SCRC: Seafood CRC Product And Resources Mapping Within The Seafood Industry And Hospitality Training Packages
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
This project is needed to be able to identify which CRC products and resources link to various units from a variety of training packages to extend their use beyond CRC participants (e.g. for use as training material)
Development Of Options For Improving The Planning And Managing Of Abalone And Southern Rock Lobster Wild Catch R&D
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$49,849.01
Summary
The abalone wild capture fishery needs to address a number of biological constraints and socio-economic issues through a coordinated research effort to ensure sustainability, profitability and to develop to its full potential. In particular, research is required that addresses issues of immediate concern while acknowledging that some projects require long-term timeframes. There is therefore a need to promote a strategic plan and to develop collaborative research projects that address industry ....The abalone wild capture fishery needs to address a number of biological constraints and socio-economic issues through a coordinated research effort to ensure sustainability, profitability and to develop to its full potential. In particular, research is required that addresses issues of immediate concern while acknowledging that some projects require long-term timeframes. There is therefore a need to promote a strategic plan and to develop collaborative research projects that address industry bottlenecks and avoid duplication and unnecessary expenditure. This Abalone Wild Capture Subprogram will deliver the mechanism for the required collaboration while efficiently addressing research priorities identified by industry. This is to our knowledge the first proposed FRDC subprogram for a wild capture fishery that will address the whole of chain. It offers the opportunity, due to the stability of the industry organisations, to provide leadership to other fishery sectors in managing the interface between R&D, innovation and adoption. Objectives: 1. Document all current and committed R&D expenditure on wild catch abalone, including prioritisation and assessment processes, project objectives, deliverables and time frames. 2. To prepare an options paper which identifies and critically assess against the status quo the possible alternative R&D management scenarios for wild catch abalone. 3. To prepare a formal cost benefit analysis as part of the options paper for each R&D management scenario. 4. To present the options paper at the inaugural National Abalone Workshop (2001/305). Read moreRead less
Development Of A Fisheries Habitat Suitability Model Utilising A Geographic Information System
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$226,332.00
Summary
The FRDC Review of Fisheries Habitats stated that “we must know where and what must be conserved for sustainability of fisheries and mariculture, before we determine why and how to do it”. At present key uncertainties exist concerning both the relative values of fisheries habitats and the effects of human disturbances at both regional and local scales. As a result, the FRDC Review found that strategic R&D is needed to overcome the poor ability to predict and manage such disturbances. Specifi ....The FRDC Review of Fisheries Habitats stated that “we must know where and what must be conserved for sustainability of fisheries and mariculture, before we determine why and how to do it”. At present key uncertainties exist concerning both the relative values of fisheries habitats and the effects of human disturbances at both regional and local scales. As a result, the FRDC Review found that strategic R&D is needed to overcome the poor ability to predict and manage such disturbances. Specifically, the collection, interrogation and extension of new and existing fisheries and habitat data at scales useful to management are required.
While it is generally known which habitats fish are found in association with, the critical factors which govern fish-habitat usage are poorly understood. In the absence of knowledge about why fish are utilising specific habitats, techniques are required to provide managers with information about the relative importance of different habitats and an ability to predict the impact of different pressures on these habitats. A Habitat Suitability Modelling approach is an effective means that can be employed to enable fisheries managers to identify the spatial component of fish-habitat links and make informed decisions on the management of habitats. Objectives: 1. Develop a fisheries habitat suitability model for Victorian bays, inlets and nearshore waters utilising a Geographic Information System (GIS). 2. Integrate a wide range of existing spatial and non-spatial data for habitat types, environmental parameters, species distribution, species life histories and habitat requirements in the GIS through a relational database. 3. Develop a customised ArcView GIS user interface for querying the fisheries habitat suitability model and producing habitat suitability maps. 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
Reef Area Estimation And Habitat Typing By Aerial Photography (Project Cancelled)
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
Objectives: 1. Examine the feasibility of aerial photographic techniques for estimation of area and type of underwater rocky bottoms, 2. identification and mapping of abalone and associated macro-algal communities.
Methods For Monitoring Abundance And Habitat For Northern Australian Mud Crab Scylla Serrata
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$576,603.94
Summary
An estimate of stock size is a fundamental requirement in predicting a fishery's production potential and subsequently in developing ecologically sustainable management practices. As yet no stock estimates are available for Australian mud crab fisheries.
A number of factors make traditional stock assessment methods inappropriate for this fishery. Dr Carl Walters, in a 1996 review of the NT mud crab fishery, found that catch and effort models and assessment methods based on catch per u ....An estimate of stock size is a fundamental requirement in predicting a fishery's production potential and subsequently in developing ecologically sustainable management practices. As yet no stock estimates are available for Australian mud crab fisheries.
A number of factors make traditional stock assessment methods inappropriate for this fishery. Dr Carl Walters, in a 1996 review of the NT mud crab fishery, found that catch and effort models and assessment methods based on catch per unit effort data (CPUE) were inappropriate for assessment of this fishery due to non-randomness (hyperstability) in the spatial pattern of fishing effort. Mud crab fishers consistently fish down areas before moving to a new unfished or previously spelled area. Catch rates from this systematic local depletion process remain high, providing no evidence of stock decline. Likewise, use of traditional length-based models for estimating mortality and growth rates are problematic due to the non-continuous pattern (moult process) of crustacean growth. ( Walters 1996 FRDC Project No 96/158). Visual assessment techniques are also inappropriate due to the high turbidity of northern Australian tropical estuarine waters and fishing gear biases combined with species specific behavioral characteristics (i.e. burrowing) permits only the use of baited pots as a sampling tool. (pers. Comm. B. Hill 1999).
Recent upward trends in mud crab catch rates suggest that a degree of urgency in gaining estimates of mud crab stock size is warranted. Dr Walter's 1996 assessment results, based on the limited available data, suggested that the NT fishery was fully exploited (70-90% of available stock) and that there was little room for further development. However, in the following year the total NT mud crab catch doubled reaching 595 tonnes, with only a small increase in reported effort ( high levels of non-compliance were also reported). Qld total commercial catch has also substantially increased from approximately 400t in 1995 to 660t in 1998. Recreational and Indigenous activity trends also suggest increased activity.
Also of importance is recent work by Knuckey (1999) confirming Dr Walters conclusions that the NT Fishery (and probably Qld) heavily exploits the year one recruits. Considering the short lifespan (4 years) of this portunid crab, gaining an annual estimate of stock size is a high priority.
Anecdotal evidence from commercial fishers suggests that crab abundance follows a lunar cycle. This fine scale detail in catch variability is not evident from current logbook data and this may be a crucial factor in determining the optimal sampling period.
Given the accelerating pace of coastal development in northern Australia, identification and quantification of critical mud crab habitat is a priority for future protection of the ecosystem on which mud crab and various other stocks depend. Our ability to provide achievable biological reference points for the sustainable management of the mud crab fishery is limited by the nature of the fishing operation and the seasonal variability of catch rates.
A fishery-independent measure of stock abundance is needed to determine the size of the mud crab resource and therefore its sustainable harvest, including the potential for future development in areas such as Western Australia. Objectives: 1. Identify and quantify the area of critical mudcrab habitat in NT and QLD. 2. Develop and assess methods to estimate the size of northern Australian (NT, Qld) mud crab stocks. Read moreRead less
Application Of Satellite Real-time Sea Surface Temperature Data To The Tuna, Salmon And Pilchard Fisheries
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
Objectives: 1. Analyse catch databases, ascertain suitability with high-resolution ocean temp & position fixing techniques. 2. Determine relationships between satellite derived data & actual catch. 3. Does avail of real-time data significantly improve catch for same effort or same catch with less effort?
Linking Fishery-dependent And Fishery-independent Assessments Of Abalone Fisheries
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$412,571.00
Summary
Abalone stocks are vulnerable to localized depletion, followed by fishery collapse. In Australia, assessments of abalone fisheries have been written in all abalone-producing states. However, except in NSW (Worthington, 1998), the basis for those stock assessments is generally an anecdotal interpretation of un-standardized commercial catch-effort data and, sometimes, information on the size-composition of the catch. This information is often combined, in an informal way, with research data to giv ....Abalone stocks are vulnerable to localized depletion, followed by fishery collapse. In Australia, assessments of abalone fisheries have been written in all abalone-producing states. However, except in NSW (Worthington, 1998), the basis for those stock assessments is generally an anecdotal interpretation of un-standardized commercial catch-effort data and, sometimes, information on the size-composition of the catch. This information is often combined, in an informal way, with research data to give an impression of the status of the stocks. Performance indicators used do not tend to be biologically based. Most importantly, the sustainability of current catch levels is not known with any confidence. Meeting the guidelines from Environment Australia with regard to sustainability of fisheries will require a more formal assessment for such an important fishery.
The development of FRDC project 1999/116, to develop a National Abalone Model, is an attempt to answer the obvious need for a valid model. Currently, New South Wales is the only state where a stock assessment model is being used as the basis for fishery management decisions in an abalone fishery. In Tasmania, The inputs currently available to the model being developed include fishery-dependent catch-effort data, fishery-dependent length-frequency data, research length-frequency data, and estimates of biological parameters. The crucial data, missing from the inputs to the model, is a fishery-independent index of relative abundance. The survey techniques used in NSW and in Victoria have been found incapable of producing estimates with sufficient precision under Tasmanian conditions. There is thus a need to develop an optimum combination of fishery independent indices of abundance that will have application in the full range of Tasmanian abalone habitats. In addition, Tasmania's raw catch-effort data must be standardized prior to its use in a formal assessment model because of the high variability in catch rates between divers, areas, season, and other factors.
Specifically this project will: (1) better determine the relationship between catch-rate and abundance. This is needed for realistic standardisation of catch and effort statistics; (2) improve our understanding of the differences between commercial size-composition data and the actual size composition of the legal size abalone left after fishing (selectivity v availability). Such data are a key ingredient of stock assessment models; (3) assess the accuracy of diver logbook data. This will help ensure that the data requested via industry logbooks focuses on the most appropriate questions and will assist with appropriate standardisation.
The information gained will underpin the development of credible, realistic fisheries models for abalone, which will consequently improve the confidence with which abalone fisheries are managed. Increased confidence in fisheries management decisions will have measurable economic benefits. Objectives: 1. Establish the most appropriate fishery independent, index of relative abundance for a range of abalone habitats in Tasmania. 2. Develop methods of standardizing abalone catch-rate data that best relate catch-rates to abundance. 3. Establish the optimum means for obtaining validated fishery-dependent data. 4. Synthesize all results so they can be included in the abalone stock assessment model currently under development. Read moreRead less
Objectives: 1. Identify & study diseases & parasites affecting commercially important tropical & sub-tropical fishes of Australia 2. initially determine geographical, seasonal, age, sex & species distribution of external lesions in numerous estuarine species 3. ;; determine causes