Kimberley Offshore Finfish Sustainability

The Northern Demersal Scalefish Fishery (NDSF) in the Kimberley region of Western Australia (120 ° E longitude east to the Northern Territory border) operates mainly on the mid-continental shelf and represents a major component of Western Australia's commercial finfish production, contributing over 504 tonnes in 2001 with a catch value of $ 2.76 million.The catch consists primarily of species of the Lutjanidae (snappers), Lethrinidae (emperors) and Serranidae (cods/gropers). The fishery has the potential to expand further into outer-slope waters deeper than 200 metres. Demersal fishes such as the snappers (Lutjanidae) and groupers or cods (Serranidae) are particularly sensitive to exploitation pressure because they are, in general, long-lived, grow slowly, mature late and have low rates of natural mortality. If these species are being overfished, the recovery rates of their populations are likely to be slow.This project previously had the specific task of determining the status of the stocks of the key commercial species in the Kimberley region, such as red emperor and goldband snapper but now has the core responsibility for sustainability of the finfish (all sectors) in the Kimberley part of the North Coast Bioregion.Although the commercially fishery is already managed and the project only focuses on the commercial sector at the moment, the region will eventually be included in Integrated Fisheries Management process and estimates of the actual and sustainable catches for each sector will be needed.This project will: * Compile an annual status report on the Northern Demersal Scalefish Fishery. * Maintain a detailed database of information on the demersal scalefish fishery resources of the Kimberley region. * Undertake biological research on finfish in the Kimberley region. * Undertake stock assessments of the major tropical demersal finfish species exploited by fishers in the Kimberley region. * Provide quality scientific information and advice on the status of Kimberley finfish stocks to fishery managers, stakeholders and the public.Time: Ongoing

西澳大利亚州金伯利地区的北底栖有鳞鱼类渔业（Northern Demersal Scalefish Fishery，NDSF，作业范围为东经120°至北领地边界）主要作业于大陆架中部海域，是西澳大利亚州商业有鳍鱼类生产的核心组成部分，2001年其捕捞产量逾504吨，捕捞产值达276万美元。该渔业的捕捞对象主要为笛鲷科（Lutjanidae，俗称笛鲷）、裸颊鲷科（Lethrinidae，俗称皇帝鱼）以及鮨科（Serranidae，俗称鳕鱼/石斑鱼）。该渔业具备进一步向200米以上的外陆坡海域扩张的潜力。

笛鲷、石斑鱼/鳕鱼等底栖鱼类对捕捞压力尤为敏感，因它们普遍寿命较长、生长速度缓慢、性成熟较晚且自然死亡率较低。若此类种群遭受过度捕捞，其种群恢复速度将极为缓慢。

本项目最初的具体任务为评估金伯利地区主要商业鱼种的种群现状，例如红皇帝鱼（red emperor）与金带笛鲷（goldband snapper），如今其核心职责拓展至北海岸生物区（North Coast Bioregion）金伯利片区内所有门类有鳍鱼类的可持续管理。

尽管该商业渔业目前已纳入管理体系，且本项目当前仅聚焦于商业捕捞板块，但该区域最终将被纳入综合渔业管理（Integrated Fisheries Management）流程，届时需测算各捕捞板块的实际捕捞量与可持续捕捞限额。

本项目的工作范畴包括：
- 编制北底栖有鳞鱼类渔业的年度现状报告；
- 维护金伯利地区底栖有鳞鱼类渔业资源的详细信息数据库；
- 开展金伯利地区有鳍鱼类的生物学研究；
- 对金伯利地区渔民所捕捞的主要热带底栖有鳍鱼类开展种群评估；
- 向渔业管理者、利益相关方及公众提供关于金伯利有鳍鱼类种群现状的高质量科学信息与咨询建议。

项目周期：持续进行。