Catch reporting requirements for quota fisheries

Certain fisheries have controls on total allowable catch and effort units. These are collectively referred to as 'quota fisheries'.

Total allowable catch

Some quota fisheries in Queensland have total allowable catch limits, which are set annually. Examples include the Spanish mackerel, coral reef and spanner crab fisheries.

Effort units

Trawl effort units convert to a fishing day based on the hull size of the boat being used. This type of quota applies to the east coast trawl fishery, which has 6 trawl management regions. Regional trawl effort units are required to fish in specific trawl regions.

Monitoring quota fisheries

Quota fisheries are monitored via a combination of:

• vessel tracking
• automated interactive voice response (AIVR) system
• logbook data
• Qld eFisher app
• compliance checks by Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol.

Transferring your quota

Quota is transferable between authority holders with appropriate fishery symbols. Quotas described in the conditions of an authority can generally be transferred by 2 holders applying to amend their licences. One party applies to decrease the quantity of quota by an agreed amount, and the other party applies to increase the quantity of quota by the same amount.

Transfers of quota not described in conditions can be either:

• temporary – provides the transferee with the use of the quota until the end of the quota season in which the transfer occurs
• or
• permanent – the transferee becomes the owner of the quota.

Paper-based transfers of temporary and permanent quota require the quota holder (owner) and transferee (purchaser/lessee) to complete sections of the form, and their signatures must be witnessed. You can use these transfer and amendment forms:

• Register transfer quota or effort unit application
• Register temporary transfer of quota or effort unit application
• Authority amendment request.

Temporary transfers are processed online by the quota holder (owner), using FishNet Secure. To do this, the quota holder must be a registered FishNet Secure user and must know the boat mark under which the quota will be used.

Register for FishNet Secure.

Reporting your catch

If you are a commercial fisher working in a catch-based quota fishery, you must report your catch via the:

• automated interactive voice response (AIVR) phone system plus daily paper logbooks
• or
• Qld eFisher app, which allows you to report and submit catch notices and logbooks on the spot.

Fisheries Queensland uses this information to monitor quota usage and to detect black-market activity.

AIVR system and paper logbooks

Commercial fishers using the AIVR system to report total catch must phone the following numbers to report notices:

• All east coast fisheries and the Gulf of Carpentaria mud crab fishery—phone (07) 3031 8225
• Gulf of Carpentaria black jewfish fishery—phone (07) 3031 8235
• Gulf of Carpentaria shark fishery—phone (07) 3031 8215
• Vessel tracking (manual reporting and checking unit polling status)—phone (07) 3031 8283

Paper logbooks must also be completed each day if using the AIVR to report.

Qld eFisher app

Alternatively, commercial fishers can report catch via the Qld eFisher app, which allows you to report and submit catch notices and logbooks on the spot.

At this stage, the app is only for use in the following fisheries:

• aquarium
• crab
• coral
• east coast net
• east coast line (except L8 multiple hook operations)
• tropical rock lobster
• trawl.

Find out more about Qld eFisher and download the app.

Reporting fact sheets and quick guides

• Reporting requirements
• Quota-managed fisheries
• Quota and reporting requirements checklist for using paper logbooks
• Recreational fishing on a commercial fishing operation
• Interim ocean beach reporting requirements
• Automated Interactive Voice Response (AIVR) system fact sheet
• Automated Interactive Voice Response (AIVR) system quick guide
• Automated Interactive Voice Response (AIVR) system quick guide: Gulf of Carpentaria black jewfish and jewfish unspecified
• Automated Interactive Voice Response (AIVR) system quick guide: Gulf of Carpentaria shark fishery
• Frequently asked questions to Automated Interactive Voice Response (AIVR) reporting requirements
• Reef line fishery filleting categories
• Qld eFisher factsheet and checklist
• Qld eFisher hints and tips
• Qld eFisher logbook instructions
• Qld eFisher CDR logbook instructions

Landing and transport codes

You need to provide landing location or transport vessel details whenever you report a pre-trip, amending, emergency or transhipment notice.

Note: At this stage you can't use the Qld eFisher app if you tranship fish.

You can enter landing location details as either:

• a landing code
• the latitude and longitude for a place.

Refer to the transport and landing codes. These codes are updated regularly.

If you regularly land at a location that is not listed, or if the details of the place (especially the latitude and longitude) are incomplete or incorrect, phone Fisheries Queensland immediately on 13 25 23.