Objectives: 1. To identify whether the effects of estuary hauling over seagrass meadows is identifiable at the estuary level. 2. To assess the 'within-estuary' impacts of hauling, if any, on seagrass frond height, density and cover. 3. To interpret the results in relation to known information on the utilisation of the seagrass habitat by fish.
The Occurrence And Significance Of Pathogenic Vibrios In Oysters
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
Objectives: 1. Obtain information enabling the oyster industry to minimise the risk of an outbreak of oyster-borne illness caused by pathogens Vibrio parahaemolyticus and V. cholerae 2. Examine the ecology of these vibrios & their behaviour in Sydney rock oysters
Seagrass Strategic Review And Development Of An R&D Plan
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$178,918.00
Summary
FRDC has identified a critical need to obtain a stategic review of seagrasses and to develop an R&D plan to address seagrass-fisheries related issues. It has requested that CSIRO develop a proposal to address its needs. These include the need to: · determine the status of Australian seagrass research and knowledge · review of seagrass monitoring and assessment · review of knowledge of links between seagrass and fisheries sustainability · review knowledge on seagrass and fisheri ....FRDC has identified a critical need to obtain a stategic review of seagrasses and to develop an R&D plan to address seagrass-fisheries related issues. It has requested that CSIRO develop a proposal to address its needs. These include the need to: · determine the status of Australian seagrass research and knowledge · review of seagrass monitoring and assessment · review of knowledge of links between seagrass and fisheries sustainability · review knowledge on seagrass and fisheries management · review information on seagrass remediation and restoration projects . develop and R&D plan that includes key strategic areas, goals, priority research, a framework of how agencies will link and to define the various leadership roles. Objectives: 1. To review the status of Australian seagrasses with respect to the status of Australian seagrass research and knowledge. 2. To review the status of Australian seagrasses with respect to the status of seagrass monitoring and assessment. 3. To review the status of Australian seagrasses with respect to the status of knowledge of links between seagrass and fisheries sustainability. 4. To review the status of Australian seagrasses with respect to the status of knowledge of seagrass and fisheries management. 5. To review the status of Australian seagrasses with respect to the status of knowledge of remediation and restoration projects. 6. To develop an R&D plan that includes:. key strategic areas. goals . priority research. framework, how agencies will link e.g. EA, FRDC, State, etc. definition of leadership roles Read moreRead less
Documenting The Decline In Fisheries Productivity Due To Habitat Loss - Tropical, Eastern And Southern Australia
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$24,000.00
Summary
1 - Recreatiopnal Fishing - As identified at the 2012 Recreational Fishing Conference, the vast majority of recreational fishing is inshore. The Conference agreed that habitat protection and repair was one of its four priorities. RESPONSE- This project spports this priority with the objective of collecting and disseminating in clear and unambiguous terms the loss of inshore productivity due to habitat decline and thence the opportunity for productivity improvement with habitat repair. 1 - Recreatiopnal Fishing - As identified at the 2012 Recreational Fishing Conference, the vast majority of recreational fishing is inshore. The Conference agreed that habitat protection and repair was one of its four priorities. RESPONSE- This project spports this priority with the objective of collecting and disseminating in clear and unambiguous terms the loss of inshore productivity due to habitat decline and thence the opportunity for productivity improvement with habitat repair.
2 - Aquaculture - A recent FRDC project developing an Oyster Portal for the oyster industry has clearly identified the decline in Sydney Rock production, much of which can be directly attributed to habitat loss/ net primary productivity decline. RESPONSE - SRO will be included as one of the indicator fisheries. Growing technology has improved, demand for product is high but production continues to decline.
3 - Commercial Fishing - The Coorong fishery, the prawn fisheries and the barramundi fishery have all been interacting with the PI seeking repair of inshore productivity. All have specific areas of habitat repair and legitimate proposals - eg Burdekin floodplain - over 1500 bunds prohibiting barramundi accessing previous estuarine to freshwater systems; eg Coorong- proposals to maximise the benefits of the increased fresh water in the Murray. RESPONSE - barramundi, school prawns and coorong fishery will all be case studies
4 - Investor Interest - the Australian Government is keen to invest its Biodiversity Fund in major repair works to theAustralian landscape. RESPONSE - The companion FRDC funded Business case for habitat repair will suggest a major program of about $300M, including about $10M for further research. This small investment will collate and promate summary facts and figures on the productivity declinne in Australia's estuary fisheries and therefore the benefits of inshore habitat repair. Objectives: 1. To quantify the decline in productivity within tropical estuarine to freshwater systems due to habitat loss and estimate the productivity opportunities of repair 2. To quantify the decline in productivity within Australia's subtropical and temperate east coast major floodplain dominated estuaries due to habitat loss and estimate the productivity opportunities of repair 3. To quantify the decline in productivity within the lower lakes and Coorong, including hypothesising on flow ons to recruitment within Victorian southern estuary systems due to the barrages and overall loss of connectivity and estimate the productivity opportunities of repair in connectivity and freshwater - marine mixing in the Coorong Read moreRead less
Rebuilding Ecosystem Resilience: Assessment Of Management Options To Minimise Formation Of ‘barrens’ Habitat By The Long-spined Sea Urchin (Centrostephanus Rodgersii) In Tasmania
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$828,551.00
Summary
There is clearly potential for C. rodgersii barrens to cover ~50% of nearshore reefs on the east coast of Tasmania, as is already the case in NSW and the Kent Group in Bass Strait. This would reduce both the Tasmanian abalone and rock lobster fisheries by ~15%, with a loss of value totalling ~$25M (before processing). The need for a management response is self evident.
Large rock lobsters (=135 mm CL) are the key predators of C. rodgersii in Tasmania, and experiments have shown clearly ....There is clearly potential for C. rodgersii barrens to cover ~50% of nearshore reefs on the east coast of Tasmania, as is already the case in NSW and the Kent Group in Bass Strait. This would reduce both the Tasmanian abalone and rock lobster fisheries by ~15%, with a loss of value totalling ~$25M (before processing). The need for a management response is self evident.
Large rock lobsters (=135 mm CL) are the key predators of C. rodgersii in Tasmania, and experiments have shown clearly they can prevent sea urchin populations from building to the point where overgrazing occurs. There is urgent need to assess the viability of controlling C. rodgersii populations through changing current management of the rock lobster fishery, and through targeted removal by divers as a tactical response on small scales.
However, before management instruments are invoked in an attempt to minimise the risk of further development of barrens habitat or rehabilitate existing barrens, it is imperative to carefully evaluate the effectiveness of potential management strategies. The proposed research will provide the necessary information and knowledge base to enable robust management decisions.
The proposed work has strong support from managers and the fishing industry in Tasmania, is acknowledged as a high priority by the relevant RAGs, and addresses several high priorities on both the State and TAFI strategic research plans. Objectives: 1. To assess the effectiveness of translocating large rock lobsters (=135 mm CL) en masse as means of preventing formation of incipient barrens and rehabilitating incipient and extensive barrens. 2. To assess the effectiveness of a range of management options (e.g. imposing upper size limits and spatial management) in building the biomass of large (=135 mm CL) rock lobsters to levels sufficient to limit C. rodgersii populations. 3. To assess the effectiveness of killing or removing sea urchins by abalone divers during the conduct of their fishing activity, as a means of preventing formation of incipient barrens and rehabilitating incipient and extensive barrens. Read moreRead less