The tuna industry and Federal Fishing Authorities are still negotiating over exactly what level of scrutiny is appropriate on the fishing grounds.
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) last year stated it wanted to observe 10 per cent of fishing activity.
And while observing is mandatory for all Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) members, the Australian tuna industry immediately raised concerns about the practicality and necessity of that amount of observation.
Tuna industry spokesman Brian Jeffriess said negotiations were continuing, even though some fish had already been caught and transferred to cages off Port Lincoln.
"The nature and extent of the program is what is at issue and what is still being worked out," Jeffriess said.
He said there was still a lot of time left in the season with the actual catching of the fish taking place over the next two months and the process of towing the fish back would take slightly longer.
Jeffriess said there were on average about 120 shots each season and about 40 towing operations and the question was whether 10 per cent of these activities should be observed.
The industry expected AFMA to maintain its usual presence on the fishing grounds through the State Fisheries vessels and officers contracted to police the Federal fishery.
AFMA acting managing director Geoff Rohan said 10 percent observer coverage was an appropriate and achievable level, and the authority was working through the process for the observer program for this year.
"It will be a learning experience, with this year's program serving to better develop the observer program into the future," he said,
â€The program will allow independent, objective and reliable data collection which may well lend weight to the process and help bear out what is actually happening with bycatch and mortalityâ€.
"It will give not only fishery managers, but research organizations and the industry itself, up-to-date information on catch effort and practiceâ€.