Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, upon notice, on 13 July 2012:

(1) How many Commonwealth fisheries officials would be aboard the FV Margiris, or a ship of similar size and capability, to observe its operation.

(2) If only one observer is aboard the FV Margiris, or a ship of similar size and capability, can details be provided as to how that individual would be able to provide 100 per cent coverage when fishing operations can continue per day for 24 hours.

(3) How many observers would be required to provide 100 per cent coverage of the FV Margiris, or a ship of similar size and capability.

(4) (a) How much funding has been allocated to video or e-monitoring as a method of reducing observer costs; and (b) what research is available on the accuracy of this method of observation.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The answer to the Senator's question is as follows:

(1) There is currently a requirement for observer coverage on at least the first 10 trips of a new boat in the fishery and, depending on the nature of any proposed fishing operations, AFMA will consider extending this requirement.

In light of occupational health and safety restrictions on hours that observers can work, AFMA will make an assessment on the level of coverage on each trip once the fishing plans of the boat are known. This may mean more than one observer is aboard the vessel or that electronic monitoring may be required.

(2) Please see response to question 1.

(3) Please see response to question 1.

(4) Three trials of e-monitoring have been completed to assess the effectiveness of e-monitoring on boats in different Commonwealth fisheries. These trials cost a total of approximately $1.5 million which was funded by the Australian Government. For the 2012-13 financial year, approximately $460 000 has been allocated to cover the operational costs to input and analyse data from AFMA's e-monitoring program.

Research papers from the three e-monitoring research trials are publicly available on the AFMA website at www.afma.gov.au/managing-our-fisheries/data-collection/e-monitoring/ and from the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation.