Closing the loop: understanding the relationships between recreational fishing surveys, fishing regulations and fisheries management objectives. The project aims to improve the management of recreational fisheries in Australia by using model-based evaluations to understand the effects of recreational fishing regulations and survey design on the realisation and assessment of fisheries management objectives.
Review the preconditions and the underpinning industry and government structures necessary for the successful implementation of co management Objectives: 1. To investigate the resilience of the various co-management approaches to a changing fishing operational environment (biophysical and socio-governance) 2. To look at the lessons learnt, and the challenges arising from, the implementation of co-management in all jurisdictions; with a view to identifying positive and negati ....Review the preconditions and the underpinning industry and government structures necessary for the successful implementation of co management Objectives: 1. To investigate the resilience of the various co-management approaches to a changing fishing operational environment (biophysical and socio-governance) 2. To look at the lessons learnt, and the challenges arising from, the implementation of co-management in all jurisdictions; with a view to identifying positive and negative drivers 3. To assess the skill sets needed to successfully implement co-management 4. To assess how to resource co-management once the fishery has moved past the RD&E phase 5. To identify the relevant RD&E questions to inform future investment 6. To document recommendations for the future implementation of co management Read moreRead less
Minimising Gear Conflict And Resource Sharing Issues In The Shark Bay Trawl Fisheries And Promotion Of Scallop Recruitment
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$845,578.00
Summary
There is an urgent need to develop an understanding of the level of gear interaction between the prawn and scallop sectors and whether this may be a cause for the recent low scallop recruitment (and subsequent catches) in the fishery and if scallop fishing negatively impacts on prawns. This urgency was noted at a recent workshop reviewing the research and management needs in the Shark Bay trawl fisheries. Both sectors (prawn and scallop) support the need to fully and rigorously address the iss ....There is an urgent need to develop an understanding of the level of gear interaction between the prawn and scallop sectors and whether this may be a cause for the recent low scallop recruitment (and subsequent catches) in the fishery and if scallop fishing negatively impacts on prawns. This urgency was noted at a recent workshop reviewing the research and management needs in the Shark Bay trawl fisheries. Both sectors (prawn and scallop) support the need to fully and rigorously address the issue of gear interactions in those areas of the fishery where the distribution of the target species overlap. Scallop fishers are concerned that repeated trawling by the prawn fleet on scallop grounds may be affecting scallop recruitment. The use of adaptive management techniques such as trialling spatial closures within specific areas of the scallop fishery will provide key information about the usefulness of this management approach for the short-lived and sedentary scallop species Amusium balloti and to assess the impact of the closures on the capture of migrating prawns. This project will be used as a pilot study to assess whether closures can assist increase scallop recruitment and if area closures could be used as a possible management strategy in the future. Completion of this project should therefore result in information required to help optimise the use of these resources and assist in resolving the resource sharing conflicts between sectors within the region.
Developing specific models of water and scallop larval movements within Shark Bay along with an assessment of the relevant environmental variables (eg. SST) would also provide insights into the potential causes of the relatively low level of scallop recruitment in areas that were traditionally reliable scallop grounds. Objectives: 1. To determine size specific recapture mortality rates of Amusium balloti as a result of repeated capture and release experiments and gear impacts on newly recruited (juvenile) scallops. 2. To examine the impacts of various scallop mesh sizes for the capture of the target size of Amusium balloti and its impact on damage to and retention of prawns. 3. To investigate if small-scale spatial closures assist recruitment of Amusium balloti by reducing gear impacts and capture mortality but without affecting overall prawn catches. 4. To examine whether existing hydrodynamic models can guide the selection of spatial closures and to investigate the larval transport mechanisms of both prawn and scallop larvae in Shark Bay. Read moreRead less
Fisheries Research Handbook - The Evaluation, Prioritisation And Selection Of A Research Portfolio.
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
Objectives: 1. To provide an operational priority assessment framework which could be used to identify broad areas of research opportunity; 2. To use this framework to identify the research areas that are likely to provide the greatest potential benefits on a fishery-by-fishery basis; 3. To provide an operational mechanism that can be used to rank fisheries research proposals and choose the research portfolio with the highest expected pay-offs while taking into account the risks ....Objectives: 1. To provide an operational priority assessment framework which could be used to identify broad areas of research opportunity; 2. To use this framework to identify the research areas that are likely to provide the greatest potential benefits on a fishery-by-fishery basis; 3. To provide an operational mechanism that can be used to rank fisheries research proposals and choose the research portfolio with the highest expected pay-offs while taking into account the risks associated with each research project; 4. To provide annual gross value of production estimates for Australian fisheries for a three year period. Read moreRead less
Port Curtis Mud Crab Shell Disease - Nature, Distribution & Management
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$235,622.00
Summary
A previously unrecorded shell disease syndrome in mud crabs needs to be researched because:
OBJECTIVE 1 - By developing a grading system and defining the histological process, new early lesions can be identified and the cause isolated if it is an infectious agent.
OBJECTIVE 2 - (a) Prevalence of the disease in each life stage (egg, juvenile, adults) will help to define what stages are susceptible and therefore what preventative measures can be taken in management strategie ....A previously unrecorded shell disease syndrome in mud crabs needs to be researched because:
OBJECTIVE 1 - By developing a grading system and defining the histological process, new early lesions can be identified and the cause isolated if it is an infectious agent.
OBJECTIVE 2 - (a) Prevalence of the disease in each life stage (egg, juvenile, adults) will help to define what stages are susceptible and therefore what preventative measures can be taken in management strategies.
Prevalence in Port Curtis compared with other areas (with different water quality parameters) will help to define what secondary factors may be involved.
(b) Infection trials in juveniles and adults will determine the virulence of the (potentially) infectious agent under controlled conditions. With the 1995 total mud crab catch in Central Queensland being approximately 18% down on the previous year (Qfish database) the affect of the disease on numbers needs investigating.
(c) If adhesions caused by ulcerations prevent molting, two scenarios can occur.
(i) prevents mating (mating only occurs when a female is in the soft shell form during molting) - prevent reproduction - reduced egg number - total mud crab numbers decline.
(ii) prevents growth - death (molting is required for growth to occur).
OBJECTIVE 3 - If the condition is contagious then it has the possibility of spreading to prawns and other crustacean spp. This is important not only to commercial fisheries but environmentally ie other crabs which are keystone species in mangrove communities. If cross infection does occur then strict hygiene regulations will need to be implemented to prevent entry into commercial aquaculture farms.
OBJECTIVE 4 - A management plan is needed (based on the above data) to reduce the impact on both wild and cultured crustaceans. Objectives: 1. Define the histologic stages of the lesion by developing a pathological sequence of events and isolate the cause/s. 2. Define the Epidemiology2a) Define the prevalence and distribution of the disease in each age group in Port Curtis. Determine if the same disease occurs in other areas.2b) Determine morbidity/mortality rates in selected age groups by controlled experiments. Determine if there is any affect on growth.2c) Determine if affected crabs are able to molt and therefore mate successfully by experimentally observing different combinations of diseased male/female crabs. Determine if the ulcerations can be shed by the crab during a molt. Is there a healing stage? 3. Cross InfectionIf an infectious agent is isolated/identified - determine its ability to cross infect other species of crustaceans eg marine prawns and other crustacean spp. 4. Depending on the agent isolated/identified - work out a management strategy to lessen the effects of 'rust spot' disease. Read moreRead less
Developing A Plan For Delivery Of FRDC National Priority One And Development Of Whichfish Web Template
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$22,244.76
Summary
Develop priority plan for Priority 1 Objectives: 1. Hold workshop to develop plan for Priority 1 2. Develop web based templates for Whichfish risk based evaluation
Rapporteur/editor For The Indo-Pacific Commission Symposium On The Exploitation And Management Of Marine Fishery Resources In South-east Asia, Darwin, Australia, 16-19 February 1987
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
Objectives: 1. Provide a high-quality reporting of the proceedings during the symposium and appropriate editing afterwards for publication