Stock assessment of Queensland east coast tiger prawns (Penaeus esculentus and Penaeus semisulcatus)

Abstract

Two assessments are presented on the status of tiger prawns (Penaeus esculentus and P. semisulcatus) within the East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery: an assessment for the fishery for the northern region (18 degrees latitude to tip of Cape York) and an assessment for the central region (22 - 18 degrees latitude). A delay difference model was applied that incorporated commercial catch-effort, gear and vessel data. The data inputs into the stock assessments included total harvests and standardised catch rates. The analyses incorporated the effects of fishing power. Results indicate that the biomass in 2019 was 49% of the unfished biomass in the northern region and 50% of the unfished biomass in the central region. Biomass estimates were relative to the unfished level in 1941. The recommended effort based on the Fisheries Queensland harvest control rule was 3824 boat-days in the northern region and 1276 boat-days in the central region. The recommended fishing effort is 1.2% lower than fishing effort in 2019 for the northern region and 57% lower in the central region.