2021 State of the Environment Report Marine Chapter – Expert Assessment – State and Trend – Epipelagic fish species

The Marine chapter of the 2021 State of the Environment (SoE) report incorporates multiple expert templates developed from streams of marine data. This metadata record describes the Expert Assessment "State and Trend of epipelagic fish species". 
<strong><em>A PDF of the full Expert Assessment, including figures and tables (where provided) is downloadable in the "On-line Resources" section of this record as "EXPERT ASSESSMENT 2021 - Epipelagic Fish Species"</em></strong>



DESCRIPTION OF TAXONOMIC GROUP FOR EXPERT ASSESSMENT
Australia’s small epipelagic fishes (&lt;50 cm) are comprised of a range of species including Australian Sardine, Jack Mackerel, Blue Mackerel, Redbait, Yellowtail Scad, Australian Herring, Australian Anchovy, Maray, Blue and Sandy Sprats, scads, hardyheads and silversides. Species assemblages vary among regions and through time with distinct temperate and tropical assemblages (Hobday et al. 2009; Norriss and Grounds 2020). This assessment focuses on temperate species off southern Australia waters as information on tropical stocks is limited. Blue Mackerel, Jack Mackerel, Redbait and Australian Sardine are targeted by the Commonwealth Small Pelagic Fishery (SPF). The SPF is managed in two sub-areas, east and west (of latitude 146°30’E), based on evidence of eastern and western stocks for jack mackerel, blue mackerel and redbait. State fisheries target a range of epipelagic species, including Australian Sardine, Maray, Blue Mackerel, Yellowtail Scad, Sandy Sprats, Australian Herring, tropical sardine (Scaly mackerel) and other species (e.g. Norriss and Grounds 2020, Stewart et al. 2015). Recreational fishers also catch epipelagic species including Blue Mackerel, Yellowtail Scad and Australian Herring (Ryan et al. 2019, Murphy et al. 2020; See also the 2020 SoE Pressure Assessment for Recreational fisheries) 

DATA STREAM(S) USED IN EXPERT ASSESSMENT
The assessment is based on data and analyses published in the peer review literature, stock assessment reports and minutes of the meetings of the Small Pelagic Fishery Scientific Panel and South Australian Sardine Fishery. Details of specific data sets used to generate the assessment have not been provided. Coverage focusses on the temperate stocks as information for tropical stocks is limited.



2021 SOE ASSESSMENT SUMMARY [see attached Expert Assessment for full details]

• 2021 •
Assessment grade: Effective
Assessment trend: Stable/ increasing
Confidence grade: Adequate high-quality evidence or high level of consensus
Confidence trend: Adequate high-quality evidence or high level of consensus 
Comparability:  Grade and trend are comparable to 2011 and 2016 assessments in all regions
• 2016 •
Assessment grade: Good
Assessment trend: Stable
Confidence grade: Adequate high quality evidence and high level of consensus
Confidence trend: Adequate high quality evidence and high level of consensus
Comparability: Grade and trend are comparable to the 2011 assessment
• 2011 •
Assessment grade: Good
Assessment trend: Stable
Confidence grade: Adequate high quality evidence and high level of consensus
Confidence trend: Limited evidence or limited consensus



CHANGES SINCE 2016 SOE ASSESSMENT
Several assessments have been undated since 2016. Improved data and assessments for new species have also been published, reducing uncertainty. At least one stock has been determined to be recovering (Australian herring), resulting in an increasing biomass trend.

Tags: epipelagic fish, expert assessment, fisheries
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network