CSIRO Science Image

Orange roughy is a very popular foodfish with soft, moist white flesh and a mild taste, and has a good export market, particularly to the United States. However, due to the species longevity and late sexual maturity, and its habit of congragating in huge schools to feed and spawn, it is particularly vulnerable to overfishing.

A new approach developed by CSIRO to tighten the link between scientific advice on fish stocks and the management responses is transforming the stewardship of Australia’s fisheries resources.

Declining fish stocks and a struggling fishing industry prompted the CSIRO initiative that has developed formal harvest strategies for setting quotas in the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF).

Under the new system, stock assessments undertaken by CSIRO are translated directly into advice about quotas for 34 commercial stocks and species administered by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA).

Photographer : Mark Lewis

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