Status of Australian Fish Stocks (based on 2017 data)
Percentage | |
---|---|
Sustainable | 59.52 |
Transitional-depleting | 8.84 |
Transitional-recovering | 3.06 |
Environmentally limited | 1.7 |
Overfished | 5.78 |
Undefined | 16.67 |
Negligible | 4.42 |

National Metadata
This table provides metadata for the actual indicator available from Australia closest to the corresponding global SDG indicator. Please note that even when the global SDG indicator is fully available from Australian statistics, this table should be consulted for information on national methodology and other Australia-specific metadata information.
This dataset contains information on the status of Australian fish stock. 294 stock status assessments were undertaken across 83 species/species complexes. Stocks comprised biological, jurisdictional and management units with assessments undertaken at the biological stock level wherever possible. Of the 294 stocks assessed, 232 stock status classifications could be assigned. Overall, 175 stocks were assessed as sustainable; 26 stocks were assessed as transitional-depleting; 9 stocks were assessed as transitional-recovering; 5 stocks were assessed as environmentally limited; 17 stocks were assessed as overfished; 49 stocks were assessed as undefined status; 13 stocks were assessed as negligible.
Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels
Percentage
Authors of SAFS chapters are required to provide evidence to support SAFS stock status classifications accorded to each stock. The species chapter template – Status of key Australian fish stocks reports 2016 – includes the following related guidance to authors:
- Stock structure explanation text – this text must clearly explain what is known about biological stock structure and explain why assessments of stock status (provided in ‘Table 1’ and ‘stock status’ text) are being presented at the biological stock, management unit or whole jurisdiction level.
- Stock Status text – This section should summarise the main pieces of evidence used to determine stock status. Where detailed documentation already exists (e.g. in jurisdictional status reports) only a brief rationale should be provided in this chapter, referring specifically to current biomass size (or biomass proxy) and adequacy of control over fishing pressure. In text references should direct the reader to original documentation where more detail can be found.
- Weight of Evidence approach – After using a weight of evidence approach to determine stock status, authors should draft the stock status text. This text should include enough evidence for both biomass (or biomass proxy) and fishing pressure to support the final stock status classification.
- Biomass evidence text – provide evidence that the size of the stock is above or below the ‘recruitment overfished’ limit reference point.
- Fishing pressure evidence text – provide evidence that fishing mortality is, or is not, adequately controlled within sustainable levels (such as FMSY).
The resultant species chapters are then subject to external peer review.
http://fish.gov.au/Summary/Key-results
This data set will be updated c. 10 December 2018 – there will be a total of 120 species/species complexes.
For definitions of stock status categories, see http://fish.gov.au/Summary/National-framework-for-status-reporting
Global Metadata
This table provides information on metadata for SDG indicators as defined by the UN Statistical Commission. Complete global metadata is provided by the UN Statistics Division.
Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels
Sources
This is a National Project. The SAFS Advisory Group is the custodian of this data.
Other
No other information for this indicator
Historic
No historic information for this indicator