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A government report has found the majority of Australian fish stocks assessed are neither overfished nor subject to overfishing, while two domestic stocks have been identified as needing to recover.
The fishery status report from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) found most stocks assessed were neither overfished nor subject to overfishing.
ABARES executive director Dr Jared Greenville said the report found that of the 101 stocks assessed, 69 were classified as not overfished, and 81 were classified as not subject to overfishing.
He said the independent assessment showed that Commonwealth fisheries continue to be well-managed.
"The reports reflect a generally stable trend of stock status, with only six stocks changing status from last year," Dr Greenville said.
"While the news overall is positive, with four of the six changed stocks improving in status, two domestic stocks have declined in status."
The report declared john dory and eastern zone jackass morwong as overfished in the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery, and needing extra protection to rebuild.
"The Australian Fisheries Management Authority has reduced total allowable catches for these stocks for the 2022-23 fishing season and has developed and agreed a network of spatial closures to prevent fishing in areas of high abundance for at-risk species," Dr Greenville said.
The closures will start in May next year.
Dr Greenville also noted that there are a number of stocks that have been classified as overfished for some time.
It was better news for the surf redfish in the Torres Strait fishery, which changed from uncertain if subject to overfishing in 2020, to not subject to overfishing because there was no catch in 2021.
The fishery status report also examines the economic performance of fisheries managed by the Australian government worth an estimated $374 million in 2020 to 2021.
