Summary of the Victorian Giant Crab Fishery Management Plan

Objective	Strategy	Target	Action	Performance Indicator	Lead Agency	Key Partner(s)	Implementation Schedule	Funding Source
Objective 1 Sustainability of the giant crab resource	Strategy 1 Rebuild the stock biomass	Demonstrate commitment by DPI to effectively engage stakeholders in decision-making processes	Fisheries Victoria to convene the annual Total Allowable Catch Forum and Stock Assessment Workshop and apply the agreed decision rules	Stakeholder consultation continues through annual Fishery Management and Stock Assessment Workshops and Total Allowable Commercial Catch Fora	Fisheries Victoria	Seafood Industry Victoria, relevant stakeholders	Ongoing	Giant crab research budget (Stock Assessment Workshop) Giant crab management budget (Fishery Management Workshop and Total Allowable Catch Forum)
		Develop effective tools for estimating giant crab biomass	Within the first year of this management plan, Fisheries Victoria and relevant stakeholders will establish a Resource Assessment Group for the purpose of improving fishery assessments and will report to Total Allowable Catch Forum	Giant crab stock assessments are effective tools for managing the giant crab resource	Fisheries Victoria	Relevant stakeholders	First year of plan	Giant crab research budget
			Fisheries Victoria to develop improved methods of standardising catch per unit effort in the first year of this management plan	Catch per unit effort provides an adequate measure of giant crab biomass	Fisheries Victoria	Relevant stakeholders	First year of plan	Giant crab research budget
		Appropriate management strategies ensure sustainable management of the giant crab resource	Fisheries Victoria to review and assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of fishery management tools for the giant crab fishery	Fishery management tools are regularly reviewed to ensure they remain appropriate to manage the giant crab fishery and rebuild stocks	Fisheries Victoria	Relevant stakeholders	Ongoing	Giant crab management budget
		Increased stakeholder responsibility for natural resource management	Seafood Industry Victoria to prepare a code of practice that will include appropriate practices for returning undersize giant crabs and berried females to the sea alive	The giant crab industry assumes greater responsibility for managing the giant crab resource	Seafood Industry Victoria	Fisheries Victoria	During the life of this management plan	Subject to available funding
		The effect of fishing gear on habitat and the ecosystem in general is minimised	Industry will monitor means, including changes to pot design, to reduce giant crab mortalities	Mortalities of giant crabs in pots is measurably reduced	Industry	Fisheries Victoria	Ongoing
	Strategy 2 Maintain the ecological integrity of the fishery ecosystem	The effect of fishing gear on habitat and the ecosystem in general is minimised	Industry to report incidental interactions with protected species using the Protected Species Interactions form	Non-compliance with the requirement to report protected wildlife is reduced	Industry	Fisheries Victoria	Ongoing
		Giant crab discards and by-catch levels are understood and considered in stock assessments	Fisheries Victoria will, where appropriate, use onboard observers to monitor giant crab discards and by-catch and consider this information in its management decisions	Management decisions regarding the giant crab resource are appropriately informed	Fisheries Victoria	Industry	Ongoing	Giant crab research budget
		The current understanding of climate change informs management and business decisions	Fisheries Victoria will continue to monitor the potential impacts of climate change on the giant crab fishery and will develop a response if required	Fisheries Victoria will continue to monitor the potential effects of climate change on the giant crab fishery and will develop a response if required	Fisheries Victoria		Ongoing	Giant crab management budget
			Fisheries Victoria will give high priority to collaborative research with adjacent jurisdictions that is aimed at understanding the potential impacts of climate change on the giant crab fishery	Collaborative research aimed at understanding the potential effects of climate change is undertaken	Fisheries Victoria		Ongoing	Giant crab research budget
Objective 2 Resource access and utilisation	Strategy 3 Facilitate an economically efficient commercial fishery	The giant crab fishery is commercially and administratively efficient	Fisheries Victoria will continue to provide a mechanism for fishery operators to vary Giant Crab Fishery Access Licence in specified circumstances	The process used to varying Giant Crab Fishery Access Licences in specified circumstances is undertaken efficiently	Fisheries Victoria		Ongoing	Giant crab management budget
		Receivers and processors of giant crabs are appropriately authorised	Fisheries Victoria to monitor current arrangements for receivers and processors of giant crab during annual compliance reviews and take appropriate action if required	Current arrangements for receivers and processors are regularly reviewed	Fisheries Victoria		Ongoing	Giant crab management budget
		Effective and efficient fishery management	Fisheries Victoria to explore the potential costs and benefits of initiatives and where appropriate, implement measures to enhance quota trading, investment and industry development	Where appropriate, measures to enhance quota trading, investment and industry development are implemented	Fisheries Victoria	Seafood Industry Victoria	Ongoing	Giant crab management budget
		An efficient and economically viable commercial fishing industry	Seafood Industry Victoria to undertake an economic survey and analysis of the giant crab fishery and develop indicators of economic and financial performance within the first year of this fishery management plan	The giant crab fishery is efficient and economically viable	Seafood Industry Victoria	Fisheries Victoria	Within the first year of this fishery management plan	Subject to available funding
		Appropriate cost-sharing arrangements re in place between Fisheries Victoria and the commercial fishing industry	The Fisheries Cost Recovery Standing Committee to advise the Department of Primary Industries on an appropriate cost sharing arrangement for economic performance monitoring for the fishery	Economic monitoring of the giant crab fishery is appropriately resourced	Fisheries Cost Recovery Standing Committee	Industry	Ongoing	Giant crab management budget
		Commonwealth authority to export giant crabs is maintained	On behalf of the giant crab industry, Fisheries Victoria will submit the Victorian Giant Crab Fishery Management Plan for assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act	The Victorian Giant Crab Fishery Management Plan is assessed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act	Fisheries Victoria	Industry	Following the declaration of the giant crab fishery management plan	Giant crab management budget
			Seafood Industry Victoria to lead subsequent reassessments of the fishery under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act	The giant crab fishery is appropriately authorised under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to export its products	Seafood Industry Victoria	Fisheries Victoria	As necessary	Subject to available funding
		The giant crab industry has a diverse range of markets for its products	Industry, with the assistance of Fisheries Victoria, to improve its capacity to market giant crab products	Industry expands its ability to market giant crab products	Industry	Fisheries Victoria	During the life of this management plan	Subject to available funding
Objective 3 Cost effective and participatory management	Strategy 4 Promote stakeholder participation in decisionmaking	A demonstrated commitment by commercial fishers to sustainable fishing practices	Seafood Industry Victoria to produce an overarching code of practice that documents and demonstrates the methods used by giant crab fishers to operate in an environmentally and socially sustainable manner	Giant crab fishers operate in an environmentally sustainable manner	Seafood Industry Victoria		During the life of this management plan	Subject to available funding
		A demonstrated commitment by DPI to effectively engage stakeholders in decision-making processes	Fisheries Victoria to continue consulting with stakeholders through the annual Stock Assessment Workshop and the Total Allowable Catch Forum	Fisheries Victoria consults with stakeholders during decision-making processes	Fisheries Victoria	Industry	Ongoing	Giant crab management budget
	Strategy 5 Deliver and monitor cost-effective management arrangements	The costs of fishery management are equitably shared between industry and government	Fisheries Victoria to continue to determine the annual Giant Crab Fishery Access License levy through the Regulatory Impact Statement process following advice from the Fisheries Cost Recovery Standing Committee	The annual levy for giant crab licences is set in accordance with the principles of cost recovery	Fisheries Victoria	Industry	Ongoing	Giant crab management budget
		Informed and prioritised research and development plans	Fisheries Victoria, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, will develop a five-year plan for establishing priorities for investment in research and development in the giant crab fishery	Research and development meets the needs of giant crab fishery management and stakeholders	Fisheries Victoria	Industry	First year of plan	Giant crab research budget
		Research and development requirements are informed by stakeholder input	Fisheries Victoria will engage with the commercial sector to identify, develop, fund and report on projects in which the sectors are co-investors	The capacity to plan research and development is improved	Fisheries Victoria	Relevant stakeholders	Ongoing	Giant crab research budget
		Evidence-based fisheries management	Fisheries Victoria and industry will monitor research and development projects and outcomes in the Tasmanian giant fishery which are aimed at optimising stock biomass and returns to the industry	Giant crab management arrangements are informed by the outcomes of fisheries research	Fisheries Victoria	Industry	Ongoing	Giant crab management budget
		Informed, prioritised and efficient research and development	Fisheries Victoria will explore opportunities for more efficient and effective use of research and development resources, to enhance capability and to demonstrate the impacts of research and development	Research and development in the giant crab fishery is relevant and cost effective	Fisheries Victoria	Industry	Ongoing	Giant crab research budget
		A diverse funding base for fisheries management research and development is available	Fisheries Victoria and relevant stakeholders will identify funding opportunities and facilitate increased investment in research and development that supports the giant crab fishery	Investment in cooperative research and development is obtained	Fisheries Victoria	Industry	Ongoing	Giant crab research budget
	Strategy 6 Achieve compliance with legislation	Non-compliance with fisheries regulations is effectively managed	Fisheries Victoria to review the current compliance strategy for the giant crab fishery and target compliance activities based on a formal compliance risk assessment and intelligence reports	Compliance activities focus on the main threats identified during a compliance risk assessment	Fisheries Victoria	Industry	Ongoing	Giant crab compliance budget
			Fisheries Victoria to prepare an annual compliance report for the giant crab fishery that will be presented at the annual management workshop	Stakeholders are informed of compliance activities and results for the giant crab fishery	Fisheries Victoria		Ongoing	Giant crab compliance budget
			Industry to develop an education and communication strategy for the giant crab fishery	Industry takes a participatory role in giant crab fishery compliance	Industry	Fisheries Victoria	During the life of this management plan	Subject to available funding