Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash today announced his decisions on changes to fisheries catch limits from 1 October 2018.

Thirty-two catch limits were reviewed in this sustainability round.

Four deepwater fisheries were reviewed and each had their Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) limits increased, decisions supported by the best available science.

The following TACC increases will apply from 1 October 2018:

• Ling (LIN 5) with a 20% increase from 3,955 to 4,735 tonnes;
• Oreo (OEO 4) with a 20% increase from 3,000 to 3,600 tonnes to provide for an increased catch of smooth oreo;
• Orange roughy (ORH 3B) with a 17% increase from 5,197 to 6,091 tonnes, the first of a three-year staged increase to 7,667 tonnes; and
• Scampi (SCI 3) with a 20% increase from 340 to 408 tonnes.

These increased catch limits recognise that the science supports that the fisheries can sustain increased catches while maintaining the fisheries impacts within sustainable limits.

Deepwater Group supports the Minister’s conservative decisions, which will continue to sustainably manage these fisheries.