We need your support for the protection of Yabby and Shrimp against over fishing before September 10 2010

Overfishing of the Common Yabby (Cherax sp) and shrimp species under Fisheries Victoria Regulations

Updates

New Nominations have been sent relating to the importance of:

• non Cherax spp   Please click here to sign the petition to support this nomination
• returning berried females   Please click here to sign the petition to support this nomination

Summary

Yabbies:

Without any scientific data to support an increase in yabbie harvesting, In 2009 the Victorian Fisheries regulations for recreational fishing of yabbies was increased from 20 litres of whole yabbies per person per day to 30 litres per day which equates to approximately 6000 bait sized yabbies. By comparison in NSW and SA only 200 whole yabbies of any size per day is the limit. Also there is no requirement to put back females that are laying eggs. Yabbies form a large portion of the diet of Platypus, Turtles, Eels and many native fish and if they are over fished these species will suffer.  Further more under existing regulations there is no requirement for recreational fishers to distinguish between the common yabbie and the endangered species so people may be breaking the law by taking endangered species.

A nomination for the protection of Yabbies and Shrimps from overfishing has NOT  been supported by the scientific advisory committee of the Department of Sustainability and Environment.

Shrimp:

There is no requirement to return berried females. This will dramatically impact on populations.
 There is no requirement to be able to distinguish between shrimp species.
 A loss of habitat due to the drought has caused a decline in shrimp populations.
 There was no scientific data to show sustainability with the increased take limit.
 The increase in the daily shrimp take was to simplify a regulation.
 Increasing a limit by 20 times with no scientific data to justify the increase will result in a potentially threatening process affecting more than 2 species.

Background:

There are currently over 720,000 recreational fishers in Victoria who are licensed to catch a range of aquatic species including the yabby Cherax sp . (C. destructor, C. albidus,  C. sp  un-named). On the 2^nd  March 2009, Victorian Fisheries regulations were changed in which they increased the daily take of yabbies by recreational fishers from 20 litres of whole yabbies per person per day to 30 litres. In this catch, there is no requirement to return berried females (females with eggs) and no restriction on the size of the yabby taken. Thirty litres equates to 6000 bait sized yabbies, which is similar to commercially harvested quantities. In NSW and SA recreational fishers are only permitted to catch 200 whole yabbies per person per day of any size and they are required to return buried females.

Of most concern is the lack of scientific data provided to support the increase in daily harvesting to show that this increase is sustainable and that it is not going to significantly impact the ecosystem. Yabbies form a large portion of the diet of Platypus, Rakali, Turtles, Eels and numerous native fish including Murray Cod, Macquarie Perch and Silver Perch (listed under FFG).. Dr Appleford, former Fisheries ED, has stated “the daily bag and possession limit of 100 Bass yabbies per person will be sufficient for the legitimate personal needs of recreational fishers” .

Although the current regulation allows for all 3 Cherax sp. to be caught, other non-Cherax species like Geocharax, Gramastacus, Engaeus,  and Euastacus,  can be inadvertently impacted as there is no requirement for recreational fishers to be able to distinguish between the species. As recreational fishers are not required to submit catch per effort information, it is unlikely we will have information related to yabby declines.   For these reasons the yabby should be listed under the Flaura and Forna Guarantee (FFG) as this new regulation is a potentially threatening process.

Stephen Chara who holds a commercial bait license submitted nominations to the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Department of Sustainability and Environment to amend the changes to the changed fisheries regulations.  Stephen has a lot of experience on the ground and is very passionate about the decline in numbers and size of the species and the effect it will have on other threatened and native species.  All of Stephens reasoning is attached below.

The Scientific Advisory Committees preliminary recommendation is not to support  either of the nominations 808  or 809 .

This is also the the position of the Director of Fisheries Management Travis Dowling and Minister for Agriculture Mr Joe Helper MP  

SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BEFORE FRIDAY 10^TH  SEPTEMBER

For guidelines on making a full submission click here

To contact Stephen Chara  click here

For a full comprehensive history of current nominations and responses see below