The Commission convened for its 102nd meeting via videoconference.
Industry status
The Commission considered written updates from industry associations. The Commission noted a consistent theme in industry reports of extreme hardship related to fuel price because of the Middle East Regional Conflict. While it was encouraging that early industry experience regarding fuel unavailability appeared to have abated, the ongoing challenge of fuel affordability had worsened. The Commission noted with concern that there had been an unprecedented level of default on AFMA levies as a result.
The Commission welcomed AFMA Management's commitment to seeking regulatory improvement that could increase operational flexibility without compromising AFMA objectives.
Bass Strait Central Zone Scallop Fishery
The Commission noted that the level of fishing effort in the BSCZSF in 2025 continued the trend from the last three years of being persistently low. This has been driven by the availability of scallops in the Tasmanian managed fishery closer to shore, limited processing capacity for higher volumes and, in 2025 severe and widespread depredation by eleven-armed seastars.
Noting advice from Concession holders, the Management Advisory Committee and the Resource Assessment Group that fishing in the BSCZSF is unlikely in 2026, AFMA Management decided not to proceed with the 2026 independent survey. The Commission noted that the BSCZSF harvest strategy, requires a default new total allowable catch unless the survey is conducted and supports high levels of biomass.
As such, the Commission agreed to set the 2026 TAC at 150 t for Commercial Scallop and 100 t for Doughboy Scallop. The Commission set season opening and closing dates of 1 June 2026 and 31 December 2026.
Chondrichthyans proposed for Threatened Species Listing
The Commission noted with concern the technical and data issues raised by AFMA management in its submission to the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (TSSC) relevant to the proposed listing of whitefin swellshark, Australian longnose skate, grey skate, eastern angelshark and greeneye spurdog. The Commission expressed its support for ongoing direct communication between the TSSC and AFMA Management on these, and other listing processes.
The Commission endorsed that AFMA Management continue to pursue a maximum of "conservation dependent" classification for Australian longnose skate, grey skate, eastern angelshark and greeneye spurdog, and promote the need for further technical review of the catch data for whitefin swellshark before a determination is made.
In support of that, the Commission agreed that AFMA would implement no-take rules for Australian longnose skate, grey skate and eastern angelshark (to match existing rules for greeneye spurdog) immediately. Further, that if the final determination is to list whitefin swellshark, also implementing a no-take rule for this species.
Lastly, the Commission strongly supported the view that listing as conservation dependent should be based on the criteria specified in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, rather than the more prescriptive provisions in TSSC policy.
Next meeting
The next Commission meeting was agreed to be held in Sydney 27-28 July 2026 (to align with Seafood Directions 28-30 July 2026).
The Commission warmly thanked Ms Jen Power-Geary who had completed her one-year appointment as the Executive Officer to the Commission.
Helen Kroger
Chairman
