Improving And Promoting Fish-trawl Selectivity In The Commonwealth Trawl Sector (CTS) And Great Australian Bight Trawl Sector (GABTS) Of The Southern And Eastern Scalefish And Shark Fishery (SESSF)
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$776,141.00
Summary
It is very clear that fishing-technology research to improve resource harvesting is a priority need for the future sustainability of fish trawling in Australia. The issue is quite poignant, considering that over the past 15 years, there has been a massive reduction in the total number of trawlers in Australia, and lower profits among remaining operators struggling to remain viable. Innovative modifications and refinements to existing systems that improve selectivity and reduce environmental impa ....It is very clear that fishing-technology research to improve resource harvesting is a priority need for the future sustainability of fish trawling in Australia. The issue is quite poignant, considering that over the past 15 years, there has been a massive reduction in the total number of trawlers in Australia, and lower profits among remaining operators struggling to remain viable. Innovative modifications and refinements to existing systems that improve selectivity and reduce environmental impacts and costs are an urgent priority to ensure economic viability. Such developments are difficult to achieve by individual fishers without quality research, development and extension that is adequately resourced.
More specifically, there is a clear need to maintain progress towards developing innovative, high-priority technological modifications to fish trawls in the CTS and GABTS that mitigate sustainability issues while maintaining target catches at existing levels. Equally important, ratified designs then need to be tested across fleets to encourage adoption and refinement as a precursor to eventual legislation. Ultimately, satisfying these needs will contribute towards improving the social licence and economic return of trawl fisheries in the SESSF, while helping to ensure their ongoing sustainability and address what remains one of the most controversial issues facing bottom trawling.
Objectives: 1. Review the available domestic and international literature and data, and consult with a project stakeholder committee (comprising representatives of the CTS, GABTS, NSW PFA and AFMA) to prioritise modifications to be formally assessed for their utility in minimising bycatch, while maintaining target catches among trawls used in the CTS and GABTS. 2. Based on the outcomes of 1 above, assess the utility of existing and new modifications to trawls for minimising bycatch, while maintaining target catches in the CTS and GABTS. 3. By providing strong economic incentives through improved efficiencies, and via applied extension activities, encourage the wide-scale voluntary adoption and ongoing exploration of appropriate best-practice technologies that cumulatively reduce bycatches, while maintaining target catches in the CTS and GABTS. Read moreRead less
Assessment Of The Interactive Effects Of Climate Change, Floods And Discard Stress On The Commercially Important Mud Crab (Scylla Serrata) And Blue Swimmer Crab (Portunus Armatus) - Postgraduate
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$75,000.00
Summary
Environmental conditions and chemical contaminants present in natural environments influence the physiology and body condition of marine species (Lloret, Shulman et al. 2014, Champion, Hobday et al. 2020, Bolin, Schoeman et al. 2021, Butcherine, Kelaher et al. 2021). Understanding these relationships may enable fishers to avoid fishing at times or in locations when survival or resource quality are compromised. Assessing how extreme levels of environmental variation that prevail in estuarine syst ....Environmental conditions and chemical contaminants present in natural environments influence the physiology and body condition of marine species (Lloret, Shulman et al. 2014, Champion, Hobday et al. 2020, Bolin, Schoeman et al. 2021, Butcherine, Kelaher et al. 2021). Understanding these relationships may enable fishers to avoid fishing at times or in locations when survival or resource quality are compromised. Assessing how extreme levels of environmental variation that prevail in estuarine systems, in conjunction with associated inputs of key agricultural chemicals affect the survival, physiology and flesh quality of the commercially valuable giant mud and blue swimmer crabs is required to develop this capacity. Further, netted gears (including gillnets, trawls and traps) are used to target (or incidentally catch) giant mud and blue swimmer crabs in NSW estuaries, but these are poorly selective for minimum legal sizes (Leland, Butcher et al. 2013), resulting in massive proportions of individuals (e.g. up to > 50 %) being discarded with at least some physical damage (typically missing appendages; Leland, Butcher et al. 2013). This project will integrate the effects of major rain fall events with associated inputs from agricultural run-off and simulated discarding to gain an in-depth understanding of how environmental change, land-use and discarding impacts the study species. Objectives: 1. Provide the opportunity for a post-graduate research student to work with industry and managers, gain exposure to stakeholder’s perspectives on the issue and undertake high-quality research that results in the production of scientific outputs. 2. To correlate physiological indicators in giant mud and blue swimmer crabs with water quality parameters in different catchments during run-off events 3. To assess the synergistic effects of low salinity, pesticides simulated discarding on biochemical stress biomarkers in giant mud and blue swimmer crabs 4. To assess the effects of agricultural run-off and reduced salinity during flooding on the condition, texture and appearance of flesh from harvested giant mud and blue swimmer crabs. Read moreRead less
Nuffield Australia Farming Scholarship To Study Practices In The Fishing Industry
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$322,000.00
Summary
The Nuffield Scholarship program relates to the 'People' section of FRDC's RD&E program, needed to attract and advance people who will lead fishing and aquaculture towards a sustainable and profitable future. The FRDC has taken a strong role in this area, facilitating access to leadership development for all sectors of fishing and aquaculture.
Unlike many capacity building programs that place focus on working within communities in their own environments, Nuffield Australia seeks to bre ....The Nuffield Scholarship program relates to the 'People' section of FRDC's RD&E program, needed to attract and advance people who will lead fishing and aquaculture towards a sustainable and profitable future. The FRDC has taken a strong role in this area, facilitating access to leadership development for all sectors of fishing and aquaculture.
Unlike many capacity building programs that place focus on working within communities in their own environments, Nuffield Australia seeks to break the cycle of everyday life in primary production. The approach is to organise and facilitate international study tours that allow participants to break away from their normal routine and gain a global perspective on how other producers around the world operate their businesses and apply leadership in their industry.
A Nuffield Scholarship targets young primary producers who are already on the leading edge of production practices and technology uptake in their respective communities in Australia. The program is necessary to further enhance those individuals’ skills, elevate their status as role models and innovative leaders amongst their own broader community, thus having a ripple effect that goes far beyond their immediate participation.
Objectives: 1. To build the capacity of the fisheries industry to overcome the challenges of a global and internationally competitive environment through the provision of FRDC support for five Nuffield Farming Scholarships over the next five years. Read moreRead less