Reported retained annual catch from Commonwealth fisheries logbooks

Description

While at sea, Commonwealth fishers must record all catch and effort in their AFMA daily fishing logbooks. This dataset shows the annual retained catch (meaning the catch that is not returned to the sea) in kilograms, by species and fishery, for Commonwealth fisheries managed by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA). These data are sourced from AFMA daily fishing logbooks, which fishers complete while at sea, where generally the weights are estimates only. Fish discarded at sea are not included in this dataset. Location of catches within a fishery is not included.

Appropriate use and limitations of the data

The catch weight data in logbooks are estimates only, which have been recorded by fishers while at sea. Fishers usually cannot accurately weigh fish at sea, so the estimated weights are mostly based on volume (i.e. the size and number of boxes of fish caught). Catch data are used in combination with gear, effort, and spatial data to inform stock assessments. These data may differ from other summations over the same time period (such as stock assessment reports) due to differences in data handling procedures. For example, scientists may filter out catches from their assessments because of data quality issues or group species differently. In addition, the data may be different in other datasets with different summations such as catch by season or catch from the date fish were landed at port. 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. When the fish are landed at port, the accurate weight of fish is recorded in AFMA catch disposal records by both the fisher and fish receiver permit holder. This information can be found in the “Reported landed annual catch from Commonwealth fisheries catch disposal records” and its metadata, which is published on data.gov.au.

Disclaimer

The dataset provided by AFMA is comprised of raw (unprocessed) data as received from fishers, and may contain errors or be incomplete. Errors are more likely in the 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.