Is a grass-fire cycle reducing biodiversity in the stone country of Kakadu National Park? There is concern that bushfires in northern Australia are causing biodiversity loss. The project will compare fire regimes and populations of a fire-sensitive tree, Callitris intratropica, in Kakadu to similar areas in central Arnhem Land, to see how fire management can be optimised to prevent further biodiversity loss on the Arnhem Plateau.
Investigating Sources Of Broodstock And Grow Out Sites For The Farming Of Sponges In Regional Northern Territory
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$13,500.00
Summary
Whilst at least three potential species of sponge have been identified, together with communities eager to participate, there is no information on the abundance of these sponges to act as broodstock, not detailed information on site suitability.
This project will build on the work of the pilot study (FRDC 2001/225) which indicated sponge farming appeared to be technologically, economically and culturally suited to remote indigenous areas.
Commonwealth and State governments incr ....Whilst at least three potential species of sponge have been identified, together with communities eager to participate, there is no information on the abundance of these sponges to act as broodstock, not detailed information on site suitability.
This project will build on the work of the pilot study (FRDC 2001/225) which indicated sponge farming appeared to be technologically, economically and culturally suited to remote indigenous areas.
Commonwealth and State governments increasingly recognise the need to foster economic activity which increases the participation of indigenous people in the fishing industry. This is particularly relevant in the NT where 28% of the population is aboriginal and some 85% of the coastline is aboriginal owned. Objectives: 1. Survey the area surrounding participating communities to determine broodstock abundance. 2. Select possible sites on which to establish farms. Read moreRead less
Modelling Multi Species Targeting Of Fishing Effort In The Queensland Coral Reef Finfish Fishery
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$369,128.00
Summary
The Coral Reef Fin Fish Fishery (CRFF) is a multi-species line fishery. Until recently there have been substantial gaps in our knowledge of the biology of even the major target species of the line fishery and considerable uncertainty about the impacts of current levels of fishing on the harvested stocks.
The CRC Reef Effects of Line Fishing (ELF) Project has provided an improved understanding of: i) the biology of the major target (coral trout and the red throat emperor) and by-product ....The Coral Reef Fin Fish Fishery (CRFF) is a multi-species line fishery. Until recently there have been substantial gaps in our knowledge of the biology of even the major target species of the line fishery and considerable uncertainty about the impacts of current levels of fishing on the harvested stocks.
The CRC Reef Effects of Line Fishing (ELF) Project has provided an improved understanding of: i) the biology of the major target (coral trout and the red throat emperor) and by-product species (stripey bass, moari wrasse, barramundi cod, lesser serranid spp, etc) and, ii) the characteristics and fishing practices of the different sectors of the fishery. One of the main tools for delivery of the outcomes of the ELF Project is ELFSIM, a set of simulation models that will be used to evaluate alternative management strategies against specific objectives for common coral trout.
Given the multi-species nature of the CRFFF, there is a need to address the implications for the effectiveness of alternative management strategies of fishers harvesting different species, with divergent distributions and biology, either by targeting or as a significant by-product when targeting other species. This is especially relevant on GBR where many species have different spatial distributions and area closures are a prominent management strategy that directly affects the distribution of fishing effort. An example of a potential management strategy that includes criteria for which coral trout and red throat emperor differ substantially is the proposed spawning closures currently being considered by REEFMAC. The proposed closures target the peak spawning period for common coral trout (October-November). This period does not, however, include the majority of the spawning season for red throat emperor (July-September). The potential effects of the closures, if implemented, on the harvest of either species, the spatial distribution of effort and impact on the fish stocks are unknown. The models proposed in this task will provide a formal context in which to examine the range of potential responses.
Previously our capacity to address the multi-species nature of the fishery was limited by a paucity of information (for target species and fishing practices) and lack of a formal framework (management strategy evaluation (MSE)) to do so. This project is a strategic requirement to explicitly incorporate the multi-species nature of the CRFF in the evaluation of alternative management strategies for line fishing on the GBR. While this project focusses on the CRFF, the tools developed will provide the basis for extension to include other species of the line fishery or application to other fisheries. This project directly addresses QFIRAC objectives 1.8, 3.2, 3.4, 3.5 & 5.4 and ReefMAC’s and GBRMPA's concern for management of the diversity of impacts of the line fishery on species other than coral trout. Objectives: 1. Document the decision-making processes that influence effort distribtuion of GBR line fishers in response to varying amounts of catch of target and non-target species and characterise the factors that result in changes in targeting behaviour by GBR line fishers. 2. Develop computer simulation models that predict the spatial distribution of effort by commercial line fishers in response to changing levels of catch of target and non-target species in the Queensland Coral Reef Fin Fish Fishery. 3. Formally evaluate alternative harvest and conservation management strategies for coral trout and red throat emperor for the Queensland Coral Reef Fin Fish Fishery, given models of changes in fishing strategy related to the harvest of multiple species, either through target switching or retention of significant by-product. Read moreRead less
Stock Structure And Species Identification Of School And Gummy Sharks In Australasian Waters
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$156,446.00
Summary
Objectives: 1. To determine how many species of gummy shark exist in Australasian waters and to determine their distribution 2. To determine whether there is more than one species of school shark world wide 3. To determine the genetic stock structures of school and gummy sharks in Australasian waters
Surrogates 1 - Predictors, Impacts, Management And Conservation Of The Benthic Biodiversity Of The Northern Prawn Fishery
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$314,554.00
Summary
NORMAC 45 agreed that as a high priority a pro-active approach to assessing the potential areas for designation as MPAs, and the impact of their potential designation on the fishery, would benefit the NPF. NORMAC also suggested that the NPF be offered as a trial fishery to test and refine the Environment Australia criteria, to demonstrate that a fishery is ecologically sustainable. The Commonwealth government is committed to setting up a National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas t ....NORMAC 45 agreed that as a high priority a pro-active approach to assessing the potential areas for designation as MPAs, and the impact of their potential designation on the fishery, would benefit the NPF. NORMAC also suggested that the NPF be offered as a trial fishery to test and refine the Environment Australia criteria, to demonstrate that a fishery is ecologically sustainable. The Commonwealth government is committed to setting up a National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas throughout Australia's entire marine environment that will protect areas representative of all major ecological regions and the communities of plants and animals found there. It is in the interest of the NPF that this system is used as an opportunity to achieve sustained, and possibly increased returns from tiger prawn fishing and also to conserve biodiversity.
The outcomes of this project will assist NORMAC in meeting their responsibility to demonstrate that the NPF is an ecologically sustainable commercial fishery, under the Commonwealth Fisheries Management Act (1991), the new Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act (effective July 2000) and the Wildlife Protection (regulation of Exports and Imports) Acts 1982. Fisheries will be assessed to ensure that they are conducted in accordance with the EPBC Act and if they are not, their ability to export product could be threatened. It is, therefore, critical for NORMAC to evaluate its management strategies to ensure that they meet the requirements of the legislation. This proposal also addresses key research priorities of the benthic communities/physical impacts research area of the FRDC Effects of Trawling Sub-Program.
The results from the proposal contribute to the strategic directions of Environment Australia. In the short term, EA are looking at developing a proposal for a Marine Protected Area in the southern Gulf of Carpentaria. However, in the longer term, the results from this project on identifying different ecosystems, and modelling different management scenarios, will provide information for the selection process of MPA's in the Northern Prawn Fishery and on potential management strategies for conserving biodiversity values. This project will also provide information on methods for assessing the effectiveness of MPAs for conserving biodiversity. Objectives: 1. Assess the potential of physical, research and fishery data to classify benthic species assemblages within the NPF 2. Develop maps of benthic species assemblages, fine–scale patterns of trawling intensity and the untrawlable grounds for key areas in the NPF 3. Assess the sampling strategies required to extend the coverage of data on benthic species assemblages and untrawlable grounds in the NPF 4. Apply the existing CSIRO/GBRMPA East Coast Trawl Fishery management scenario evaluation model to evaluate the impacts of trawling on benthic species assemblages under a number of likely scenarios for several regions of the NPF 5. Develop a planning tool that will assist in identifying different reserve configurations to achieve specified biodiversity and other environmental targets, while maximising the value of the commercial fishery Read moreRead less
Restoring resilience in wildlife populations. This project will be the first to develop landscape models of habitat quality for wildlife that are based on a mechanistic, animal-centric approach to quantifying habitat. This will be an important step in understanding the habitat elements that wildlife need to live in altered landscapes, with implications central to restoration and revegetation.
The role of life history and food supply in the extinction of carnivorous marsupials. This project will test why marsupial predators show exceptionally diverse species lifespan and reproductive traits, reveal how these are affected by prey supply and climate change, and how they are linked to alarming species declines in our north. Understanding causes of vulnerability will help to focus conservation efforts to avert extinctions
An elemental hypothesis for sub-tropical refugia in reef corals. This project aims to discover the underlying traits that permit Australian reef corals to live near the edges of their ranges in relatively cool water. As ocean temperatures warm, novel communities are expected to develop in high latitude ecosystems, which might become important as thermal refugia for low latitude coral reefs. The project aims to test the role of elemental composition (carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) in coral host ....An elemental hypothesis for sub-tropical refugia in reef corals. This project aims to discover the underlying traits that permit Australian reef corals to live near the edges of their ranges in relatively cool water. As ocean temperatures warm, novel communities are expected to develop in high latitude ecosystems, which might become important as thermal refugia for low latitude coral reefs. The project aims to test the role of elemental composition (carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) in coral host and symbiont response to changing water temperature along a latitudinal gradient. The intended outcome of the project is to provide knowledge to support predictions of likely species migrations from tropical to subtropical waters, enabling managers to anticipate the future response of coral communities to seawater warming.Read moreRead less
Have we already lost the Australian lungfish? This project aims to use radiocarbon ageing, conservation genetics and modelling to identify threats to the long-term survival of the Australian lungfish, the world's oldest living vertebrate. This project will provide managers with a powerful tool to prioritise management interventions to ensure the conservation of the species and to pull it back from extinction.