Development of the assessment model and management procedure is proceeding under an FRDC funded project (97/122) due for completion in July 2000. With the continuation of the fishery, there is a need to continue the stock assessment and management strategy evaluation process. This project will enhance our understanding of the dynamics of the Patagonian toothfish population surrounding Macquarie Island. Results from the aging and genetic studies also need to be included in future assessment and management procedure analyses. An assessment of the status of the population is necessary for the continued sound management of this fishery.

With increasing interest in the use of alternative methods to estimate the abundance in untrawlable ground, such as longline, dropline, trap or video (SAFAG, February 1999) and smart tags (SAFAG, February 2000), there will also be a need to correctly incorporate potential survey estimates and movement dynamics into the current assessment methodologies. Likewise, if the fishery moves towards other gears (such as longlining), the impacts of this change on the fishery and the assessment will need to be considered.

There has also been substantial interest in the establishment of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) surrounding sections of Macquarie Island (SAFAG, November 1998). The impacts of any MPA, in particular ones that may include significant proportions of the toothfish stock, need to be considered for assessment purposes and also as a potential management tool within a management strategy evaluation.

This proposal seeks funding to build upon the existing stock assessment and management procedure framework (FRDC 97/122) and continue the stock assessment process for a further two years. The assessment and management procedure will need to be reviewed, extended and presented to future meetings of the Sub-Antarctic Fisheries Assessment Group (SAFAG) in order to facilitate the setting of an annual TAC for Macquarie Island Patagonian toothfish.

While primarily focused on assessing the toothfish fishery at Macquarie Island, the proposal also includes participation in the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) assessments of the toothfish and icefish fisheries at Heard and McDonald Islands. This participation will help improve coordination, communication and mutual support between the international and domestic assessment processes applied to Australia’s subantarctic fisheries.