• Change text size
• Skip to content

• About us
• Contact us

Environment home

• SoE
• About SoE reporting
• SoE 2011
• SoE 2006
  • SoE 2006 report
  • SoE2006 at a glance
  • Theme commentaries
  • Integrative commentaties
  • Current or emerging issues
  • Technical reports
  • Data Reporting System
• SoE 2001
  • Report
  • Key findings
  • Fact sheets
  • Theme reports
  • Technical papers
• SoE 1996
  • SoE 1996 report
  • Key findings brochure
  • Technical papers
• Publications

SoE themes

• Atmosphere
• Biodiversity
• Coasts & oceans
• Human settlements
• Inland waters
• Land
• Natural & cultural heritage
• Australian Antarctic Territory

Indicator: AAT-19 Annual catch in tonnes of marine species harvested in Australian Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters - legal and illegal

Data

Total reported catches (tonnes) of target species in fisheries relevant to Australia

Target species	Region*	2001/02			2002/03			2003/04
		Catch (tonnes) of target species		Catch (% limit)	Catch (tonnes) of target species		Catch (% limit)	Catch (tonnes) of target species		Catch (% limit)
		Total	Limit		Total	Limit		Total	Limit
Champsocephalus gunnari
(Mackerill ice fish)	58.5.2	850	885	96	2343	2980	79	51	292	17
Dissostichus spp.
(Toothfish)	58.4.1							0	800	0
	58.4.2	0	500	0	117	500	23	20	500	4
	58.4.3a					250	0	0	250	0
	58.4.3b					300	0	7	300	2
	58.5.2	1812	2815	64	2130	2879	74	2269	2873	73
Euphausia superba
Krill	58.4.1	0	440000	0	0	440000	0	0	440000	0
	58.5.2	0	450000	0	0	450000	0	0	450000	0

2001/02 - Source: Scientific Committee for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources 2002, Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, Hobart, Table 3.1

2002/03 - Source: Scientific Committee for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources 2003, Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, 22nd Meeting of the Scientific Committee, Hobart, Table 3.1

2003/04 - Source: Scientific Committee for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources 2004, Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, Hobart, Table 3.1

Reported catch (tonnes) of Dissostichus spp. (toothfish) and estimated catch from Illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing (IUU)

Region	2001/02 Season			2002/03 Season			2003/04 Season
	Reported catch	IUU Catch	Catch limit	Reported catch	IUU Catch	Catch limit	Reported catch	IUU Catch	Catch limit
58.4.2	0	295	500	117	113	500	20	197	500
58.4.3a and b	0		550	0		550	7	246	550
58.5.2	2756	3489	2815	2130	1512	2879	2269	637	2873

2001/02 - Source: Scientific Committee for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources 2003, Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, 22nd Meeting of the Scientific Committee, Hobart, Table 3.2

2002/03 and 2003/04 - Source: Scientific Committee for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources 2004, Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, Hobart, Table 3.3

Estimates of Illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) toothfish catches (tonnes) in the CCAMLR Convention Area from 1996/97 to 2003/04 fishing seasons

Fishing Season	1996/97	1997/98	1998/99	1999/00	2000/01	2001/02	2002/03	2003/04
Estimated IUU catch	32673	15106	5868	7644	8802	11857	10070	2622
Total reported and IUU catches	45130	28518	19531	25214	22598	27198	26877	15929
IUU as % of total catch	72.4	53.0	30.0	30.3	39.0	43.6	37.5	16.5
* Estimated as of 1 October 2004. The estimation will be revised next year in order to take into account any new compliance-related information received for the period to the end of the 2003/04 fishing season, I.e. to 30 November 2004

Source: Scientific Committee for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources 2004, Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, Hobart, Table 8.1

What the data mean

The data shows that legal catches of the species are below the specified catch limit, and in some cases, well below the limits. Illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) catches of toothfish continue to be of concern. Measures to curb IUU fishing seem to be having an impact with the overall level of toothfish taken as a result of IUU fishing decreasing significantly.

Data Limitations

It is difficult to accurately know the level of IUU fishing.

Issues for which this is an indicator and why

Australian Antarctic Territory — Environment - Human Pressures on the environment 

The ongoing health of Antarctic ecosystems and individual species requires that resources are used in a manner that does not exceed that which is sustainable in the long run. By examining both legal and illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, and comparing those catches to agreed catch limits, this indicator provides an indication of who sustainable the use of resources are.

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

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

By examining both legal and illegal, including fishing in Antarctic waters, unregulated and unreported fishing, and comparing those catches to agreed catch limits, this indicator provides an indication of who sustainable the use of resources are.

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-21 Non-target effects: Number and/or weight taken as bycatch, and change since introduction of exclusion devices 
• 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-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 — Utilisation and value of biodiversity - Harvesting and trade in wildlife 

In terms of mass and number of individuals killed, harvesting of wild fish is the principal commercial harvesting of wild animals in Australia and the AAT.

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-21 Non-target effects: Number and/or weight taken as bycatch, and change since introduction of exclusion devices 
• 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-20 Fishing by-catch numbers and/or weight taken as bycatch 

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

By examining both legal and illegal unregulated and unreported fishing, including fishing in Antarctic waters, and comparing those catches to agreed catch limits, this indicator provides an insight into the extent of the pressure of fishing on marine biodiversity.

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

Further Information

• Pressures on biodiversity > Pressures on marine biodiversity