Application for Reassessment Under the EPBC Act of the WA Sea Cucumber Fishery 2017

Application for reassessment under the EPBC Act of the

WA Sea Cucumber Fishery 2017

GENERAL INFORMATION
Area of the fishery / Throughout WA waters, with exception of specific closures around Dampier Archipelago and the Abrolhos Islands.
A map of the main fishing areas and closed areas is at Figure 1.
Gear used / Hand-harvest; by diving or wading.
Information page / The WA Sea Cucumber is a minor fishery, with only one active operator. There is no specific information page on the WA Department of Fisheries (DoF) website about sea cucumbers, however general information on commercial fisheries management in WA is at:
http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Fishing-and-Aquaculture/Commercial-Fishing/Commercial-Fishing-Management/Pages/default.aspx
MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS
Legislation / Fisheries Notice No. 366 and Order No. 3 of 1999
Regulations, exemptions or licence designation / The Western Australia Sea Cucumber Fishery (WASCF), formerly known as the Beche De Mer Fishery or BDMF, commenced in 1995 and is currently managed by Instrument of Exemption (IOE # 2920) in accordance with Section 7(3)(c) of the Fish Resources Management Act 1994(FRMA). The Fishery is limited entry with only six licences permitted to operate in the fishery which are currently owned by a single operator.
Management plan / The Fishery is managed through input controls set by conditions within the Instrument of Exemption, including maximum number of divers and gear restrictions.
The Department intends to introduce more formal management arrangements for the fishery, which may result in the development and implementation of a management plan under the FRMA or the introduction of licences granted under the regulations after the Aquatic Resource Management Act(AMRA) takes effect in 2018.
Other management documents / The Harvest Strategy for WASCF will be finalised in 2017.
FISHERY STATUS
Annual report / Page 217 of the Status Reports of the fisheries and aquatic resources of Western Australia 2014/15
Stock assessment / Stock assessments are undertaken annually. The most recent stock assessment (2016) reported that, based on a weight-of-evidence assessment of the stocks, there was no evidence to suggest unacceptable stock depletion for either of the two target species (Holothuria scabra and Actinopyga echinites).
Ecological risk assessment / Eco-system Based Fisheries Management assessment is reviewed annually in status reports, which are publically available (link above).
A full ecological risk assessment (ERA) was undertaken in 2016, the report is currently being finalised.
SPECIES
Target species / This fishery is permitted to fish for all sea cucumber (Class Holothuroidea), however the primary species targeted areSandfish (Holothuria scabra) and Redfish (Actinopyga echinites).
Byproduct species (retained) / Minor catch of six other sea cucumber species (<1% of total harvest)
Bycatch species (non-retained) / No bycatch recorded due to highly selective fishing method.
Protected species / No recorded interactions since introduction of logbooks in 2007.
PROGRESS AGAINST PREVIOUS EPBC CONDITIONS
Condition 1: Operation of the fishery will be carried out in accordance with the management regime in force under theWAFish Resources Management Act1994. / Select either Met/In progress/Ongoing/Unmet.
Provide brief details where relevant (less than 100 words)
Met. Operators are required to nominate dates and times of operation and landing to allow for compliance to check conditions are being met. Catch an effort data is recorded and sent to DoF.
Condition 2: The WA Department of Fisheries to inform the Department of any proposed changes to the WA Sea Cucumber Fisherylegislated management regime that could affect the criteria against which Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 decisions are based. / Ongoing. Formal management arrangements will put in place either through a management plan under the FRMA or as regulated licences under the ARMA. DoF will continue to inform and update the Department of Environment of the progression and implementation of any formal management arrangements of the WASCF. The proposed future management arrangements will have a minimalimpact on the current management controls in placeoutlined in the Instrument of Exemption 2920.
Condition 3:The WA Department of Fisheries to produce and present reports to the Department annually, as per Appendix B to the 'Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries – 2nd Edition'. / Met. Reports are annually published within the Status reports of the fisheries and aquatic resources of Western Australia.

Figure 1. Main fishing area with closures for the WA Sea Cucumber Fishery.