoria 		Seafood
Industry
Victoria,
VRFish 		Rock lobster
compliance
budget8
   Fisheries Victoria to
prepare an annual
compliance report for the
rock lobster fishery that
will be presented at the
annual management
workshop 		An annual
compliance report
will be presented at
management
workshops 		Fulfil community
expectations that
non-compliance is
cost-effectively
managed to ensure
that fishery resources
are maintained at
sustainable levels and
aquatic habitats
protected 		Ongoing Fisheries
Victoria 		  Rock lobster
compliance
budget
   Industry to develop an
education and
communication strategy
for the rock lobster
fishery 		    Seafood
Industry
Victoria 		Fisheries
Victoria 		 

5 Performance indicators, targets, implementation schedules and funding sources are provided for actions where the lead agency is DPI.