Key fish stocks
You are viewing the archived 2015 report.
Key finding
The majority of Queensland’s key fish stocks are considered sustainable.
Fish stock boundary (information applies statewide, map locations are for reference only)
Queensland’s fisheries resources can be legally harvested by commercial, recreational and Indigenous fishers. There is growing community interest in the sustainability of Queensland’s fishing activities, including the status of the state’s key fish stocks.
Queensland assesses the status of a minimum of 80 stocks every two years. These assessments combine catch, effort and biological data to assign a stock status to each species.
In 2014, 52 of Queensland’s key fish stocks were assessed. Of these, 35 were sustainable and 16 were undefined but not considered problematic.
- Snapper was the only species considered to be problematic in terms of sustainability in Queensland.
In 2015, 33 stocks were assessed, of which 10 were sustainable and 21 undefined but not considered problematic.
- Pearl Perch and Gulf of Carpentaria King Threadfin were considered to be problematic.
Queensland is aligned to the national Status of Key Australian Fish Stocks (SAFS) process which provides a clearly defined, structured framework for assessing and reporting requirements. Status determinations are made at a whole of stock level which may span multiple states or jurisdictions.
More information:
Indicator: Status of fish stocks
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) assesses the stock status of important Queensland fish species each year. These assessments follow a weight-of-evidence approach where an expert panel determines the status of each stock. Each of these species is assessed at the stock level however DAF assesses only the Queensland component of these stocks. Stock status determinations help guide DAF in decisions about fisheries management and research. Stock status is current as at 2 December 2015.