DETERMINATION OF FISHING CAPACITY

Fisheries Management Act 1991

Subsection 17(6)(aa)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery Management Plan 2002

Sections 11 and 11A

HEARD ISLAND AND McDONALD ISLANDS FISHERY TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH AND TRAWL FISHING CAPACITY DETERMINATION 2015

The AUSTRALIAN FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY pursuant to a resolution of the Commission performing and exercising the domestic fisheries management functions and powers of the Authority, makes the following Determination in accordance with subsection 17(6)(aa) of the Fisheries Management Act 1991 under sections 11 and 11A of the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery Management Plan 2002.

Dated:   19 November 2015

In accordance with a decision taken to have been made without a meeting of the Commissioners under s25 of the Fisheries Administration Act 1991, this instrument is accepted on behalf of the Commission by:

Andrew Pearson

Executive Secretary

Australian Fisheries Management Authority

Citation

1. This Determination may be cited as the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery Total Allowable Catch and Trawl Fishing Capacity Determination 2015.

Commencement

2. This Determination commences on the day after it is registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.

Cessation

3. This Determination is repealed on 30 November 2016 unless earlier revoked. 

Interpretation

4. Terms used in this Determination that are defined for the purposes of the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery Management Plan 2002 have the same meanings in this Determination as they have in that Plan.

Notes: 1. Terms defined in the Fisheries Management Act 1991 have the same meanings in this Determination.

Determination of total allowable catch

5. The total allowable catch for target species and catch limits for other species in the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery for the 2015/2016 fishing year commencing on 1 December 2015 and ending on 30 November 2016 are:

Target species:

Patagonian Toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) 3,405 tonnes

Mackerel Icefish (Champsocephalus gunnari) 482 tonnes

Other Species:

Macrourus Caml and M. whitsoni     409 tonnes

M. halotrachys and M. carinatus 360 tonnes

Unicorn Icefish (Channichthys rhinoceratus)   1,663 tonnes

Skates and Rays (Bathyraja spp.)     120 tonnes

Grey Rockcod (Lepidonotothen squamifrons)     80 tonnes

All other species         50 tonnes (for each species)

Determination of trawl fishing capacity

6. For the purposes of Section 11A of the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery Management Plan 2002, AFMA determines the minimum quota for trawl methods expressed as a percentage of Statutory Fishing Rights for the 2015/2016 fishing year commencing on 1 December 2015 and ending on 30 November 2016 to be 25.5% of the statutory fishing rights held in the fishery for each trawler.