1. Assessing IUU & Measuring Compliance Outcomes
A joint agency preliminary study
We gratefully acknowledge FRDC funding through Project 2014/206

2. Australian Fishing 3rd largest Fishing Area in the World.
GVP worth more than $2.4 Billion Annually.
Employs more than 8,000 people
More than 92 Commonwealth managed fish stocks across 21 fisheries.
Hundreds of State managed stocks.

3. Australian Domestic Compliance Capability
Approx. 545 FTE dedicated to compliance.
$76 million (AUD) budget.
Marine Capability:
Numerous inshore vessels.
5 offshore patrol vessels.
Specialist Capabilities.

4. Why Measure Compliance Outcomes?
Compliance models are evolving.
We asked:
How do you measure compliance outcomes?
How do you define the public value?
We are asked to:
Demonstrate the positive influence attributed to compliance effort and funding.
How does that relate to IUU fishing?

5. Australian IUU Domestic Context
IUU is the absence of compliance. It is a spectrum and can have a cumulative impact.
Activity
Offender Capability (Knowledge & Resources)
Offender Intent (Confidence & Desire)
Harm to Stock
Recreational Fishing Offences

6. Australian IUU Domestic Context
IUU is the absence of compliance. It is a spectrum and can have a cumulative impact.
Activity
Offender Capability (Knowledge & Resources)
Offender Intent (Confidence & Desire)
Harm to Stock
Recreational Fishing Offences
Low- Mod
Low - Mod
Low (Individually) Mod – High (Cumulative)

7. Australian IUU Domestic Context
IUU is the absence of compliance. It is a spectrum and can have a cumulative impact.
Activity
Offender Capability (Knowledge & Resources)
Offender Intent (Confidence & Desire)
Harm to Stock
Recreational Fishing Offences
Low- Mod
Low - Mod
Low (Individually) Mod – High (Cumulative)
Syndicated Illegal Fishing
Mod – High
High
Mod

8. Australian IUU Domestic Context
IUU is the absence of compliance. It is a spectrum and can have a cumulative impact.
Activity
Offender Capability (Knowledge & Resources)
Offender Intent (Confidence & Desire)
Harm to Stock
Recreational Fishing Offences
Low- Mod
Low - Mod
Low (Individually) Mod – High (Cumulative)
Syndicated Illegal Fishing
Mod – High
High
Mod
Unreported commercial fishing

9. Australian IUU Domestic Context
IUU is the absence of compliance. It is a spectrum and can have a cumulative impact.
Activity
Offender Capability (Knowledge & Resources)
Offender Intent (Confidence & Desire)
Harm to Stock
Recreational Fishing Offences
Low- Mod
Low - Mod
Low (Individually) Mod – High (Cumulative)
Syndicated Illegal Fishing
Mod – High
High
Mod
Unreported commercial fishing
Unregulated commercial activity

10. Commercial Rock Lobster (South Australia)
Northern Zone Rock Lobster fisher apprehended for misreporting catch:
Falsifying pot numbers used,
Over inflating mortalities; and
Over inflating numbers of undersize fish.
In order to affect catch per unit effort and
TACC calculations.

11. Operation Quantum (Victoria)
Elaborate syndicate - abalone, RL & shellfish repeated take and sale of low quantities.
To date:
14 people arrested (5 custodial sentences).
12 vehicles seized and forfeit.

12. Operation Dorado (Western Australia)
Illegal purchase of high value, demersal wet-fish:
Undercover operative penetration.
Orders for $52,000 in 2 weeks.
Equates to 1/3 of TACC (p.a.).

13. Recreational crabbing (Western Australia)
Iconic recreational blue swimmer crab fishery:
Bag and size limit offences.
More than 6,000 offences detected per year.
Very low recidivism.
Illegal recreational take >10% TACC.

14. Incursions into closed waters (AFMA)
VMS and GPS tracks are insufficient to prove “fishing” has occurred.

15. Incursions into closed waters (AFMA)
In 2010 AFMA introduced the ‘Navigation Regulation’ and removed the need to prove fishing.
AFMA introduced the show cause program in Oct 2010.
The Show cause program has resulted in a drop from an average of 17.8 to 1.1 Boats per month.

16. Findings Our surveys showed:
Compliance Inputs and Outputs well understood and consistently used.
Outcome measures less so.
Our workshop showed:
We must account for non-biological considerations as well as usual ecosystem aspects.

17. Learnings Measuring fisheries compliance outcomes is difficult.
Hard to identify responsive data.
Types of Outcome:
Immediate
Intermediate
Final
Stakeholder communication to give a shared understanding of what can be controlled and measured.
Need ‘Agency courage’!

18. Where to next? Map our compliance frameworks.
Find measures that reflect behaviour that underlies IUU.
Identify suites of outcome measures.
Immediate (noncompliance rates, estimated fishery illegal catch).
Intermediate (changes in immediate measures, changes in behaviour).
Final (beneficial impacts to society).
Influence behavior to limit IUU.
Collaborate and share with interested parties.

19. Questions?