A development plan for the South Coast Inshore Trawl Fishery

In March 1986 discussions were commenced between officers of the Fisheries Department and the Australian Fisheries Service concerning management measures for trawl fishery in the Great Australian Bight. These measures were considered necessary as a Western Australian Company (Toskel Fishing Co.) had commenced fishing the area. Given the excess fishing capacity in other Australian trawl fisheries it was considered advisable to institute management at an early stage and control development of this deep water fishery. Concurrent with these developments, mainly directed towards the control of larger trawlers in deeper waters, several small Western Australian trawlers operating out of Esperance and Albany had discovered promising beds of saucer scallops, especially within the Recherche Archipelago. The Minister for Fisheries approved a Notice that limited access to trawl fisheries in State waters on the south east of 115oE longitude. He issued a media statement on 1 July 1986 advising that a development plan was being considered and that trawling would be limited to those boasts currently using trawl gear in this area, while development management arrangements were being finalised