Australian fisheries economic indicators report 2014: Financial and economic performance of the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery

The Australian fisheries economic indicators report expands on and takes the place of the long running ABARES Australian fisheries surveys report. The report presents results from ABARES' fishery surveys on financial returns to fishers and net economic returns from fisheries to the Australian community. The report includes a range of other economic indicators, including productivity analysis.

This report covers the Commonwealth Trawl Sector (CTS), and the Gillnet, Hook and Trap Sector (GHTS) of the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF), with new results for financial years 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14.

Key issues
• Profit at full equity - an estimate of profits based on all assets being fully owned by operators - has decreased since 2008-09, from $267 000 to $205 000 in 2012-13. In the Gillnet, Hook and Trap Sector, it has fallen from $200 000 in 2008-09 to $15 000 in 2012-13. This indicator assumes that all assets are fully owned by operators, and includes income from all sources. • Net economic return in the Commonwealth Trawl Sector has declined from $7.3 million in 2010-11 to an estimated $1.4 million in 2013-14. Net economic returns in the Gillnet, Hook and Trap Sector has declined from $7.2 million to an estimated -$4.4 million in 2013-14. • The decline in net economic returns in both sectors may suggest that the total allowable catch settings may be misaligned with the Harvest Strategy Policy target of achieving maximum economic yield from the fishery.