East Coast Spanish Mackerel Fishery Scoping Study

Abstract

The Queensland Ecological Risk Assessment Guideline (the Guideline) was released in March 2018 as part of the Queensland Sustainable Fisheries Strategy 2017–2027. This Guideline provides an overview of strategy being employed to develop Ecological Risk Assessments (ERAs) for Queensland’s fisheries. The Guideline describes a four-stage framework consisting of a Scoping Study; a Level 1, whole of fishery qualitative assessment; a Level 2, species-specific semi-quantitative or low-data quantitative assessment and; a Level 3 quantitative assessment (if applicable).
The Scoping Study establishes a baseline of information on the key characteristics of the East Coast Spanish Mackerel Fishery (ECSMF). It includes information on the broader management regime, key species, gear configurations and catch and effort trends. Information contained in the scoping study for the ECSMF will be used to inform subsequent assessments including the whole of fishery (Level 1) ERA.