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Indicator: CO-21 Non-target effects: Number and/or weight taken as bycatch, and change since introduction of exclusion devices

Data

The following is a summary of bycatch data reported in logbooks since the National Bycatch Policy was released in 1999. Some fisheries have patchy bycatch records back to 1997.

Northern Prawn Fishery: Turtle bycatch

Year	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Turtles caught	883	68	113	27	27

Southern and Western Tuna and Billfish Fishery: Bycatch

	Southern	Western	All
1997	-	5466	5466
1998	339	8313	8652
1999	5705	19487	25192
2000	14854	23024	37878
	22281	38643	60924
2002	N/a	N/a	60116
2003	N/a	N/a	51487

Southern and Western Longline Fishery: Wildlife Interactions

	Birds	Turtles	Whales	Seals	Sharks	Total
1997	-	-	-	-	-	-
1998	1	-	-	-	-	1
1999	10	25	-	-	1	36
2000	12	26	1	1	1	38
	15	38	-	-	-	53

Eastern Tuna and Bluefish Fishery: Wildlife Interactions and No-Take Species

Species Name and status	Year
	1998-99	1999-00	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03
Black Marlin
Alive	266	258	585	764	831
Dead	105	169	252	224	375
Unspecified			5		3
Blue Marlin
Alive	244	338	875	822	1017
Dead	92	117	336	405	431
Unspecified					1
Great White Shark
Alive
Dead		1
Grey Nurse Shark
Alive
Dead
Total all species	707	883	2053	2215	2658

Eastern Tuna and Bluefish Fishery Longline: Wildlife Interactions

	Other fish	Birds	Whales	Turtles	Total
1997-1998	-	6	-	46	52
1998-1999	707	23	-	34	764
1999-2000	883	33	1	34	951
2000-2001	2059	29	7	34	2129
2001-2002	2216	217	2	55	2490
2002-2003	2658	59	2	38	2757
2003-2004	2166	62	3	53	2284

Bass Strait Central Zone Scallop Fishery

Non-target species	2003
Doughboy Scallop	56365
Oyster	31410
Arrow Squid	500
Shells	191
Flathead	42
Octopus	8
Crabs	5
Flounder	5
Bugs	3

Summary of all fisheries reported bycatch

Year	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Northern Prawn Fishery 1	883	68	113	27	27
Kimberley Prawn Fishery	n/r	n/r	n/r	n/r	n/r
Southern 2 Squid Fishery	n/r	n/r	n/r	0	30kg
Southern and Western Tuna and Billfish 3	25192	37878	60924	60116	51487
Southern and Western - Longline 4	36	38	53	n/a	n/a
Southern and western Minor line and Domestic pole and purse seine	n/r	n/r	n/r	n/r	n/r
Eastern Tuna and Bluefish Fishery 5	707	883	2053	2215	2658
Eastern Tuna and Bluefish Fishery: Longline 6	951	2129	2490	2757	2284
Eastern Tuna and Bluefish Fishery Minor Line 7	n/r	1	1	n/r	n/a
Bass Strait Central Zone Scallop Fishery 8	n/r	n/r	n/r	n/r	88,526
Great Australian Bight Trawl Fishery	n/r	n/r	n/r	n/r	n/r

1. The only bycatch reported by this fishery is marine turtles
2. This fishery reports bycatch in kilograms rather than number of individuals
3. Only fish bycatch are reported by this fishery rather than all bycatch
4. This fishery reports only “wildlife interactions” (birds, turtles, whales, seals and sharks) rather than all bycatch
5. This fishery reports “wildlife interactions” and “no take species” only, not all bycatch. All species caught are also reported but non-target species are not disaggregated.
6. This fishery reports only “wildlife interaction” (other fish, birds, whales, turtles), not all bycatch
7. This fishery reported only 1 shark accidentally caught in 2000-2001 and 2001-2002. It is not clear whether this was the only bycatch recorded or the only bycatch considered worth reporting
8. Bycatch data available for 2003 only
n/r: Not reported
n/a: Not available for year as yet

Source: Derived from AFMA Australian Fisheries Logbook Summaries

• Bycatch Data summaries 

Bycatch as a result of derelict fishing gear is dealt with under the issue of shipping pressure since it is included as marine debris lost or discarded from ships more generally. A summary of fishing debris recorded from coastal surveys in northern Australia gives some idea of the magnitude of this issue.

Summary of fishing debris recorded from coastal surveys in northern Australia

Location	Total survey length/area	Total amount of debris recorded (items)	Total amount of debris recorded (weight)	Total fishing debris Recorded (items)	Total fishing debris Recorded (weight)	Fishing items as a proportion of total	Total derelict fishing nets recorded
Groote Eylandt NT	137km	1140	61 806	>812	55918	90%	812
Fog Bay NT	4km	596	n/k	107		18%
North-east Arnhem Land NT	100m	>727		>100		14%	33
Cape Arnhem NT	8.25km	7561	3880	2027	1040	27%	502
Cape Arnhem NT	8.25km	21 714	1974 (excluding nets)	6255	1040	29%	590
Cape Arnhem NT	8.25km	7443	1546	n/a	n/a	n/a	482
Groote Eylandt NT (8 mile and Salt Lake Beaches)	4.95km	1603	n/k	n/a	n/a	n/a	55
Groote Eylandt NT (South Point)	4.8km	2597	942	n/a	n/a	n/a	60
Elcho Island	3.25km	425	767	n/a	n/a	n/a	32

Source: Ilse Keissling 2003, Finding solutions:derelict fishing gear and other marine debris in Northern Australia, National Oceans Office.

• Finding Solutions: Derelict Fishing Gear and Other Marine Debris in Northern Australia (PDF - 8382 KB) 

What the data mean

With the notable exception for the Northern Prawn Fishery where turtle bycatch has been reduced dramatically since the introduction of turtle exclusion devices, most fisheries that have kept time series data on their bycatch (variously referred to as “Bycatch”, “Bi-product”, “No take species”, “Non-target catch” and “Wildlife Interactions”), show a steady increase in bycatch statistics since the late 1990s. This increase may well be due to improved recording and reporting of bycatch, rather than to an increase in actual bycatch.

Data Limitations

Until recently, bycatch data have not been collected consistently across all fisheries, and the data that have been available have not been regularly analysed by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA).

AFMA has now made provision for collecting bycatch data in all its logbooks, but it will take time to collect sufficient data to support analysis and management decision making for bycatch.

AFMA has also introduced regulations to reduce the number of turtles killed or injured in the Northern Prawn Fishery through compulsory use of turtle excluder and bycatch reduction devices, and introduced codes of conduct and other measures to reduce seal deaths. These bycatch reduction measures and changes in fishing technology and practices should have reduced the levels of bycatch. The data do show a reduction in turtle bycatch since introduction of the excluder devices. However, in the absence of comparative data, the effectiveness of other bycatch reduction measures cannot be assessed or reported.

Not all fisheries report bycatch in their log books in a consistent manner. Additionally, a variety of different terms are used and different types of bycatch are recorded by different fisheries, some focusing on ‘wildlife’ (eg birds, cetaceans, turtles), some on protected marine fish species such as sharks, and some listing everything and anything they did not actually intend to catch.

At this stage time series data are more useful for showing improvements in recording than for showing changes in the extent of bycatch.

Issues for which this is an indicator and why

Biodiversity — Utilisation and value of biodiversity - Harvesting and trade in wildlife 

Harvesting of wild fish is the principal commercial harvesting of wild animals in Australia. The pressure of bycatch in the course of this harvesting on marine biodiversity is significant.

Other indicators for this issue:

• BD-23 Some selected nationally significant native terrestrial species subjected to harvesting and population trends 
• LD-10 Number of compounds from terrestrial sources at some stage of commercial development 
• CO-07 Australian fisheries production - national tonnage and value of retained catch 
• CO-09 Number of compounds from coastal and marine sources at some stage of commercial development 
• CO-16 Status of Australian fisheries 
• CO-17 Change in species and trophic structure of fish species caught 
• CO-19 Estimated tonnage taken by illegal fishing; estimated number of illegal boats, estimated number of individuals of threatened species taken 
• CO-20 Non-target effects: Area of seabeds trawled 
• CO-32 Number of injuries to marine animals from marine debris 
• CO-62 Estimated number of marine animals harvested by recreational fishers 
• CO-63 Estimated number of marine animals harvested by indigenous fishers 
• CO-65 Correlation between various human activities and introduction of coastal and marine species 
• AAT-19 Annual catch in tonnes of marine species harvested in Australian Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters - legal and illegal 
• AAT-20 Fishing by-catch numbers and/or weight taken as bycatch 

Coasts and Oceans — Direct pressure of human activities on coasts and oceans - Pressure of fishing 

As well as affecting harvested species, commercial fishing affects a wide range of non-target animals. Changes in the total numbers of other animals affected may be at least initially ambiguous: increases may reflect improved reporting, decreases a decline in wildlife species themselves, so that they are no longer available to accidentally catch or interact with. However, changes would be a reasonable indicator of reduced or increased pressure.

Other indicators for this issue:

• CO-16 Status of Australian fisheries 
• CO-17 Change in species and trophic structure of fish species caught 
• CO-19 Estimated tonnage taken by illegal fishing; estimated number of illegal boats, estimated number of individuals of threatened species taken 
• CO-20 Non-target effects: Area of seabeds trawled 
• CO-22 Aquaculture: extent of habitat disturbed or removed 
• CO-23 Aquaculture: volume of discharged sediments and nutrients 
• CO-24 Aquaculture: origin species and tonnage of stockfeed used 
• CO-25 Aquaculture: instances of disease and exotic species introduction from movement of live material 
• CO-32 Number of injuries to marine animals from marine debris 
• CO-53 Evidence or examples of noise or visual disturbance of marine species by human activities 
• CO-62 Estimated number of marine animals harvested by recreational fishers 
• CO-63 Estimated number of marine animals harvested by indigenous fishers 
• CO-65 Correlation between various human activities and introduction of coastal and marine species 
• AAT-19 Annual catch in tonnes of marine species harvested in Australian Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters - legal and illegal 
• AAT-20 Fishing by-catch numbers and/or weight taken as bycatch 
• LD-40 Current research into pressures and contributions of naturalised introduced species 
• BD-09 The change in extent of selected nationally significant invasive species 

Biodiversity — Pressures on biodiversity - Pressures on marine biodiversity: pressures of fishing 

Non target effects of commercial fishing, such as bycatch, potentially impact on marine biodiversity. Changes in the total numbers of other animals affected may be at least initially ambiguous: increases may reflect improved reporting, decreases a decline in wildlife species themselves, so that they are no longer available to accidentally catch or interact with. However, changes would be a reasonable indicator of reduced or increased pressure.

Other indicators for this issue:

• CO-16 Status of Australian fisheries 
• CO-17 Change in species and trophic structure of fish species caught 
• CO-19 Estimated tonnage taken by illegal fishing; estimated number of illegal boats, estimated number of individuals of threatened species taken 
• CO-20 Non-target effects: Area of seabeds trawled 
• CO-22 Aquaculture: extent of habitat disturbed or removed 
• CO-23 Aquaculture: volume of discharged sediments and nutrients 
• CO-24 Aquaculture: origin species and tonnage of stockfeed used 
• CO-25 Aquaculture: instances of disease and exotic species introduction from movement of live material 
• CO-62 Estimated number of marine animals harvested by recreational fishers 
• CO-63 Estimated number of marine animals harvested by indigenous fishers 
• CO-65 Correlation between various human activities and introduction of coastal and marine species 
• AAT-20 Fishing by-catch numbers and/or weight taken as bycatch 
• AAT-19 Annual catch in tonnes of marine species harvested in Australian Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters - legal and illegal 

Australian Antarctic Territory — Environment - Human Pressures on the environment 

Impacts of commercial fishing in Australia’s Antarctic waters on Antarctic biodiversity include bycatch. Changes in the total numbers of other animals affected may be at least initially ambiguous: increases may reflect improved reporting, decreases a decline in wildlife species themselves, so that they are no longer available to accidentally catch or interact with. However, changes would be a reasonable indicator of reduced or increased pressure.

Other indicators for this issue:

• AAT-17 Types and concentrations of long range pollutants from outside Antarctica reaching Antarctica 
• AAT-18 Annual tourist ship visits and tourist numbers 
• AAT-19 Annual catch in tonnes of marine species harvested in Australian Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters - legal and illegal 
• AAT-20 Fishing by-catch numbers and/or weight taken as bycatch 
• AAT-21 Station and ship person days 
• AAT-22 Wastewater - biological oxygen demand of wastewater discharged 
• AAT-23 Annual fuel usage of generator sets and boilers 
• AAT-24 Annual incinerator fuel usage 
• AAT-25 Annual total of fuel used by vehicles 
• AAT-26 Annual total potable water consumption 
• AAT-27 Volume of runoffs and pollutants/emissions from stations 
• CO-16 Status of Australian fisheries 
• CO-17 Change in species and trophic structure of fish species caught 
• CO-19 Estimated tonnage taken by illegal fishing; estimated number of illegal boats, estimated number of individuals of threatened species taken 

Further Information

• Recovery plan for marine turtles in Australia
• Recovery plan for marine turtles in Australia (Word - 45 KB) 

Source: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 2002, Monitoring the catch of turtles in the Northern Prawn Fishery.

• Monitoring the Catch of Turtles in the Northern Prawn Fishery (PDF - 1230 KB) 
• Seabird Interactions with Longline Fisheries in the Australian Fishing Zone (PDF - 1082 KB)