Draft Harvest Strategy Policy

Key points of the draft policy are:

1. The policy provides a framework that guides the development and implementation of harvest strategies for all Queensland fisheries. The policy:

• is consistent with contemporary best practice fisheries management principles and principles of ecological sustainable development
•  provides important guidance to ensure that fisheries management measures are flexible and provide the certainty needed to balance the objectives of all stakeholder groups.

2. Under the Sustainable Fisheries Strategy 2017-2027, Queensland’s fisheries resources are managed in accordance with harvest strategies: 

• all fisheries are to have a harvest strategy by 2020
• by 2020, sustainable harvest or fishing limits will be set to achieve maximum sustainable yield or 40-50% biomass
• by 2027, sustainable harvest or fishing limits will be set to achieve maximum economic yield or 60% biomass
• harvest strategies set out fishery-specific targets for fishery performance, triggers for action and clear decision rules for the actions that will be taken.

3. The policy principles require that all harvest strategies are:

• consistent with relevant legislation and overarching policy objectives
• reliant on best available information
• cost effective and unambiguous
• consider harvest of all fishery sectors
• adopt the precautionary approach.