Summaries of AFMA log book data on effort distribution for Commonwealth fisheries in the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone

Full description

This data set contains summaries of AFMA log book data on effort distribution for Commonwealth fisheries in the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (excluding Cocos and Christmas Islands, Norfolk Island and the Sub-Antarctic Fisheries). The logbook data has been recorded and submitted to AFMA by commercial fishers. The data has been aggregated to produce summaries of total effort by gear type (summarised across fishery), over 5 year periods and at a 0.1 degree resolution where 5 boats or more operate. All effort information has been removed for areas where less than 5 boats operate and these areas are mapped to a 1 degree resolution.
The 5 years periods (1996-2000, 2001-2005 and 2006-2010) correspond to State of Environment (SoE) Reporting, required under the EPBC Act 1999. The most recent reporting period (2011-14) is a four year period. Each is labelled by the years aggregated (ie 2001-2005) and the gear type (ie LLP = long line pelagic). The gear codes and aggregated fisheries and the shape file field descriptions are listed below.
Notes:
1. Care needs to be taken when interpreting the fishing effort maps because in areas where there are less than 5 boats operating only the fishing footprint is displayed, consistent with the AFMA Information Disclosure Policy. The fishing footprint indicates that fishing occurred but does not provide information about the intensity of effort (number of operations etc).
2. Legal fishing by foreign flagged vessels occurred in the 1980s and early 1990s in the Australian Fishing Zone. These are shown as areas of higher effort in (i) trawl maps prior to 1990 north of Arnhem Land and (ii) pelagic longline maps up until 1997 south of Tasmania.
3. Minor line was historically recorded as a method in some of AFMA’s daily fishing logbooks, but is not in AFMAs current fishery logbooks. Minor line means trolling, or fishing using a rod or reel, handline or pole.
4. Trawl effort maps are missing Torres Strait Prawn Fishery data prior to 2004.
5. Gillnet effort maps prior to 1996 are not included due to data incompleteness.
6. Jigging data is currently incomplete and is not included.
7. Three records of Danish Seine were misreported (between 1996 and 2010) in the area of the Great Barrier Reef and have been removed.
8. Minor line was historically recorded as a method in some of AFMA’s daily fishing logbooks, but is not in AFMAs current fishery logbooks. Minor line means trolling, or fishing using a rod or reel, handline or pole.
9. Disclaimer:
The data provided by AFMA may contain errors or be incomplete. 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.
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Field descriptions for shapefiles:
CSQ_CODE: C-Squares code. 1 degree and 0.1 degree grids used
CSQ_RESLN: C-Squares resolution of current polygon
VESSELS: Number of vessels
OPERATIONS: Number of operations
HOURS: Effort in hours from start and end time
HOOKSSET: Total hooks set
NUMLINES: Number of lines deployed
NETLENGTH: Gillnet Net Length

Fishery Aggregations
GEAR_CODE_CSIRO GEAR_CODE_CSIRO_DESCN FISHERY NAME
AL    Auto Longline CSF    Coral Sea Fishery
AL    Auto Longline GHT    Gillnet, Hook and Trap Fishery
AL    Auto Longline SEN    South East Non-Trawl Fishery
AL    Auto Longline TUN    Tuna Fishery
BL    Demersal Longline CSF    Coral Sea Fishery
BL    Demersal Longline ECT    Eastern Tuna & Billfish Fishery
BL    Demersal Longline GHT    Gillnet, Hook and Trap Fishery
BL    Demersal Longline SEN    South East Non-Trawl Fishery
BL    Demersal Longline SSF    Southern Shark Fishery
BL    Demersal Longline SSG    Southern Shark Gillnet Fishery
BL    Demersal Longline SSH    Southern Shark Hook Fishery
DS    Danish Seine GAB    Great Australian Bight Fishery
DS    Danish Seine SET    South East Trawl Fishery
DS    Danish Seine VIT    Victorian Inshore Trawl Fishery
DS    Danish Seine WDW    Western Deep Water Trawl Fishery
GN    Gillnet ECT    Eastern Tuna & Billfish Fishery
GN    Gillnet GHT    Gillnet, Hook and Trap Fishery
GN    Gillnet SEN    South East Non-Trawl Fishery
GN    Gillnet SSF    Southern Shark Fishery
GN    Gillnet SSG    Southern Shark Gillnet Fishery
GN    Gillnet SSH    Southern Shark Hook Fishery
HL    Handline CSF    Coral Sea Fishery
HL    Handline ECT    Eastern Tuna & Billfish Fishery
HL    Handline GHT    Gillnet, Hook and Trap Fishery
HL    Handline SEN    South East Non-Trawl Fishery
HL    Handline SSF    Southern Shark Fishery
HL    Handline SSG    Southern Shark Gillnet Fishery
HL    Handline SSH    Southern Shark Hook Fishery
HL    Handline TUN    Tuna Fishery
HL    Handline WTB    Western Tuna and Billfish
HL    Handline WTF    Southern & Western Tuna & Billfish Fishery
J    Jigging SPF    Small Pelagic Fishery
J    Jigging SQJ    Southern Squid Fishery
J    Jigging SQD    Squid Fishery
J    Jigging SSF    Southern Shark Fishery
J    Jigging SEN    South East Non-Trawl Fishery
LLP    Pelagic Longline ECT    Eastern Tuna & Billfish Fishery
LLP    Pelagic Longline TUN    Tuna Fishery
LLP    Pelagic Longline WTB    Western Tuna and Billfish
LLP    Pelagic Longline WTF    Southern & Western Tuna & Billfish Fishery
ML    Minor Line ECT    Eastern Tuna & Billfish Fishery
ML    Minor Line WTB    Western Tuna and Billfish
ML    Minor Line WTF    Southern & Western Tuna & Billfish Fishery
PB    Pole & Bait TUN    Tuna Fishery
PB    Pole & Bait ECT    Eastern Tuna & Billfish Fishery
PB    Pole & Bait GHT    Gillnet, Hook and Trap Fishery
PB    Pole & Bait JMF    Jack Mackerel Fishery
PB    Pole & Bait SBT    Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery
PB    Pole & Bait SEN    South East Non-Trawl Fishery
PB    Pole & Bait WTB    Western Tuna and Billfish
PB    Pole & Bait WTF    Southern & Western Tuna & Billfish Fishery
PS    Purse Seine ECT    Eastern Tuna & Billfish Fishery
PS    Purse Seine EST    Eastern Skipjack Fishery
PS    Purse Seine JMF    Jack Mackerel Fishery
PS    Purse Seine SBT    Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery
PS    Purse Seine SPF    Small Pelagic Fishery
PS    Purse Seine TUN    Tuna Fishery
PS    Purse Seine WST    Western Skipjack Fishery
PS    Purse Seine WTF    Southern & Western Tuna & Billfish Fishery
TL    Trotline CSF    Coral Sea Fishery
TL    Trotline ECT    Eastern Tuna & Billfish Fishery
TL    Trotline GHT    Gillnet, Hook and Trap Fishery
TL    Trotline SEN    South East Non-Trawl Fishery
TL    Trotline TUN    Tuna Fishery
TR    Trolling CSF    Coral Sea Fishery
TR    Trolling ECT    Eastern Tuna & Billfish Fishery
TR    Trolling SSF    Southern Shark Fishery
TR    Trolling TSF    Torres Strait Fishery
TR    Trolling WTF    Southern & Western Tuna & Billfish Fishery
TW    Trawling CSF    Coral Sea Fishery
TW    Trawling ECD    East Coast Deepwater Trawl Fishery
TW    Trawling GAB    Great Australian Bight Fishery
TW    Trawling JMF    Jack Mackerel Fishery
TW    Trawling NPF    Northern Prawn Fishery
TW    Trawling NWS    North West Slope Trawl Fishery
TW    Trawling SET    South East Trawl Fishery
TW    Trawling SPF    Small Pelagic Fishery
TW    Trawling STR    South Tasman Rise Fishery
TW    Trawling TSP    Torres Strait Prawn Fishery
TW    Trawling TUN    Tuna Fishery
TW    Trawling VIT    Victorian Inshore Trawl Fishery
TW    Trawling WDW    Western Deep Water Trawl Fishery

Lineage

Maintenance and Update Frequency: annually

Notes

Credit
National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine Biodiversity Hub