It is informed that the discussion paper examines mechanisms for adjusting or trading fisheries catch allocations within a sustainable management framework. The paper was developed as part of a Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) funded project, which examines the issue within the context of the Western Australian and South Australian rock lobster fisheries.
The paper’s author, Department of Fisheries Principal Management Officer Dr Chris Reid, explained that the fisheries managers Australia-wide were increasingly looking forward to appropriate mechanisms to adjust allocations of fish resources to various sectors. He further add it is very important that ecologically sustainable harvests of fish resources should be shared between competing user groups, which is a burning issue for fisheries managers.
He told that this research project looks at mechanisms to allow for future adjustments, once initial allocations have been established. Dr Reid states that FRDC funding has given us a great opportunity to examine the issue and we are now seeking feedback on the discussion paper and the options it presents, to attract a wide range of views on reallocation mechanisms that could be adopted in the future.
It is said that the paper details the Department of Fisheries’ initial findings and puts forward a range of options for consideration, covering both administrative and market-based approaches.
