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Ecologically Sustainable Development
Environment Australia, 2002
ISBN 0 642 54771 8
Rationale for inclusion of issue
The sustainable management of fish resources is important to economic well-being, and to the protection of biodiversity and ecological systems.
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Percentage of major Commonwealth managed harvested wild fish species classified as fully or under-fished at 1999 |
37%* |
* The actual figure may be higher since 50% (15) of the 30 major Commonwealth managed harvested wild fish species are classified as status uncertain, ie they may be under-fished, fully-fished or over-fished but there is inadequate or inappropriate information to form a reliable assessment of their status.
Source: Caton A. & McLoughlin K. (eds) (2000) Fishery Status Reports 1999: Resource Assessments of Australian Commonwealth Fisheries. Bureau of Rural Sciences. Canberra.
Rationale for selection of indicator
Fish stocks are known to be subject to pressure. The status of fish stocks reflects the impacts of all users of a resource as well as the impact of natural environmental changes and human-induced changes such as water quality and habitat modification.
Explanatory and elaborative information
This information covers only Commonwealth managed fisheries. Additional work is required to gather comparable information for all fisheries.
Four of the 30 major Commonwealth managed harvested wild fish species are classified as over-fished ie levels of fishing or catches are excessive or still reflect the effects of prior excessive fishing. Ten of the 30 major Commonwealth managed harvested wild fish species are classified as fully-fished ie current catches are close to optimum sustainable levels. Any increase in levels of effort and catches may lead to over-fishing.
One of the 30 major Commonwealth managed harvested wild fish species is classified as under-fished ie the stock has potential to sustain catches higher than those currently taken. (This does not include stocks with limited catches while rebuilding after over-fishing.)
15 of the 30 major Commonwealth managed harvested wild fish species are classified as status uncertain ie they may be under-fished, fully-fished or over-fished but there is inadequate or inappropriate information to form a reliable assessment of their status.