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- Dugong and Turtle Fisheries
- Torres Strait Prawn Fishery
- Torres Strait Pearl Shell Fishery
- Torres Strait Beche-de-mer Fishery
- Torres Strait Trochus Fishery
- Torres Strait Spanish Mackerel Fishery
- Traditional Fishing
- Licensing
- Notices and announcements
- Media Releases
- Notices and Announcements
- Torres Strait Tropical Rock Lobster Fishery Moon-tide Hookah Closures for 2015
- 1 February season opening for the Torres Strait Prawn Fishery is now in place
- changes to licensing arrangements for commercial Torres Strait fisheries
- Fish Receiver System: Funding Torres Strait fishers
- Draft roadmap to 100% ownership of Torres Strait Fisheries
- The Torres Strait Finfish Fishery Management Plan
- Torres Strait Licence Register now available
- Torres Strait Tropical Rock Lobster Fishery Management Arrangements for 2012
- Tropical Rock Lobster Fishery moon-tide hookah closure for 2017
- Total Allowable Catch for Prickly redfish reduced to 15 tonnes
- Sustainable Fishing in the Torres Strait Prawn Fishery
- Introduction of Vessel Monitoring Systems for Primary and Carrier vessels
- The Torres Strait Tropical Rock Lobster Fishery: Buy-out of licences
- New Torres Strait Fisheries Legislative Instruments
- Torres Strait Tropical Rock Lobster Fishery Management arrangements for 2011
- Call for pre-proposals for Fisheries Research in the Torres Strait
- 20m boat rule and gear restriction trials in the Torres Strait Prawn Fishery
- Future Operating Environment for the Torres Strait Rock Lobster Fishery
- Investment and increased fishing effort warnings
- Resources
- Research
- Publications
- Legislation
- Maps
- Useful Links
- Meetings and consultation
- What PZJA committees exist and who are the members?
- Torres Strait Finfish Working Group (TSFFWG)
- Protected Zone Joint Authority (PZJA)
- PZJA Out of Session decision 30 January 2015
- PZJA meeting 25 – 29 April 2016
- PZJA Out of Session Decision 7 February 2017
- PZJA Out of Session Decision 10 December 2014
- PZJA Out of Sessoin Decision 4 March 2015
- PZJA Out of Session decision record – 15 April 2015
- PZJA out of session decision record 28 May 2015
- PZJA Out of Session decision record – 4 June 2015
- PZJA Out of Session decision record – 2 June 2015
- PZJA out of Session Decisions 19 September 2014
- PZJA Out of Session decision 17 November 2014 – Torres Strait Prawn Fishery Investment Warning
- PZJA meeting 26 – 1 September 2016
- PZJA Out of Session Decision 22 September 2016
- PZJA out of session decision 25 November 2015 Scientific Permit 2015 for Torres Strait Tropical Rock Lobster Fishery
- PZJA Out of Session decision (OOS) – Torres Strait Prawn Fishery 2016-2018 Total Allowable Effort limits
- PZJA Out of Session decision – 29 February 2016 – TS TRL moon tide closure
- PZJA Out of Session decision – developmental permits for pearl shell
- PZJA meeting 24 – 4-5 August 2015
- PZJA meeting 23 – 8-9 April 2014
- PZJA Out of Session Decisions 14 October 2013
- PZJA Out of Session Decision 17 February 2014
- PZJA Out of Session Decisions 6 May 2013
- PZJA Out of Session Decisions 3 July 2013
- PZJA Out of Session Decisions 8 July 2011
- PZJA out of session decision 31 July 2012
- PZJA Out of Session Decisions 30 January 2012
- PZJA Out of Session Decisions 15 December 2011
- PZJA Out of Session Decisions 15 September 2011 – Licence leasing in TSPF
- PZJA Out of Session Decisions 9 September 2011
- PZJA Out of Session Decisions 10 May 2011
- PZJA Out of Session Decision 30 January 2011
- PZJA Out of Session Decisions 27 January 2011
- PZJA Out of Session Decisions 23 November 2010
- PZJA Out of Session Decisions 30 December 2009
- PZJA Out of Session Decisions 25 November 2009
- PZJA Out of Session Decisions 19 February 2009
- PZJA Out of Session Decisions 23 January 2009
- PZJA Meeting 22 – 30 April-1 May 2008
- PZJA Meeting 21 – 28-29 August 2007
- PZJA Meeting 20 – 25-26 October 2006
- PZJA Meeting 19 – 27 April 2006
- Torres Strait Tropical Rock Lobster Working Group (TSTRLWG)
- Torres Strait Hand Collectables Working Group meeting (TSHCWG)
- Torres Strait Tropical Rock Lobster Resource Assessment Group (TSTRL RAG)
- Torres Strait Prawn Working Group (TSPWG)
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee (TSSAC)
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee (TSSAC) Meeting 60
- Call for pre-proposals for fisheries research in the Torres Strait region 2015/2016
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee (TSSAC) Meeting 59
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee (TSSAC) Meeting 58
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee (TSSAC) Meeting 57
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee (TSSAC) Meeting 56
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee (TSSAC) Meeting 55
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee (TSSAC) Meeting 54
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee (TSSAC) Meeting 53
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee (TSSAC) Meeting 52
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee (TSSAC) Meeting 51
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee (TSSAC) Meeting 50
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee (TSSAC) Meeting 49
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee (TSSAC) Meeting 48
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee (TSSAC) Meeting 47
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee (TSSAC) Meeting 46
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee (TSSAC) Meeting 45
- Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee (TSSAC) Terms of Reference
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC)
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Commitee (TSPMAC) meeting 16
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Commitee (TSPMAC) meeting 15 and stakeholder meeting
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee Out of Session budget Meeting
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee meeting 17
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee out of session meeting
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Meeting 14
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Meeting 12
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Out of Session Meeting – 25 July 2011
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Meeting 11
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Out of Session Meeting – 3 November 2010
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Meeting 10
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Meeting 9
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Out of Session Meeting – 26 August 2009
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Out of Session Meeting – 10 August 2009
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Meeting 8
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Out of Session Meeting – 7 May 2009
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Out of Session Meeting – 9 February 2009
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Meeting 7
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Out of Session Meeting – 12 August 2009
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Meeting 6
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Meeting 5
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Meeting 4
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Meeting 3
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Meeting 2
- Torres Strait Prawn Management Advisory Committee (TSPMAC) Meeting 1
- Torres Strait Fisheries Management Advisory Committee (TSFMAC)
- Torres Strait Fisheries Management Advisory Committee (TSFMAC) Meeting 11
- Torres Strait Fisheries Management Advisory Committee (TSFMAC) Meeting 10
- Torres Strait Fisheries Management Advisory Committee (TSFMAC) Meeting 9
- Torres Strait Fisheries Management Advisory Committee (TSFMAC) Meeting 8
- Torres Strait Fisheries Management Advisory Committee (TSFMAC) Meeting 7
- When is my PZJA meeting?
- PZJA meeting papers and records
- What PZJA committees exist and who are the members?
- Contact
Torres Strait Trochus Fishery
The Torres Strait Trochus (Trochus niloticus) Fishery is a small, single-species commercial and subsistence fishery. The fishery however, is an important source of income for some Islanders, especially women and children. The level of participation in the fishery is relatively low at present, largely due to a decline in overseas market demand for shells in button manufacture. The fishery however, was historically an important source of income for the region between 1920-1950 and more recently in the 1980′s.
Trochus is usually taken by hand when freediving. Fishers operate from dories/dinghies with a crew of 2 or 3. Reef top collection of trochus is also possible at low tide. Fishery participants are comprised of Australian Traditional Inhabitants only. A Hand Collectables Working Group has been established to provide advice to the PZJA on issues related to the Trochus Fishery.
Management Objectives
Objectives adopted for the Torres Strait Trochus Fishery are:
- to manage the resource so as to achieve optimum utilisation;
- to maximise opportunities for Traditional Inhabitants of Australia; and
- to encourage Traditional Inhabitants of the Torres Strait to participate in the Trochus Fishery.
Management arrangements
Many of the management arrangements applicable to the fishery are set out in Fisheries Management Notice (FMN) No 76 and include:
- The taking of trochus is restricted to hand collection or by hand-held non-mechanical implements.
- The use of underwater breathing apparatus is not permitted.
- A minimum size limit of 80 millimetres and maximum size limit of 125 millimetres applies to all fishing (except traditional).
The total allowable catch for the TSPZ is 150 tonnes.
Condition of the fishery
ABARES assessed the status of trochus stocks in the TSPZ in 2009 as not being subject to overfishing, but uncertain as to being overfished. Activity in the fishery is very low at present compared to historic levels. The level of traditional take of trochus is unknown. In 2010 there were 80 Traditional Inhabitants with entries to fishin in the Trochus Fishery.
Strategic Assessment
The Torres Strait Trochus Fishery was strategically assessed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 in 2005 and was formally accredited as a Wildlife Trade Operation for three years in November 2005. The fishery has since been re-assessed and on 25 November 2008 it was accredited as a Wildlife Trade Operation until 25 November 2011. This declaration is subject to conditions and recommendations developed by Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Strategic Assessment reports can be found on the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities website.
Hot Topics
- Total Allowable Catch for Prickly redfish reduced to 15 tonnes
- Torres Strait Fish Receiver Licence Application Forms Now Available
- Torres Strait Licence Register now available
- Fish Receiver System: Funding Torres Strait fishers
- February 2017 Prawn Fishery Management Plan Amendments
- Introduction of Vessel Monitoring Systems for Primary and Carrier vessels