The data were mainly collected in the Far Northern Section Cross-Shelf Closure of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Location approximately: 11-12 Degrees South Latitude, 143-144 Degrees East Longitude. The data consisted of: 1. Biological samples from prawn trawls, fish trawls, benthic dredge tows 2. Sediment samples 3. Seabird regurgitated pellets 4. Seabird counts 5. GPS Position data for trawls The study objectives were as follows: 1. A quantitative description of the physical environment, sediment characteristics, fishing effort, fish communities, epibenthic communities and prawn populations. 2. A comparison of the fish,benthic and prawn communities of areas closed to trawling with areas open to trawling. 3. An assessment of the impact of prawn trawling on benthic communities and fish communities. 4. A quantitative description of the composition of bycatch produced by prawn trawling in the Green Zone and the areas to the immediate north and south of the Zone. 5. A list of the species trawled animals other than prawns returned to the sea and whether they float or sink and quantification of the fate of the dead material. 6.Quantitative estimates of the importance of trawl discards in the diets of seabirds, the degree of dependence on such discards and the effects of discards on seabird populations.

The eastern Bering Sea has experienced rapid and intensive development of commercial trawl fisheries. Because of good record keeping and the relatively brief history of fishing it is possible to reconstruct the spatial and temporal patterns of exploitation. Previously unfished (UF) areas can be identified and directly compared with heavily fished (HF) areas to investigate long-term consequences for the benthos. Using this approach, macrofauna populations in a shallow (48 m average) soft-bottom area were studied during 1996. Catch data were extracted from the AFSC NORPAC database for years 1973-2001 to provide a summary of trawl catch effort, specific focus was placed on the area within Fisheries Management Area 512. The total number of hauls and tonnage for each data point are provided. Foreign, domestic, and Joint Venture fishing vessels are also described.

This is an interim report by Queensland's Department of Primary Industries (QDPI) Torres Strait Prawn Project, published in 1990. It represents a portion of three years research, from 1986-1988, which had the following objectives: Determine the distribution and abundance of juvenile prawns in seagrass areas. Establish the timing and pathways of recruitment and migration of the prawns. Collate historical catch data and monitor commercial catch/effort. Determine spawning periods. Establish growth and mortality rates. Assist management in the rationalization of spatial and temporal closures. Assist management in the formulation fo optimum effort levels and of a TAC. Refer to the published report: Mellors, J. (ed) (1990) Torres Strait Prawn Project: A review of research 1986-88. QDPI Information Series QI90018. Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane. 137pp.

The eastern Bering Sea has experienced rapid and intensive development of commercial trawl fisheries. Because of good record keeping and the relatively brief history of fishing it is possible to reconstruct the spatial and temporal patterns of exploitation. Previously unfished (UF) areas can be identified and directly compared with heavily fished (HF) areas to investigate long-term consequences for the benthos. Using this approach, macrofauna populations in a shallow (48 m average) soft-bottom area were studied during 1996. Catch data were extracted from the AFSC NORPAC database for years 1973-2001 to provide a summary of trawl catch effort, specific focus was placed on the area within Fisheries Management Area 512. The total number of hauls and tonnage for each data point are provided. Foreign, domestic, and Joint Venture fishing vessels are also described.

AFMA Fisheries Assessment Report : The Torres Strait Prawn Fishery 2000. Refer to the published report: Turnbull C and Williams G. (2000) The Torres Strait Prawn Fishery 2000. Fisheries Assessment Report. Edited by the Torres Strait Fisheries Assessment Group. Australian Fisheries Management Authority, Canberra. 20pp.

The eastern Bering Sea has experienced rapid and intensive development of commercial trawl fisheries. Because of good record keeping and the relatively brief history of fishing it is possible to reconstruct the spatial and temporal patterns of exploitation. Previously unfished (UF) areas can be identified and directly compared with heavily fished (HF) areas to investigate long-term consequences for the benthos. Using this approach, macrofauna populations in a shallow (48 m average) soft-bottom area were studied during 1996.

The eastern Bering Sea has experienced rapid and intensive development of commercial trawl fisheries. Because of good record keeping and the relatively brief history of fishing it is possible to reconstruct the spatial and temporal patterns of exploitation. Previously unfished (UF) areas can be identified and directly compared with heavily fished (HF) areas to investigate long-term consequences for the benthos. Using this approach, macrofauna populations in a shallow (48 m average) soft-bottom area were studied during 1996. Catch data were extracted from the AFSC NORPAC database for years 1973-2001 to provide a summary of trawl catch effort, specific focus was placed on the area within Fisheries Management Area 512. The total number of hauls and tonnage for each data point are provided. Foreign, domestic, and Joint Venture fishing vessels are also described.

The eastern Bering Sea has experienced rapid and intensive development of commercial trawl fisheries. Because of good record keeping and the relatively brief history of fishing it is possible to reconstruct the spatial and temporal patterns of exploitation. Previously unfished (UF) areas can be identified and directly compared with heavily fished (HF) areas to investigate long-term consequences for the benthos. Using this approach, macrofauna populations in a shallow (48 m average) soft-bottom area were studied during 1996. Catch data were extracted from the AFSC NORPAC database for years 1973-2001 to provide a summary of trawl catch effort, specific focus was placed on the area within Fisheries Management Area 512. Data were merged with a 1nm grid that covered fisheries management area 512. The total number of hauls were summed for all points falling within each 1nm cell.

The 1994 issue of the Torres Prawn gives Torres Strait prawn fishers a picture of catch, species composition and effort across the fishery during 1993 and illustrates how the year compared with previous seasons. Refer to the report: van Montfrans B and Bishop M. (1994) The Torres Prawn, February 1994. AFMA. 14pp.