There have been no changes in the management arrangements for the commercial eel fishery since the last in 2009. There has been some industry change with a move from single licence operator arrangements to a one group owning multiple licences. This trend is continuing in 2014 with a further three licences in the process of transfer to the main group, which will then hold seven of the twelve licences. A Tasmanian industry development plan is in currently being developed funded through FRDC. The plan is being coordinated jointly by the University of Tasmania, Inland Fisheries Service, commercial fishers, with input from recreational fishers, conservation groups and other stakeholders. The objective of the plan is to maximise the potential of the fishery, whilst ensuring ecological and economic sustainability. It has focused on maintaining current management controls and exploring opportunities to develop fisheries in closed lake systems or fattening of wild caught fish. The plan will convey a common set of performance objectives indicators and measures agreed by industry management and other stakeholders it is envisaged that this will form the basis for future reporting. The development of this document has been the priority for IFS and its key output for the sector and will be completed in 2014. The draft Performance indicators and measures are listed in the table below. Objective Performance Performance Management Response indicator measure Target species Sustainable (kg) per net per No more than three If performance measure harvest at current day from each licence consecutive years of exceeded then review levels catchment decrease in CPUE restocking allocations for each from each licence licence catchment catchment If performance measure Total harvest is exceeded then initiate a Ongoing natural Total harvest (kg) of within 50% of five detailed assessment of local recruitment juvenile eels from year rolling average issues that may have impacted indicator sites at Lake harvest Meadowbank and Trevallyn Tailrace If performance measure exceeded then initiate a Number of juvenile Number of juvenile detailed assessment of age eels per kg from eels per kg is within structure and recruitment indicator sites at Lake 50% of five year strength of juvenile eels Meadowbank and rolling average Trevallyn Tailrace Continued stock juvenile eel stocked enhancement Protected species Platypus Number caught and No more than 5 Initiate targeted compliance killed individuals per year operation
There have been no changes in the management arrangements for the commercial eel fishery since the last in 2009. There has been some industry change with a move from single licence operator arrangements to a one group owning multiple licences. This trend is continuing in 2014 with a further three licences in the process of transfer to the main group, which will then hold seven of the twelve licences. A Tasmanian industry development plan is in currently being developed funded through FRDC. The plan is being coordinated jointly by the University of Tasmania, Inland Fisheries Service, commercial fishers, with input from recreational fishers, conservation groups and other stakeholders. The objective of the plan is to maximise the potential of the fishery, whilst ensuring ecological and economic sustainability. It has focused on maintaining current management controls and exploring opportunities to develop fisheries in closed lake systems or fattening of wild caught fish. The plan will convey a common set of performance objectives indicators and measures agreed by industry management and other stakeholders it is envisaged that this will form the basis for future reporting. The development of this document has been the priority for IFS and its key output for the sector and will be completed in 2014. The draft Performance indicators and measures are listed in the table below. Objective Performance indicator Performance measure Management Response Target species Sustainable harvest at current levels Ongoing natural recruitment Continued stock enhancement (kg) per net per day from each licence catchment Total harvest (kg) of juvenile eels from indicator sites at Lake Meadowbank and Trevallyn Tailrace Number of juvenile eels per kg from indicator sites at Lake Meadowbank and Trevallyn Tailrace juvenile eel stocked No more than three consecutive years of decrease in CPUE from each licence catchment Total harvest is within 50% of five year rolling average Number of juvenile eels per kg is within 50% of five year rolling average If performance measure exceeded then review restocking allocations for each licence catchment If performance measure exceeded then initiate a detailed assessment of local issues that may have impacted harvest If performance measure exceeded then initiate a detailed assessment of age structure and recruitment strength of juvenile eels Protected species Platypus Number caught and killed No more than 5 individuals per year Initiate targeted compliance operation