© Baker, J.L. (2009) Marine Species of Conservation Concern in South Australia Full citation Baker, J.L. (2009) Marine Species of Conservation Concern in South Australia: Volume 1 - Bony and Cartilaginous Fishes. Report for the South Australian Working Group for Marine Species of Conservation Concern. J. Baker (consultant); Science and Conservation Division, and Coast and Marine Conservation branches of S.A. Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH); Marine and Coastal Community Network of S.A. (MCCN), and Threatened Species Network (TSN). Web version published by Reef Watch, South Australia.

---

Redbait

Family Name:	Emmelichthyidae
Scientific Name:	Emmelichthys nitidus nitidus Richardson, 1845
Recommended Status in S.A:	Data Deficient, possibly Near Threatened (in southern Australia)
Rationale:  Although Redbait is a relatively short-lived, fast growing, abundant schooling fish, it is included here because (i) it is a significant species in pelagic food webs of southern Australia (including tuna, kingfish and other large predatory fishes; many seabirds; fur seals, and other fauna), and the ecological impacts of reduced abundance and localised depletions of Redbait due to fishing are not adequately known; (ii) although productivity of Redbait is high in some areas, this species is likely to exhibit large fluctuations in abundance, behaviour and availability (similar to Jack Mackerel), due to variability in oceanographic conditions, but catches are not scaled in accordance with such fluctuations, and there is no knowledge of the sustainability of the resource under current catch limits; (iii) study of maturity in Redbait indicated that the commercial purse seine and mid-water trawls in Tasmania catch a significant portion of sexually immature fish; (iv) due to Redbait being a significant portion of the diet of fur seals, fishery interactions appear to be common, including some documented entanglements and deaths of seals; (vi) in some areas, Redbait may be associated with underwater rises (where food might concentrate), which would increase the vulnerability of such aggregations to localised over-fishing. It is notable during the early 2000s, in a draft ecological risk assessment for the Small Pelagic Fishery (the main fishery in which Redbait is taken), potential ecological impacts of fishing Redbait were not discussed in detail, nor was the potential impact of fishing on Redbait populations. Continued high fishing levels in the Small Pelagic Fishery, with catches ignoring natural variations in fish abundance, may threaten the resource of these small pelagic species (including Redbait), and pose a threat to the functioning of the ecosystems that rely on them.

Page Contents

Current Conservation Status

(No listings known)

Distribution

General

Redbait identified as E. nitidus nitidus have been recorded off the western Cape coast of South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Chile, and St. Paul and Amsterdam islands (Heemstra, 1984, 1986; May and Maxwell, 1986; Paulin et al., 1989; Robins et al., 1991, Kulbicki et al., 1994, cited in Froese and Pauly, 2007).

Southern Australia

The species is known from all southern Australian States (Kuiter, in Gomon et al., 1994).

South Australia

This pelagic species is found in continental shelf water across South Australia. Examples of locations in South Australia where Redbait are found include the Great Australian Bight; southern Eyre Peninsula (including around islands, such as the Neptune islands); southern Kangaroo Island; and the upper, mid and lower south-east of S.A. (CSIRO Marine Research survey records, cited in CSIRO, 2007; South Australian Museum records, Australian Museum records, cited in OZCAM database, 2007).

Habitat

In southern Australia, Redbait is found throughout the continental shelf and slope area. According to Kuiter (in Gomon et al., 1994, also cited by Yearsley et al., 1999), the species is more common in the depth range 20m – 100m.
The species schools in shelf waters (May and Maxwell, 1986; Welsford and Lyle, 2003, cited by Page et al., 2005).  Generally, juveniles occur near the surface, often with schools of clupeid fishes, while adults are found near the bottom in deeper water (Heemstra, 1984).
Redbait is more commonly found on the continental shelf break. Across the geographic range, the species is also found in association with seamounts, islands and mid-oceanic ridges (Welsford et al., 2003).
According to AFMA (2003h), the maximum depth is about 500m.

Notes on the Biology

Age and Growth

Redbait have been reported as large as 33 cm FL off eastern Victoria (Furlani et al., 2000), and 34 cm standard length (SL) off the coast of Chile (Meléndez and Céspedes 1986, cited by Welsford and Lyle, 2003). Kuiter (in Gomon et al., 1994) reported a maximum length of about 36cm for Redbait in Australia.
The maximum reported size of Redbait from Tasmania is 31.6 cm fork length (FL), somewhat smaller than that recorded elsewhere throughout the distributional range (Williams et al. 1987, cited by Welsford and Lyle, 2003). It is notable that during length-based sampling of fisheries data in Tasmania, over an 11-year period (mid 1980s to mid 1990s), a similar maximum size of 31cm fork length was recorded (Welsford and Lyle, 2003).
Growth in Redbait is rapid, particularly in the first few years of life, with mean sizes at 1, 3 and 5 years old estimated to be 155, 245 and 273 mm FL respectively (Williams et al., 1987; Welsford and Lyle, 2003). 
During a study of age and growth in Tasmania, no sex-based growth differences were evident (Welsford and Lyle, 2003).
Redbait live to at least 8 years old (Welsford and Lyle, 2003). A maximum age of 10 years old was estimated from otolith analyses of redbait captured in eastern Victorian waters (Furlani et al., 2000).

Diet

Redbait feeds mainly on zooplankton (Heemstra, 1984), including krill / euphausiids (a main part of the diet of smaller Redbait, according to a study in South Africa – Meyer and Smale, 1991), benthic amphipods and copepods, mysids, as well as stomatopods, shrimps / prawns, and other crustaceans, cephalopods and small bony fish (Heemstra, 1984, cited in Froese and Pauly, 2007; Welsford and Lyle, 2003).
Redbait captured on the shelf off eastern Victoria had a varied diet, dominated by pelagic crustaceans and other pelagic invertebrates including gelatinous zooplankton (Bulman et al. 2000, 2001, cited by Welsford and Lyle, 2003).
The diet of Redbait is similar to that of Jack Mackerel (Trachurus declivis) from Tasmania, with the krill Nyctiphanes australis being the dominant prey item eaten by fish on the continental shelf (Young et al. 1993, cited by Welsford and Lyle, 2003).

Reproduction

Size at maturity is reported to be about 21cm (Kailola et al., 1993, cited by Bruce et al., 2002).
During a study in Tasmania, based on gonad maturity stage, 50% of females were judged to be sexually mature at about 240 cm FL (Welsford and Lyle, 2003). All specimens examined that were over 28cm, were mature. Age at maturity is about 2 – 3 years (Welsford and Lyle, 2003).  
In Tasmanian waters, spawning takes place between October and January (Williams et al., 1987, cited by Bruce et al., 2002), and seasonal patterns of gonad development indicated an apparent peak of spawning activity around October-November (Welsford and Lyle, 2003).
Members of the Emmelichthyidae in general have distinct spawning seasons of one to two months’ duration, generally coinciding with increasing water temperatures in spring (Welsford and Lyle, 2003).

Behaviour

Redbait migrate from the bottom during the day, into the water column at night (Welsford and Lyle, 2003, cited by Page et al., 2005).
Redbait school by size and by depth, with smaller fish being captured in shallower water, and larger fish schooling over deeper water, and closer to the sea floor (Markina and Boldryev 1980, cited by Welsford and Lyle, 2003).
As is the case with other small pelagic species, such as jack mackerel, there are changes in behaviour and availability to fisheries (i.e. abundance) with changes in water temperature and productivity of planktonic food webs (Welsford and Lyle, 2003).

Other Information

Redbait abundance is high in areas of correspondingly high productivity, such as off eastern Tasmania (Zone A of the Small Pelagic Fishery), due to the influx of cooler, nutrient-rich water from the Southern Ocean (AFMA, 2003h). Other examples of highly productive areas include southern Eyre Peninsula, one of the 5 major fishing grounds for Redbait in southern Australia (see Fisheries Information, below). 

Predators

Across the range, redbait are eaten by a variety of finfish, such as Southern Bluefin Tuna Thunnus maccoyii (for which Redbait are an important dietary component of inshore tuna in south-eastern Australia) (Young et al., 1997); Yellowtail Kingfish (Fowler et al., 2003, cited by Caines, 2005); hakes (species of Merluccius) (Punt et al., 1992), and Atlantic Pomfret (Brama brama) (Blaber and Bulman, 1987). Southern Bluefin Tuna prey on Redbait off Tasmania and in the Great Australian Bight (AFMA, 2003h). In South Australia, during a dietary study of predatory fish from 2001 to 2005 (Caines, 2005), Redbait was recorded as a significant part of the diet in the following species: Southern Bluefin Tuna (with Redbait forming 9% of the measured prey biomass), Kingfish (Redbait was 12% of the prey biomass), Australian Salmon and Barracouta (Redbait 28% and 29% of prey biomass) (Caines, 2005). In terms of frequency of occurrence and numerical abundance, Redbait was considered to be the most important prey item for Barracouta in that study, and large specimens of Redbait (average = 19cm) were taken, compared with the size taken by other fish predators (Caines, 2005). The proportion of Redbait in the diet of Bluefin Tuna varied between years, liking reflecting variations in prey availability (Caines, 2005).      
Redbait are eaten by skates (Rajidae) (Ebert et al., 1991).
Redbait are a significant part of the diet of the Australian Fur Seal Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus, particularly in winter (Gales and Pemberton, 1994; Hume et al., 2004). Gales and Pemberton (1994, and corrigendum) showed that the size of most redbait consumed were in the range 15 – 19cm fork length. Page et al. (2005) reported that there are regional differences in the dietary preferences of Australian Fur Seal, with Redbait forming a significant part of the diet in southern Tasmania, but not in Bass Strait. During a study in South Australia, Redbait was reported to be a significant part of the diet of adult male and female fur seals of both species (Page et al., 2005). For adult male Australian Fur Seals, Redbait accounted for a large portion of the diet (about 40%, over the period winter 2000 to summer 2003) (Page et al., 2005). For the adult female New Zealand Fur Seals (Arctocephalus forsteri), Redbait accounted for about 13% of the diet,. For adult male A. forsteri, Redbait formed about 7% of the diet during the study period (Page et al., 2005). Redbait forms a lesser component of the diet of juvenile fur seals (e.g. Baylis et al., 2005; Page et al., 2005). 
Brothers et al. (1993) reported that in Tasmania, Redbait is a significant part of the diet of the Australian Gannet (Morus serrator), but that this bird species is harvesting a different size range of Redbait than those caught as bycatch in the commercial Jack Mackerel Trachurus declivis fishery. Also in Port Phillip Bay, Redbait has in some years been recorded as a significant part of the diet of the Australian Gannet colony at Popes Eye (Ewing et al., 2005). Redbait, including fishery discards, are considered to be a food source for sea bird species such as Buller’s Albatross (Diomedea bulleri bulleri) (James and Stahl, 2000). The study of albatross feeding indicated that although Redbait are taken occasionally by trawlers, they are likely to also be available to albatrosses naturally (Hedd 1999, cited by James and Stahl, 2000). Given the relatively small size of the specimens taken, it was considered unlikely the fish were obtained as discards, and they were classified as natural prey in that study (James and Stahl, 2000). Hedd et al. (2001) reported that, while raising chicks, the Shy Albatross Thalassarche cauta feed predominantly on surface schooling fishes, such as Trachurus declivis and Emmelichthys nitidus.  Hedd and Gales (2001) reported that at Albatross Island in Tasmania, Redbait and Jack Mackerel were the major food source delivered to chicks, together accounting for 89% of the wet mass recorded.

Fisheries Information

Emmelichthys nitidus is a commercial species, with the marketing name “Redbait” (Seafood Services Australia, 2003). The species is used as fishmeal, and also as bait in the tuna industry, including food for caged tuna (Yearsley et al., 1999).
Previously, Redbait was one of two major bycatch species in the purse seine fishery for Jack Mackerel (e.g. off Tasmania – Williams and Pullen, 1993), but the species also forms independent schools that are targeted (Kailola et al., 1993, and see below, on Small Pelagic fishery). From 1984/85 to 1989/90, landings from Tasmania ranged between 231 tonnes in 1984/85 (BRR, 1991), to a peak of 1,090 tonnes in 1986/87 and 1,281 tonnes in 1987/88 (BRR, 1991; Kailola et al., 1993, cited by Bruce et al., 2002; Welsford and Lyle, 2003). Until the 2000s, the majority of the Redbait bycatch was processed (in Tasmania) for use as fish meal and oil for aquaculture feed, with small quantities frozen for rock lobster bait, processed for human consumption or canned as pet food (Pullen 1994, cited by Welsford and Lyle, 2003).
The significance of Redbait as a targeted species increased during the 1990s (Yearsley et al., 1999; Bruce et al., 2002). For example, a mid-water trawl fishery targeting small pelagic fishes was developed off Tasmania in 2001, and a large proportion of the catch from this fishery consisted of Redbait (Welsford and Lyle, 2003).
Redbait is one of several species taken in the Commonwealth-managed Small Pelagic Fishery. According to AFMA (2005a), the Small Pelagic Fishery is divided into 4 zones, which collectively span the southern coast of Australia, from the N.S.W. / Queensland border, through to Lancelin, north of Perth in Western Australia. The fishery extends seaward to the limits of  Australia’s exclusive economic zone. Zone A covers eastern, southern and half of western and northern Tasmania. Zone C includes north-western Tasmania, and the western half of Bass Strait (including mid and western Victoria, and south-eastern South Australia. The division between Zones B and C is the Backstairs Passage / eastern Kangaroo Island area in South Australia, with Zone C extending eastwards to 146^o 30’ (southern Victoria), and Zone B extending westwards, across the entire western coast of South Australia, to southern W.A.. The main “reported fishing positions” are (i) the northern and southern N.S.W. coast; (ii) far eastern Victoria, and waters east of Bass Strait, between eastern Victoria and north-eastern Tasmania; (iii) eastern and south-eastern Tasmania, (iv) southern Eyre Peninsula in South Australia; and southern W.A. (e.g. Albany area) (AFMA, 2005a). In the Small Pelagic Fishery, purse seine and mid-water trawl are the main methods used in the fishery, and small schooling fishes are targeted, including Jack Mackerel / Cowanyoung (Trachurus declivis), Peruvian Jack Mackerel (T. symmetricus), Yellowtail Scad (T. novaezelandieae), Blue Mackerel (Scomber australasicus) and Redbait E. nitidus. In that fishery, Redbait have been caught in increasing quantities using mid-water trawls in recent years, particularly off Tasmania. and the main commercial use is feed for caged tuna (in S.A.), and fishmeal (AFMA, 2004c). During the late 1980s and during the 1990s, landings per annum were around 1000 – 1,200 tonnes per annum (Kailola et al., 1993 and Yearsley et al., 1999, cited by Bruce et al., 2002). From 2001 – 2004, Redbait formed about 71% of the mid-water trawl catch for the fishery, including 89% of the small pelagic fish catch in Zone A in 2001, using this method (AFMA, 2003h). In Zone A (eastern, southern and western Tasmania), annual catch of Redbait has been 5000 tonnes in each of 2001/02 and 2002/03, because a specific fishery, targeting Redbait using mid-water trawl, was developed at that time. The majority of the catch in that area is in the size range 10cm – 30cm FL (Welsford and Lyle, 2003). The primary market for Redbait is currently as whole frozen fish for the Southern Bluefin Tuna aquaculture industry and secondarily for use as fish meal (Welsford and Lyle, 2003). Information from industry, observers and scientists during pair trawling operations in Zone A (2001/02) suggests the Redbait biomass in that zone may be large (AFMA, 2003h). In additional to the Tasmanian catch, small catches are made in the other zones, but there are “trigger catch limits” (TCL), and in 2003/04 this was set at 1000t in each of Zones B,C, and D (AFMA, 2003h).
In the Commonwealth-managed Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery, Redbait is one of approximately 9 targeted species taken in purse seine, for use as tuna bait (Ling and Hobday, 2004). Redbait is a also target species in the Commonwealth-managed Skipjack Tuna Fishery (AFMA, 2004h).
Redbait form a part of the bycatch in the Commonwealth-managed Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fisheries (SESSF), including the South East Trawl Fishery (SETF) (AFMA, 2002a), and the South East Non-Trawl Fishery (part of the Gillnet, Hook and Trap Fishery) (Knuckey et al., 2001; Bromhead and Bolton, 2005), with monitoring program data indicating that the catch is very minor in the latter fishery. In the otter trawl sub-fishery of the SETF, Redbait is a retained bycatch species (non-quota) that is recorded in fishers’ logbooks (Wayte et al., 2004). In 2001, a scientific monitoring program in the otter trawl sub-fishery recorded, in 270 shots: 120kg retained, and 5,223 kg (5.2 tonnes) discarded (Wayte et al., 2004). According to logbook data provided to AFMA (2003h), the average annual catch of Redbait between 1997 and 2002 was 19.5 tonnes.    
The species has been recorded as a minor component of the bycatch in the Great Australian Bight Trawl Fishery (GABTF). During a bycatch sampling reported in 2001/02, only 2.3kg of Redbait were recorded in 22 shots, all of which was discarded (Brown and Knuckey, 2002).
Redbait is also listed as a commercial species in State-based fisheries, including the Tasmanian Scalefish fishery (Lyle and Jordan, 1999; Lyle et al., 2004).
The recreational catch is likely to be low, but AFMA (2003h) reported that recreational and charter boat fishers in most southern Australian States access small pelagic species as bait to target sought-after game fish species.

Vulnerable Characteristics of the Species

Redbait is a significant species in pelagic food webs of southern Australia, and the ecological impacts of reduced abundance due to fishing are not known (Bruce et al., 2002).
Although productivity of Redbait is high in some areas (e.g. particularly Tasmania – see Welsford and Lyle, 2003 and AFMA, 2003h), this species is likely to exhibit large fluctuations in abundance, behaviour and availability. Such fluctuations are likely to be linked to variability in oceanographic conditions (Welsford and Lyle, 2003) that are a feature of the waters where these fish are targeted across several regions in southern Australia. For example, in Tasmania, large fluctuations in abundance of Jack Mackerel (a similar species to Redbait, in terms of distribution, behaviour and diet) have been observed, thought to be linked to abundance, location, and availability of krill (a main food source), which in turn varies due to changes in nutrient levels brought about by variation in the position of the sub-tropical convergence (STC). Jack Mackerel are thought to rely on krill to generate large fat reserves that are mobilised during the following spawning season to produce gametes (Williams and Pullen, 1986, cited by Welsford and Lyle, 2003), and it is possible that Redbait productivity is similarly influenced by the dynamics of krill populations. The variation in the position of the STC is influenced by seasonal differences in the position of the East Australian Current, and also by larger climatic cycles, of El Niño / Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events (Harris et al. 1987, 1991, 1992, cited by Welsford and Lyle, 2003).
In some areas, Redbait may be associated with sea mounts and other underwater rises (where food might concentrate), which would increase the vulnerability of such aggregations to localised over-fishing (e.g. by trawlers).

Threatening Processes

A study of sexual maturity (based on gonad development stages), indicated that the commercial purse seine and mid-water trawls in Tasmania catch a significant portion of sexually immature fish (Welsford and Lyle, 2003).
Development of the Small Pelagic Fishery will require caution because of the role of small pelagic fish species in the food-chain and the potential for their localised depletion or overexploitation (Caton, 2003, cited by Director of National Parks, 2005).
Redbait forms a significant portion of the diet of fur seals, and interactions appear to be common, including some entanglements and deaths.  For example, in Zone A (Tasmania) of the Small Pelagic Fishery, a study of marine mammal interactions reported that Emmelichthys nitidus formed about 32% (by number) of the fish species taken by foraging seals, during 637 of 877 successful foraging attempts whilst the gear was in deployment (Browne et al., 2005). Unidentified fish made up another 21% of prey, but were most likely either Jack Mackerel or Redbait. During the survey (May – July 2005), three Australian Fur Seal entanglements were recorded, including 2 fatalities. Video footage revealed that fur seal interactions with the fishing gear were common, with over 1800 separate events captured of seal/s in the field of view of the camera (Browne et al., 2005). Seals fed heavily around the escape opening of the seal exclusion device, both individually and in groups of up to six. Seals entered the body of the net to feed on 13 occasions, using the escape opening of the seal exclusion device as point of entry and exit on the majority of occasions, and seals appeared to be selective feeders, selecting larger fish over smaller fish passing through the net in the region of the exclusion device (Browne et al., 2005).
It is notable that in a draft ecological risk assessment for the Small Pelagic Fishery (see Milton et al., 2004), the main fishery in which Redbait is taken, potential ecological impacts of fishing Redbait were not discussed in detail, nor was the potential impact of fishing on Redbait populations. In contrast, in a draft ecological risk assessment report for the South East Trawl Fishery (Wayte et al. 2004), 4 “productivity attributes” and 6 “susceptibility attributes” were used to classify E. nitidus as being a “medium risk” species in terms of potential population impacts from trawling in that fishery. Similarly, in both the Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery (Ling and Hobday, 2004) and the Skipjack Tuna Fishery (AFMA, 2004h), E. nitidus is listed as being at “medium risk” of population impacts. E. nitidus has been classified as being at “low risk” of population impacts from capture in the GAB Trawl Fishery (Daley et al., 2006), due to the very low quantities caught.   
Ivanin et al. (1996) cautioned against over-exploitation of fishes that occur over sea mounts in the South-western Indian Ocean, and E. nitidus is one of the species that is found (and trawled) in such habitat. 

Research Requirements

Although this species has been taken in increasingly large quantities during the 1990s and early 2000s, very little is known of biology or stock structure (Bruce et al., 2002).
Robust, fishery-independent estimates of Redbait biomass over space and time are essential for the management of the fishery. Current total allowable catches (TACs) in zones of the fishery do not have a scientific basis (Welsford and Lyle, 2003).  
Age composition for the catch from each region should be examined and monitored over time.
The ecosystem effects of reducing Redbait abundance through fishing are unknown (Bruce et al., 2002) and should be investigated.  
Welsford and Lyle (2003) recommended the following research priorities: (i) analysis of size and age distribution of catch data, with regard to geographic position, time of day, season, and habitat variables such as water temperature, and depth; (ii) more detailed characterisation of the reproductive biology of Redbait, in particular information on fecundity, sex ratios, better estimates of timing of spawning and maturity, and estimates of the fraction of mature population that is actively spawning each season (as a basis for stock assessment methods such as egg-per-recruit models, and biomass estimation using the egg production method); (iii) development of a validated ageing method, refinement of growth models, and generation of estimates of age-class strengths and mortality rates; (iv) investigation of the diet of Redbait, with a view to understanding the role of Redbait in the pelagic food web and how Redbait interact with predators and prey; (v) the distribution, growth and development and diet of early life stages of Redbait and their contribution to dynamics of the fished population; and (vi) a method to produce robust biomass estimates of the Zone A (Tasmanian) Redbait stock, with a view to evaluating the appropriateness of current fishery catch limits. Contingent on the description of the reproductive biology and early life history of redbait, Welsford and Lyle (2003) considered that the egg production method was the most appropriate method to produce biomass estimates for this species in a relatively short time frame.
In addition to the above, the relationship between Redbait abundance (particularly recruitment strength) and oceanographic conditions (which influences food availability) should be determined. 

Research Notes

In Tasmania, Tasmanian Fisheries and Aquaculture Institute (TAFI) has developed an industry-funded research program on Redbait, in response to commercial catches of that species in Zone A (Tasmania) during the early 2000s. As part of that program, TAFI is currently working industry and processors to regularly collect and analyse information from Redbait catches in Zone A, including biological samples (Welsford and Lyle, 2003, cited by AFMA, 2003h).
In Tasmania, recent research on this species includes identification of cost effective fishery independent indicators of abundance, and population stress indicators for Redbait (AFMA, 2003h).
In southern Australia, a Small Pelagics Research and Assessment Team (SPRAT) works in association with the Australian Fisheries Management Authority.
In Tasmania, recent work on fur seal interactions in the Small Pelagic fishery is part of a larger study (funded by AFMA and conducted at University of Tasmania) to evaluate dolphin and seal interactions with mid-water trawls in the fishery, including an assessment of by-catch mitigation strategies (TAFI, 2005).

Management Notes

The current Management Policy for the Small Pelagic Fishery includes Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and precautionary reference points (Trigger Catch Limits) for target species. These management arrangements require that the reference points are reviewed annually (and TCLs are also reviewed if they are triggered during the fishing season) (AFMA, 2003h). Management actions are triggered if the Redbait commercial catches exceed 50% of the overall total TAC (AFMA, 2003h).
In Zone B of the Small Pelagic Fishery (which includes part of S.A. waters), a spatial management regime limits the catches within any 5 degree longitude band to no more than 50% of the TCL for each species, including Redbait (AFMA, 2003h).

Management Requirements

A stock assessment is required, and regular estimates of biomass would improve the management of the fishery, and help to protect of the Redbait resource from being over-fished.
Further quantification over space and time is required, for the Redbait bycatch in southern Australian fisheries. For fisheries in which significant levels of bycatch have been caught and discarded (e.g. otter trawl fishery of SETF, and bait collection in tuna fisheries), such quantities should be included in annual estimates of the total catch from all Commonwealth-managed fisheries, as means of determining the Trigger Catch Limits (see above). The Small Pelagic Fishery cannot be managed in isolation of other fisheries that take small pelagic species such as Redbait. 
As knowledge of the environmental drivers of Redbait abundance improves over time, consideration should be given to broadening the TACC to include all southern Australian fisheries in which the species is taken in significant quantities, with the quota scaled annually in line with variations in Redbait abundance and availability to the fishery.