Reported landed annual catch from Commonwealth fisheries catch disposal records

Description

This dataset shows the annual landed catch (meaning the catch that is landed at port) in kilograms, by species and fishery, for Commonwealth fisheries managed by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA). These data come from AFMA catch disposal records (CDRs), and have been recorded and submitted to AFMA by commercial fishers and fish receiver permit holders when fish are landed at port. Fish discarded at sea are not included in CDRs and therefore are not included in this dataset.

Appropriate use and limitations of the data

These annual catches are calculated from the date the fish was landed at a port. This means that comparisons with other datasets with different summations (for example, catch by fishing season or catch from the date the fish were removed from the ocean) may produce different results. Care should be taken when interpreting trends in this data because there are many factors that can affect catches each year. Catch quantities can be impacted by management measures such as: total allowable catch, closures of fishing areas, reducing boat numbers, or banning the catch of a particular species. Similarly, changes in market demand can affect which species are targeted. CDRs are used to monitor quota (see Individual Transferable Quota)). AFMA total allowable catches (TAC)s are set for fishing seasons rather than calendar years. See catchwatch for seasonal catch to date compared to TAC for AFMA’s larger quota fisheries. Not all fisheries have CDRs, and in some fisheries the CDR program was started part-way through an annual time-period. These catch disposal record data do not include catch by gear type. This information can be found in the “Reported landed annual catch from Commonwealth fisheries logbooks” and its metadata, which is published on data.gov.au. Note that catch weight data in logbooks are estimates only that have been recorded by fishers while at sea. It is used in combination with gear, effort, and spatial data from logbooks to inform stock assessments.

Disclaimer

The dataset provided by AFMA is comprised of raw (unprocessed) data as received from fishers and fish receivers, and may contain errors or be incomplete. Errors are more likely in species caught in low volumes. AFMA makes no warranty or representation that the data is accurate or complete. Those who choose to use this data should make their own enquiries as to its accuracy and completeness, and AFMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions in the data provided, or for any decision by a person who chooses to rely on the data.