Dusky flathead stock assessment
Chart of Queensland east coast stock assessment biomass estimates and key management actions for dusky flathead
© Queensland Government
Chart of Queensland estimated retained catch for Queensland east coast dusky flathead from 1901 to 2020
© Queensland Government
Why did we assess Queensland east coast dusky flathead?
In 2022, Fisheries Queensland completed the first stock assessment of Queensland east coast dusky flathead. It used the most current biological data, and commercial and recreational catch data to:
- Determine the sustainability of the stock
- Help inform management decisions
- Inform the development of a harvest strategy
This assessment estimated that the dusky flathead stock level was 46% of unfished biomass with the 95% confidence interval between 31% and 62%.
How was the stock assessment conducted?
The 2022 assessment used a stock assessment model Stock Synthesis, one of the most widely used and tested stock assessment models in the world. It is currently used by CSIRO and other Australian fisheries jurisdictions.
Next steps for fishery management
Under the Queensland’s Sustainable Fisheries Strategy 2017—2027, management strategies are applied to keep stocks above the limit reference point (20% biomass) and set a target reference point to manage stock toward.
The East coast inshore fishery working group provides advice on the operational aspects of the management of the fishery. The working group includes representatives from commercial, recreational and charter fishing sectors, seafood processors and wholesalers, Indigenous representatives, and the conservation and environment sectors.
More information
Access the report of Stock assessment of Queensland east coast dusky flathead (Platycephalus fuscus), Australia, with data to December 2020.