This data set contains summaries of AFMA log book data on effort distribution for Commonwealth fisheries in the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (excluding Cocos and Christmas Islands, Norfolk Island and the Sub-Antarctic Fisheries). The logbook data has been recorded and submitted to AFMA by commercial fishers. The data has been aggregated to produce summaries of total effort by gear type (summarised across fishery), over 5 year periods and at a 0.1 degree resolution where 5 boats or more operate. All effort information has been removed for areas where less than 5 boats operate and these areas are mapped to a 1 degree resolution.
The 5 years periods (1996-2000, 2001-2005 and 2006-2010) correspond to State of Environment (SoE) Reporting, required under the EPBC Act 1999. The most recent reporting period (2011-14) is a four year period. Each is labelled by the years aggregated (ie 2001-2005) and the gear type (ie LLP = long line pelagic). The gear codes and aggregated fisheries and the shape file field descriptions are listed below.
Notes:
1. Care needs to be taken when interpreting the fishing effort maps because in areas where there are less than 5 boats operating only the fishing footprint is displayed, consistent with the AFMA Information Disclosure Policy. The fishing footprint indicates that fishing occurred but does not provide information about the intensity of effort (number of operations etc).
2. Legal fishing by foreign flagged vessels occurred in the 1980s and early 1990s in the Australian Fishing Zone. These are shown as areas of higher effort in (i) trawl maps prior to 1990 north of Arnhem Land and (ii) pelagic longline maps up until 1997 south of Tasmania.
3. Minor line was historically recorded as a method in some of AFMA’s daily fishing logbooks, but is not in AFMAs current fishery logbooks. Minor line means trolling, or fishing using a rod or reel, handline or pole.
4. Trawl effort maps are missing Torres Strait Prawn Fishery data prior to 2004.
5. Gillnet effort maps prior to 1996 are not included due to data incompleteness.
6. Jigging data is currently incomplete and is not included.
7. Three records of Danish Seine were misreported (between 1996 and 2010) in the area of the Great Barrier Reef and have been removed.
8. Minor line was historically recorded as a method in some of AFMA’s daily fishing logbooks, but is not in AFMAs current fishery logbooks. Minor line means trolling, or fishing using a rod or reel, handline or pole.
9. Disclaimer:
The data provided by AFMA may contain errors or be incomplete. AFMA makes no warranty or representation that the data is accurate or complete. Those who choose to use this data should make their own enquiries as to its accuracy and completeness and AFMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions in the data provided, or for any decision by a person who chooses to rely on the data.
Field descriptions for shapefiles:
CSQ_CODE: C-Squares code. 1 degree and 0.1 degree grids used
CSQ_RESLN: C-Squares resolution of current polygon
VESSELS: Number of vessels
OPERATIONS: Number of operations
HOURS: Effort in hours from start and end time
HOOKSSET: Total hooks set
NUMLINES: Number of lines deployed
NETLENGTH: Gillnet Net Length
Fishery Aggregations
GEAR_CODE_CSIRO GEAR_CODE_CSIRO_DESCN FISHERY NAME
AL Auto Longline CSF Coral Sea Fishery
AL Auto Longline GHT Gillnet, Hook and Trap Fishery
AL Auto Longline SEN South East Non-Trawl Fishery
AL Auto Longline TUN Tuna Fishery
BL Demersal Longline CSF Coral Sea Fishery
BL Demersal Longline ECT Eastern Tuna & Billfish Fishery
BL Demersal Longline GHT Gillnet, Hook and Trap Fishery
BL Demersal Longline SEN South East Non-Trawl Fishery
BL Demersal Longline SSF Southern Shark Fishery
BL Demersal Longline SSG Southern Shark Gillnet Fishery
BL Demersal Longline SSH Southern Shark Hook Fishery
DS Danish Seine GAB Great Australian Bight Fishery
DS Danish Seine SET South East Trawl Fishery
DS Danish Seine VIT Victorian Inshore Trawl Fishery
DS Danish Seine WDW Western Deep Water Trawl Fishery
GN Gillnet ECT Eastern Tuna & Billfish Fishery
GN Gillnet GHT Gillnet, Hook and Trap Fishery
GN Gillnet SEN South East Non-Trawl Fishery
GN Gillnet SSF Southern Shark Fishery
GN Gillnet SSG Southern Shark Gillnet Fishery
GN Gillnet SSH Southern Shark Hook Fishery
HL Handline CSF Coral Sea Fishery
HL Handline ECT Eastern Tuna & Billfish Fishery
HL Handline GHT Gillnet, Hook and Trap Fishery
HL Handline SEN South East Non-Trawl Fishery
HL Handline SSF Southern Shark Fishery
HL Handline SSG Southern Shark Gillnet Fishery
HL Handline SSH Southern Shark Hook Fishery
HL Handline TUN Tuna Fishery
HL Handline WTB Western Tuna and Billfish
HL Handline WTF Southern & Western Tuna & Billfish Fishery
J Jigging SPF Small Pelagic Fishery
J Jigging SQJ Southern Squid Fishery
J Jigging SQD Squid Fishery
J Jigging SSF Southern Shark Fishery
J Jigging SEN South East Non-Trawl Fishery
LLP Pelagic Longline ECT Eastern Tuna & Billfish Fishery
LLP Pelagic Longline TUN Tuna Fishery
LLP Pelagic Longline WTB Western Tuna and Billfish
LLP Pelagic Longline WTF Southern & Western Tuna & Billfish Fishery
ML Minor Line ECT Eastern Tuna & Billfish Fishery
ML Minor Line WTB Western Tuna and Billfish
ML Minor Line WTF Southern & Western Tuna & Billfish Fishery
PB Pole & Bait TUN Tuna Fishery
PB Pole & Bait ECT Eastern Tuna & Billfish Fishery
PB Pole & Bait GHT Gillnet, Hook and Trap Fishery
PB Pole & Bait JMF Jack Mackerel Fishery
PB Pole & Bait SBT Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery
PB Pole & Bait SEN South East Non-Trawl Fishery
PB Pole & Bait WTB Western Tuna and Billfish
PB Pole & Bait WTF Southern & Western Tuna & Billfish Fishery
PS Purse Seine ECT Eastern Tuna & Billfish Fishery
PS Purse Seine EST Eastern Skipjack Fishery
PS Purse Seine JMF Jack Mackerel Fishery
PS Purse Seine SBT Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery
PS Purse Seine SPF Small Pelagic Fishery
PS Purse Seine TUN Tuna Fishery
PS Purse Seine WST Western Skipjack Fishery
PS Purse Seine WTF Southern & Western Tuna & Billfish Fishery
TL Trotline CSF Coral Sea Fishery
TL Trotline ECT Eastern Tuna & Billfish Fishery
TL Trotline GHT Gillnet, Hook and Trap Fishery
TL Trotline SEN South East Non-Trawl Fishery
TL Trotline TUN Tuna Fishery
TR Trolling CSF Coral Sea Fishery
TR Trolling ECT Eastern Tuna & Billfish Fishery
TR Trolling SSF Southern Shark Fishery
TR Trolling TSF Torres Strait Fishery
TR Trolling WTF Southern & Western Tuna & Billfish Fishery
TW Trawling CSF Coral Sea Fishery
TW Trawling ECD East Coast Deepwater Trawl Fishery
TW Trawling GAB Great Australian Bight Fishery
TW Trawling JMF Jack Mackerel Fishery
TW Trawling NPF Northern Prawn Fishery
TW Trawling NWS North West Slope Trawl Fishery
TW Trawling SET South East Trawl Fishery
TW Trawling SPF Small Pelagic Fishery
TW Trawling STR South Tasman Rise Fishery
TW Trawling TSP Torres Strait Prawn Fishery
TW Trawling TUN Tuna Fishery
TW Trawling VIT Victorian Inshore Trawl Fishery
TW Trawling WDW Western Deep Water Trawl Fishery
