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.

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 &amp; 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 &amp; 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 &amp; 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 &amp; Western Tuna &amp; 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 &amp; Billfish Fishery
LLP Pelagic Longline TUN    Tuna Fishery
LLP Pelagic Longline WTB    Western Tuna and Billfish
LLP Pelagic Longline WTF    Southern &amp; Western Tuna &amp; Billfish Fishery
ML  Minor Line ECT  Eastern Tuna &amp; Billfish Fishery
ML  Minor Line WTB  Western Tuna and Billfish
ML  Minor Line WTF  Southern &amp; Western Tuna &amp; Billfish Fishery
PB  Pole &amp; Bait TUN Tuna Fishery
PB  Pole &amp; Bait ECT Eastern Tuna &amp; Billfish Fishery
PB  Pole &amp; Bait GHT Gillnet, Hook and Trap Fishery
PB  Pole &amp; Bait JMF Jack Mackerel Fishery
PB  Pole &amp; Bait SBT Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery
PB  Pole &amp; Bait SEN South East Non-Trawl Fishery
PB  Pole &amp; Bait WTB Western Tuna and Billfish
PB  Pole &amp; Bait WTF Southern &amp; Western Tuna &amp; Billfish Fishery
PS  Purse Seine ECT Eastern Tuna &amp; 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 &amp; Western Tuna &amp; Billfish Fishery
TL  Trotline CSF    Coral Sea Fishery
TL  Trotline ECT    Eastern Tuna &amp; 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 &amp; Billfish Fishery
TR  Trolling SSF    Southern Shark Fishery
TR  Trolling TSF    Torres Strait Fishery
TR  Trolling WTF    Southern &amp; Western Tuna &amp; 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: Agriculture | Agricultural Aquatic Sciences | Fisheries, Oceans | Marine Biology | Fish
Organization: CSIRO Marlin Data Catalogue