SETFIA - About Us

About Us

HISTORY The South East Trawl Fishery began in the early 1900s when steam trawlers began to explore the grounds off southern NSW. Early fishing activities were confined to the continental shelf in depths of less than 200 m targeting mainly tiger flathead, jackass morwong and redfish. Steam trawlers dominated the fishery from 1915 to 1950, but were largely replaced by Danish seiners from the early 1950s to the early 1970s, Modern diesel-powered otter trawlers are now the most common vessels in the fishery. During the 1970s, the fishery off NSW expanded southward and out to waters deeper than 200 m when eastern gemfish became an important component of the catch. During the mid 1980s, the discovery of orange roughy in waters around Tasmania caused a marked shift of effort to that area. Catches of orange roughy have since declined and the more western areas of the fishery are now being developed.

CATCH Around 400 species are caught in the SEF and over 120 species of finfish and invertebrates are routinely landed, reflecting the variety of different habitats in which the fishery operates. The

diversity of species caught ranges from mid-water predators to inshore, mid-shelf and upper slope demersal species. Some SEF species are caught in a few metres depth (e.g. flathead, school whiting), while others (e.g. orange roughy, oreo dories) comprise some of the world's deepest commercial trawl fisheries extending down to 1300 metres. Many species taken routinely in the SEF have distributions that extend well beyond the SEF management boundaries. Annual SEF trawl landings are around 16,328 tonnes, of which quota species constitute more than 90 per cent.

The main quota species in the SEF are: blue grenadier Macruronus novaezelandiae ling Genypterus blacodes orange roughy Hoplostethus atlanticus redfish Centroberyx affinis mirror dory Zenopsis nebulosis John dory Zues faber reef ocean perch Helicolenus percoides ocean perch Helicolenus barathri tiger flathead Neoplatycephalus richardsoni school whiting Sillago flindersi silver trevally Pseudocaranx dentex jackass morwong Nemadactylus macropterus gemfish Rexea solandri blue eye trevalla Hyperoglyphe antarctica blue warehou Seriolella brama spotted warehou Seriolella punctata royal red prawn Haliporoides sibogae gummy shark Mustellus antarcticus

MANAGEMENT The SEF is managed by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) using output controls in the form of Total Allowable Catches (TACs) apportioned as Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQs) for 22 species or species-groups caught in the SEF. Some input controls including restrictions of vessel numbers and minimum mesh size are also in place. Apart from orange roughy and gemfish, all quota species in the SEF, are currently managed as single stocks. The trawl sector of the SEF extends southward from Barrenjoey Point in NSW around Victoria and Tasmania and west to Cape Jervis in South Australia.

SETFIA The South East Trawl Fishing Industry Association was incorporated in 1990, although it had already existed for some years prior to that date. Membership is open to all trawl operators, marketers and processors, and current membership represents approximately 80% of quota holdings in the fishery. SETFIA represents the interests of all trawl operators, and promotes the consumption of quality trawl caught fish.

The directors of SETFIA are Tom Bibby (President), Anthony Ciconte (Treasurer), Peter Clarke, Tony Guarnaccia, David Guillot, Norm Brinkman and Tony Lavalle. They bring a wide range of expertise to the Association. Simon Boag is the Executive Officer, who wil endeavour to execute SETFIA's strategic plan.

Normally, four general meetings are held each year, and are scheduled the day before each SEMAC meeting. This enables all those attending to have an input into items to be addressed by SEMAC. All industry members are welcome to attend meetings.

SETFIA is affiliated with the Commonwealth Fisheries Association (CFA) the peak Commonwealth industry body, which promotes the interests of members on national and international issues.