Torres Strait Prawn Fishery

The Torres Strait Prawn Fishery (TSPF) is a multi-species prawn fishery (Endeavour, tiger and king prawns) that operates in the eastern part of the Torres Strait. This is of of the most valuable commercial fishery in the Strait with 907 tonnes of product valued around $10 million taken in the 2008 fishing season.

Brown Tiger prawn (Penaeus esculentus) and the Blue Endeavour prawn (Metapenaeus endeavouri) are the key target species. The Red Spot King prawn (Penaeus longistylus) is essentially a by-product species. Prawn harvesting occurs at night, primarily using the otter trawl (quad) method which involves towing four trawl nets behind a vessel. The TSPF has restrictions on the type of gear and vessel that can be used during harvesting. Fishing is permitted in the TSPF from 1 March to 1 December each year and is limited by allocated fishing days.

Management objectives

The TSPF is managed through the Torres Strait Prawn Fisheries Management Plan which was introduced in 2009. The objectives of the Management Plan are:

to ensure the optimum utilization of the fishery resources within the TSPF is consistent with the principles of ecologically sustainable development and the exercise of the precautionary principle;
to promote economic efficientcy in the utilization of the fisheries resources within the TSPF;
to ensure cooperative, efficient and cost effective management of the fishery; and
to manage the fishery’s interactions with the marine environment including the incidental capture of non-target species and impacts on demersal habitats.

A Harvest Strategy for the TSPF is under development by PZJA Agencies. The Harvest Strategy will provide a framework for the fishery together with control rules so that management is more transparent and logical and the fishery meets pre-defined ecological and economic goals.

Page last updated 10 August, 2010