News and media

The Torres Strait Tropical Rock Lobster season starts on 1 December 2021 and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority is reminding fishers and fish receiver to get ready.

CSIRO will be conducting a pre-season Kaiar abundance survey over the neap tides between 9-22 November 2021.

CSIRO have been conducting annual dive surveys to collect data on Kaiar and their surrounding habitat since 1989, these surveys have been jointly funded by AFMA and CSIRO.

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) has launched an electronic Catch Disposal Records (eCDR) form as part of the Torres Strait Fish Receiver System. 

At its 28 January 2021 meeting the Protected Zone Joint Authority (PZJA) decided that the Total Allowable Catches (TAC) for the Torres Strait Finfish Fishery (TSFF) will be 74 tonnes for Spanish mackerel and 135 tonnes for coral trout.

The 2021 black teatfish trial opening will commence on 30 April 2021 with a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) limit set at 20 tonnes. This is an important milestone for the Torres Strait Beche-de-mer (BDM) Fishery. It is a positive step towards redeveloping the black teatfish component of the BDM Fishery and increasing economic returns for the Torres Strait BDM industry.

On 27 August 2020, the PZJA agreed to a trial reopening of the fishery for black teatfish subject to a 20 tonne Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and requirement of daily landing and daily reporting of catch through the mandatory fish receiver system.

On 25 February 2021, Senator the Hon. Jonathon Duniam determined an increase to the total allowable catch (TAC) of tropical rock lobster (TRL) in the Australian waters of the TRL Fishery from 200 tonnes to 420.863 tonnes for the 2020-21 fishing season (Torres Strait Fisheries Tropical Rock Lobster (Total Allowable Catch) Amendment Determination (No. 1) 2021).