Assessment and monitoring of Australia's finfish fisheries in the Southern Ocean

Since 1997, Australian vessels have fished commercially in the Australian Exclusive Economic Zones around Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) for Patagonian toothfish and mackerel icefish. In recent years, Australian vessels have also become major participants in the Antarctic toothfish fisheries in waters off the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT), and in the Ross and Amundsen Seas. To meet the expanding need for science to support the ecological sustainability of these fisheries, AAD, the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and the fishing companies active in these fisheries have extensively collaborated on data collection and research.
Highlights of the past season include research on (1) updated stock assessments for Mackerel Icefish and Patagonian toothfish at HIMI; (2) ongoing toothfish ageing to provide age length keys in the toothfish stock assessments for HIMI, Macquarie Island and the AAT; (3) investigations into the spatial structuring of fishing effort at HIMI; and (4) the exploratory toothfish fishery in the AAT conducted in collaboration with France, Japan, Korea and Spain for which a updated research plan and stock assessment were developed.

Since 1997, Australian vessels have fished commercially in the Australian Exclusive Economic Zones around Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) for Patagonian toothfish and mackerel icefish. In recent years, Australian vessels have also become major participants in the Antarctic toothfish fisheries in waters off the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT), and in the Ross and Amundsen Seas. To meet the expanding need for science to support the ecological sustainability of these fisheries, AAD, the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and the fishing companies active in these fisheries have extensively collaborated on data collection and research.
Highlights of the past season include research on (1) updated stock assessments for Mackerel Icefish and Patagonian toothfish at HIMI; (2) ongoing toothfish ageing to provide age length keys in the toothfish stock assessments for HIMI, Macquarie Island and the AAT; (3) the release of pop-up satellite tags on Kerguelen skates and Patagonian toothfish at HIMI to examine their behaviour and post-release mortality; and (4) the exploratory toothfish fishery in the AAT conducted in collaboration with France, Japan, Korea and Spain for which a new research plan and an updated stock assessment were developed.

Since 1997, Australian vessels have fished commercially in the Australian Exclusive Economic Zones around Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) for Patagonian toothfish and mackerel icefish. In recent years, Australian vessels have also become major participants in the Antarctic toothfish fisheries in waters off the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT), and in the Ross and Amundsen Seas. To meet the expanding need for science to support the ecological sustainability of these fisheries, AAD, the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and the fishing companies active in these fisheries have extensively collaborated on data collection and research.
Highlights of the past season include research on (1) an updated stock assessments for Mackerel Icefish at HIMI; (2) ongoing toothfish ageing to provide age length keys in the toothfish stock assessments for HIMI, Macquarie Island and the AAT; (3) the collection of toothfish gonad samples for the estimation of maturity; and (4) the exploratory toothfish fishery in the AAT conducted in collaboration with France, Japan, Korea and Spain for which a new research plan and an updated stock assessment were developed.
This project will benefit entities such as the Commission for The Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority that have the responsibility for managing activities in the Australian Antarctic Territory and the Heard Island and McDonald Islands.

Since 1997, Australian vessels have fished commercially in the Australian Exclusive Economic Zones around Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) for Patagonian toothfish and mackerel icefish. In recent years, Australian vessels have also become major participants in the Antarctic toothfish fisheries in waters off the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT), and in the Ross and Amundsen Seas. To meet the expanding need for science to support the ecological sustainability of these fisheries, AAD, AFMA and the fishing companies active in these fisheries have extensively collaborated on data collection and research.
Highlights of the past season include research on (1) updated stock assessments for Patagonian toothfish and Mackerel Icefish at HIMI; (2) ongoing toothfish ageing (3) ongoing exploratory toothfish fishery in the AAT conducted in collaboration with France, Japan, Korea and Spain.

Since 1997, Australian vessels have fished commercially in the Australian Exclusive Economic Zones around Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) for Patagonian toothfish and mackerel icefish. In recent years, Australian vessels have also become major participants in the Antarctic toothfish fisheries in waters off the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT), and in the Ross and Amundsen Seas. To meet the expanding need for science to support the ecological sustainability of these fisheries, AAD, AFMA and the fishing companies active in these fisheries have extensively collaborated on data collection and research.
Highlights of the past season include research on (1) a preliminary stock assessments for Antarctic toothfish in the AAT; (2) ongoing toothfish ageing to provide age length keys in the toothfish stock assessments for Macquarie Island and the AAT; (3) the exploratory toothfish fishery in the AAT conducted in collaboration with France, Japan, Korea and Spain; and (4) an updated bottom fishing assessment for the SIOFA area which will allow Australia to fish for toothfish on the William's Ridge extension of the Kerguelen Plateau.

Since 1997, Australian vessels have fished commercially in the Australian Exclusive Economic Zones around Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) for Patagonian toothfish and mackerel icefish. In recent years, Australian vessels have also become major participants in the Antarctic toothfish fisheries in waters off the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT), and in the Ross and Amundsen Seas. To meet the expanding need for science to support the ecological sustainability of these fisheries, AAD, AFMA and the fishing companies active in these fisheries have extensively collaborated on data collection and research.
Highlights of the past season include research on (1) the stock assessments for toothfish and icefish at HIMI which were used by CCAMLR to set the catch limits for the next two fishing seasons; (2) the HIMI toothfish longline season extensions which found that the overall risk of seabird mortality was low due to the application of effective seabird by-catch mitigation by participating fishing vessels; (3) catch removals from whale depredation for a range of Southern Ocean toothfish fisheries; (4) ongoing toothfish ageing to provide age length keys in the toothfish stock assessments for Macquarie Island and the AAT; and (5) the exploratory toothfish fishery in the AAT conducted in collaboration with France, Japan, Korea and Spain.