Summaries of AFMA log book data on effort distribution for Commonwealth fisheries in the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone

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.
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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

Tags: Agricultural Aquatic Sciences, Agriculture, Fish, Fisheries, Marine Biology, Oceans
Organization: CSIRO Marine and Amospheric Research