From Australian Oceans Data Network
JSON format icon JSON RDF format icon RDF ISO19115-3 XML

Small Pelagic Finfish Sustainability

Created 24/06/2025

Updated 24/06/2025

JSON format icon JSON RDF format icon RDF ISO19115-3 XML

Pilchards have traditionally been the largest volume finfish fishery in WA. Commercial fishers use purse seine nets to catch small pelagic finfish species off the south, lower west and mid-west WA coast. Pilchards (Sardinops sagax) are the main species on the south coast, with the tropical species sardinella, also called scaly mackerel, (Sardinella lemuru) co-dominant on the west coast and dominant in the mid-west fishery. The sardinella are managed as part of an ecosystem where they are an important food for seabirds, especially at the Abrolhos Islands. The South Coast Purse Seine Fishery has three management zones: Albany, Bremer Bay and Esperance. A proposed management plan for the West Coast Pilchard Fishery is likely to divide it into lower west and mid-west zones. Management is by annual quotas and limitations on number of licenses. Monitoring of the commercial catches in each management zone and periodic biomass surveys are required to assess the status of the stocks so as to provide accurate advice for management. A Total Allowable Catch (TAC) is set for each zone following stock assessment. The fish populations are still recovering after the serious pilchard herpes virus epidemic in 1998/99. A five-year FRDC project includes spawning biomass surveys studying the pilchards' recovery. The project will: * Monitor commercial catches and fishing effort in each region. * Collect biological data and data for completing model-based stock assessment. * Provide timely and informed scientific advice on relevant fish stocks and fishing impacts to the Commercial Program Manager and stakeholders. * Provide expert scientific input to the Department of Fisheries's policy development process. * Develop and maintain an adequate fishery database on the purse seine fisheries to enable the status of the stocks involved to be assessed annually. * Provide an overview annual report on the status of the purse seine fisheries that target small pelagic fish.

Time : Ongoing.

Files and APIs

Additional Info

Field Value
Title Small Pelagic Finfish Sustainability
Language eng
Licence Not Specified
Landing Page https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/5e3f10dd-a586-4f5f-a3cd-406de282176d
Contact Point
Australian Ocean Data Network
headoffice@fish.wa.gov.au
Reference Period 01/01/1998
Geospatial Coverage
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
{
  "coordinates": [
    [
      [
        111.0,
        -35.0
      ],
      [
        129.0,
        -35.0
      ],
      [
        129.0,
        -13.0
      ],
      [
        111.0,
        -13.0
      ],
      [
        111.0,
        -35.0
      ]
    ]
  ],
  "type": "Polygon"
}
Data Portal Australian Oceans Data Network

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on Australian Oceans Data Network "Small Pelagic Finfish Sustainability". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://catalogue.aodn.org.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/csw/dataset/small-pelagic-finfish-sustainability