Archived page, Recfishwest Policy
Setting of Fish Harvest Levels.

See the current list of policies on the new Recfishwest website Policies page

Recfishwest recognises that the setting of sustainable harvest levels is an integral part of Integrated Fisheries Management.

However, for a number of reasons the harvest level set for a fishery will not necessarily be the maximum sustainable harvest level.

In some cases the stakeholders in the fishery may prefer a lower harvest level which would result in a greater stock level that includes larger and older fish.

In other cases the existing stock may be depleted and there is a need to reduce the harvest level for some time until the stock rebuilds.

• Sustainability is the most important criterion and in the case of any doubt about the available information the harvest should be set at a lower and conservative level.

• Stakeholders from each significant sector in each fishery should be consulted before the harvest level for that fishery is set.

• Recfishwest will endeavour to represent the views of recreational fishers in consultation on harvest levels and where necessary and appropriate will examine the possibility of spatial separation to meet differing objectives between and within stakeholder groups.

Background to Policy.

Sharing the fish.

Integrated Fisheries Management (IFM) includes sharing the total allowable harvest level between indigenous, commercial and recreational users. Once the shares are decided, each group will be managed separately to ensure that they do not exceed their share.

An important decision for IFM is the determination of a total harvest level for each species of fish.

Harvest Levels.

In some places, this level is described as "the" sustainable harvest level, but any harvest level less than the maximum sustainable harvest level is still sustainable.

It is possible that the setting of the harvest level could be done in two steps:-

1. The Department of Fisheries could decide a "maximum biologically sustainable harvest level", and then

2. The actual harvest level, which reflects the needs of the sector at a lower biological risk .

Why set the actual harvest level different to the maximum sustainable harvest level?

As its name implies, the maximum sustainable harvest level takes so many fish that the numbers are unlikely to ever increase, many older and larger fish are likely to have been caught, and the average size will be smaller.

Many 'trophy' or Category 1 fish species are heavily fished, are relatively slow growing, have variable recruitment, are long lived, and are heavily affected by harvesting at the maximum sustainable level.

Recreational anglers want to have a good chance of catching a fish when they go fishing, and many might like the chance to catch a relatively large fish, or they might like to catch a number of reasonable sized fish. It's clear that not catching any fish, or catching only small or undersized fish is not in the interests of the recreational fishing sector.

The belief that they have a reasonable chance to catch a very large fish is an important motivation to many recreational anglers. These large fish are very important to genetic make-up and productivity of many Category 1 fish. Managing for the expectation of an encounter with these large fish requires deliberate strategies such as the maximum size limit for barramundi in the Kimberleys.

Keeping fish stocks higher than the biological reference point involves a deliberate choice to manage the fishery so as to catch and take less fish. Many fishers would agree that it is better to deliberately limit their take to only a small number of fish from a plentiful stock rather than their catch being limited intentionally as result of the stock being over-fished.

Differences between "Taking" and "Catching" of Fish.

"Taking" is the killing of fish, either deliberately to eat, or unintentionally through the mortality resulting from the fishing even if that takes days or weeks. Every fish killed reduces the population.

"Catching" is the activity of hooking, playing and landing a fish with all the enjoyment that gives. If this fish is handled properly and returned alive so that it has a very good chance of survival and future breeding, then the "catching" has not reduced the fish population.

Recreational anglers have worked hard on improving post-release survival of fish through better handling techniques such as the "Release Weight". However, anglers need to be aware of the mortality resulting from their catch and release activities. Actual harvest levels should include the total mortality of fish due to fishing activities.

Policy adopted by the Recfishwest Board 11 July 2007.




This page last updated 13 July 2007.