The MSC-certified West Coast Deep Sea Crustacean Managed Fishery off Western Australia could have have untapped potential in a number of high value, but as yet unfished, deepwater habitats in the area from Cape Leeuwin to Western Australia’s border with the Northern Territory. This encompasses areas of the Indian Ocean and Timor Sea, bounded by Australia’s exclusive economic zone.
The fishery has a long history of catching crystal crabs, giant crabs and champagne crabs, however, while the fishing grounds are extensive, only 10% of its area is fished using species-specific fishing gear.
New research funded by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) on behalf of the Australian Government is aimed at exploring other high-value crustacean stocks that may exist to expand the value of the fishery.
Although some explorative fishing has occurred outside of the currently targeted fishing grounds, it is unknown what stocks occur in those areas.
Scientists from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) have been deploying cameras to illuminate these deep and remote locations to learn about the habitat and expanded research will be vital to catch a glimpse of the fishery’s future.
The commercial-sized species likely to be populating the unfished deep-sea locations include multiple scampi species, red royal prawns, red reef lobster, mud rock lobster and the slipper lobster.
The potential benefits of targeting these additional species have been dramatically highlighted in the south-eastern Australia fishery for red royal prawns, which yielded over 600 tonnes in its most recent fishing season. These species are highly prized in Asian and Australian seafood markets.
DPIRD research scientist for offshore crustaceans Jack Parker said climate change and rising ocean temperatures had also been predicted to affect deepwater ecosystems.
‘Identifying new species that the West Coast Deep Sea Crustacean Managed Fishery can target will not only add value to the fishery, but also potentially identify species that are less vulnerable to changing environmental conditions,’ he said.
‘Habitat mapping with deep-sea cameras will help us get an overview of the floral and faunal species present in unfished areas. This research will set a benchmark to assess how climate change impacts could potentially influence deep-ocean ecosystems. This work will aim to identify abundant and potentially commercially viable crustacean species at depths between 200 to 1100 metres within the current fishery. It will also include comparing and assessing four types of commercial fishing gear to determine the best gear for different target species.’
In addition to expanding the suite of species landed by this fishery, this new FRDC study will act as a benchmark study of Australian central west deep-water ecosystems. These ecosystems are relatively unexplored and there is also a need to better understand the environment throughout the fishery.
Collaboration with fishers and the use of deep-sea cameras has been vital to research on the fishery, which found it has very low bycatch and a low impact on the environment.
‘The survey of available marine resources will potentially allow the fishery to expand the number of species that are commercially viable to catch and contribute to the sustainability of these species. This will allow alternative sources of income for the fishery and provide a more extensive assessment of the fishery to help manage its ongoing sustainability,’ Jack Parker said.
Main image: Morgan Hand
