Thursday
February 6, 2003
4:30-5:30 pm
102 Fishery Sciences
(auditorium)
Social follows talk
Trysh StoneFisheries Manager, Australian Fisheries Management AuthorityShrimp Tales: Has Co-Management Improved the Australian Prawn Fishery? |
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http://www.afma.gov.au/fisheries/northern%20prawn/default.php
The Northern Prawn Fishery is one of Australia’s most valuable fisheries. The fishery is large - covering an area almost 1.5 times the size of the North Sea in the most isolated and sparsely populated area of Australia. Managing a large and remote fishery presents unique challenges particularly in terms of the type of regulation used for the fishery.
Decisions on the management of the fishery is agreed through a partnership process involving government, the fishing industry, scientists, environment groups and the broader community. Industry largely pays for the cost of management and research within the fishery and has through the consultative process participates in decisions about how the funds will be spent.
The northern prawn fishery progressive in terms of it management approach. It has been pro-active in dealing with issues such as by-catch reduction, marine protected areas, effort reduction and industry restructuring.
Working together is not always smooth sailing. There can be delays in making decisions because of the need to follow agreed processes and reaching consensus with a number of stakeholders is time consuming. There is also the risk of industry capture of the process.
Are the results worth the risks? Do better fishery management decisions result?
Trysh Stone has worked in the Australian Federal Fisheries arena since 1988. During this time Trysh has been responsible for the management of several fishery including the shark fishery and oversight of the development of Australia’s fishing interests in the sub-Antarctic. Trysh is currently the manager of the northern and western trawl fisheries. This includes responsibility for the management of the northern prawn fishery one Australia’s most valuable and most progressive fisheries.
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) is the Australian Federal Government’s fisheries management agency. It is a Statutory Authority and as such stands apart from the normal civil bureaucracy. AFMA is run by an expertise based Board of Directors. Directors include scientists, professional fishermen and business leaders. AFMA adopts a "partnership- approach" with industry and the broader community to develop management arrangements which will ensure not only sustainable, profitable fisheries but that fishing does not adversely impact on the broader marine environment.
Jarrett, A. Property Rights in Australia's Northern Prawn Fishery - An Industry Perspective. FAO fisheries technical paper 404/1, 1999 p 274.