Biological And Fisheries Data For Managing Deep Sea Crabs In Western Australia
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$347,674.00
Summary
Since the snow crab is presumably slow growing and long-lived and therefore vulnerable to overfishing, there is a pressing need for collecting baseline biological and fishery data that can be used to produce a preliminary stock assessment for assisting in the management and conservation of this species in Western Australia. Mechanisms for obtaining data on size compositions and catch statistics for the fishery in the early stages of its development need to be established so that the extent to wh ....Since the snow crab is presumably slow growing and long-lived and therefore vulnerable to overfishing, there is a pressing need for collecting baseline biological and fishery data that can be used to produce a preliminary stock assessment for assisting in the management and conservation of this species in Western Australia. Mechanisms for obtaining data on size compositions and catch statistics for the fishery in the early stages of its development need to be established so that the extent to which large animals are depleted as a result of fishing pressure can be determined.
In the early stages of the proposed work, it will be necessary to determine the catch and distribution of the commercial fishery and the size (carapace length), sex ratio and relative abundance by depth of the crabs that form the basis for the fishery. This will enable any future changes that occur in these characteristics as a result of fishing pressure to be detected.
Since snow crabs are expected to have long intermoult periods, it will be necessary to tag crabs as soon as possible to provide, in the relatively near future, information on growth rates, movements, and estimates of yield and eggs (or spawning biomass) per recruit.
Accurate information is needed on the size at which snow crabs first reach maturity and how frequently spawning occurs within a year.
Information is required on the size of gaps in traps that would allow sublegal sized crabs to escape and thereby prevent unnecessary mortality and displacement.
A basic stock assessment is required to meet Environment Australia’s Schedule 4 exemption in the short term and Fisheries WA/Environment Australia requirements whch are to be initiated in December 2002. Objectives: 1. Implement a voluntary log book system in which fishers will record the number, size and location of capture of crabs and establish the data bases that are necessay to record and maintain logbook, size composition and tagging data. 2. Collect and process biological research data on the size, weight, moult stage, shell state, sex ratio, gonadal weight and gonadal stage of snow crabs caught by commercial fishers at regular intervals during the year. 3. Determine the relative abundance of snow crabs in the various depths and regions in which this species is fished. 4. Determine the patterns of movement, growth and frequency of spawning of snow crabs. 5. Determine the size of snow crabs at first maturity. 6. Determine the effectiveness of the escape gaps currently in use in the fishery in reducing the catch of sub-legal sized crystal crabs. 7. Undertake an experiment to infer short-term movement and changes in density resulting from localized depletion of the fishing grounds. 8. Produce an initial assessment of the status of the snow crab stock on the west coast of WA. Read moreRead less
Objectives: 1. Define unit stocks for fisheries management of northern populations of Spanish mackerel, barramundi and blacktip shark. 2. Use electrophoretic analysis of protein variation to characterise each sp, examine for stock heterogeneity, define geographical boundaries
Movement Patterns And Stock Structure Of Australian Sardine (Sardinops Sagax) Off South Australia And The East Coast: Implications For Future Stock Assessment And Management
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$248,797.00
Summary
This project is needed to assess the potential for increasing catches of sardine in the fisheries off SA (i.e. SASF) and the East Coast (i.e. NSW Ocean Haul Fishery and SPF).
For the SASF, information on the patterns and rates of movement of sardines between the Great Australian Bight (where the majority of the spawning biomass is located) and southern Spencer Gulf (where most fishing is conducted) is needed to determine whether (or not) future potential increases in the TAC should be ....This project is needed to assess the potential for increasing catches of sardine in the fisheries off SA (i.e. SASF) and the East Coast (i.e. NSW Ocean Haul Fishery and SPF).
For the SASF, information on the patterns and rates of movement of sardines between the Great Australian Bight (where the majority of the spawning biomass is located) and southern Spencer Gulf (where most fishing is conducted) is needed to determine whether (or not) future potential increases in the TAC should be accompanied by the establishment of zones within the fishery.
For the NSW Ocean Haul Fishery and SPF, information on the patterns and rates of movement of sardines along the East Coast is needed to assess the extent to which estimates of spawning biomass from northern NSW and southern Qld waters reflect the size of the entire sardine stock off eastern Australia. Objectives: 1. To collate data held for jurisdictions to generate hypotheses regarding movement patterns and stock structure of Australian sardine throughout southern Australia. 2. To evaluate the use of otolith shape analyses for testing hypotheses regarding the movement patterns of sardine in southern Australia. 3. To evaluate the use of transect-based otolith microchemistry techniques (laser ablation ICPMS) for examining the movement patterns of sardine between gulf and shelf waters of SA and along east coast of Australia. 4. To collate findings to determine: a) whether or not additional spatial management (zones) would be needed to support a future increase in the TAC in the SA Sardine Fishery; and b) the degree to which estimates of spawning biomass from waters off northern NSW and southern Qld reflect the size of the entire eastern Australian sardine stock. Read moreRead less
Stock Discrimination Of Pilchards By Stable Isotope Ratio Analysis
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$16,000.00
Summary
Objectives: 1. To measure the 18O/16o and 13C/12c ratios in otolith carbonate from a range of sizes of pilchards from four locations at 3 monthly intervals through one year, and thereby to test whether isotope-based locations signatures persist through time and thus demonstrate the presence of separate populations within the pilchard distribution.
The Age, Growth, Reproductive Biology And Stock Assessment Of Grass Emperor, Lethrinus Laticaudis In Shark Bay, WA
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$309,307.00
Summary
Black snapper stocks in the inner gulfs of Shark Bay are under increasing pressure by the recreational fishing sector. This is a result of both the increasing number of recreational anglers fishing in the Shark Bay area and the reduction in the stock size of pink snapper. Current management for the recreational sector consists of a bag limit of 8 fish and size limit of 28 cm. However, there are no validated or reliable biological data on the age, growth and reproductive biology on this specie ....Black snapper stocks in the inner gulfs of Shark Bay are under increasing pressure by the recreational fishing sector. This is a result of both the increasing number of recreational anglers fishing in the Shark Bay area and the reduction in the stock size of pink snapper. Current management for the recreational sector consists of a bag limit of 8 fish and size limit of 28 cm. However, there are no validated or reliable biological data on the age, growth and reproductive biology on this species in order to develop stock assessment models and evaluate current management regulations. Objectives: 1. Examine stock delineation using stable isotope analysis. 2. Determine the age structure of black snapper . 3. Determine the growth rate of black snapper. 4. Determine the reproductive biology of the black snapper. 5. Develop a stock assessment model for black snapper from the inner gulfs of Shark Bay. Read moreRead less
Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: The Neptune Project- A Comprehensive Database Of Australian Aquatic Animal Pathogens And Diseases
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$144,822.33
Summary
The Neptune project was conceived to add significant value to existing investments in aquatic animal health by building a platform for capturing and sharing information on aquatic animal pathogens and diseases. The project was initially funded through NCRIS; however, that funding has now expired and additional work is required to ensure Neptune fully addresses the needs that it was intended to address. Those needs include:
1. Ensuring the outputs of Australia’s aquatic animal disease pr ....The Neptune project was conceived to add significant value to existing investments in aquatic animal health by building a platform for capturing and sharing information on aquatic animal pathogens and diseases. The project was initially funded through NCRIS; however, that funding has now expired and additional work is required to ensure Neptune fully addresses the needs that it was intended to address. Those needs include:
1. Ensuring the outputs of Australia’s aquatic animal disease professionals are disseminated to achieve greatest effect. 2. Effectively connecting aquatic animal health professionals from government, universities, museums, diagnostic laboratories and industry. 3. Addressing geographic separation of professionals by enabling remote collaboration within the sector and with other sectors. 4. Enable aquatic animal health biosecurity investments to impact fully by making data and resource outputs more broadly accessible. 5. Improving availability of high quality information and resources for many of Australia’s most important aquatic animal diseases. 6. Providing access to readily available and aggregated distribution data through a platform capable of hosting and displaying such information. 7. Ensuring access to technology that can better capture and share physical specimens such as histological slides. These remain a key tool for aquatic animal pathologists and researchers but are not easily duplicated or shared. 8. There are currently insufficient opportunities for aquatic animal health training in Australia. Neptune will provide synergies for other FRDC training investments such as the Aquatic Animal Health Training Scheme. 9. There are currently no integrated resources to store and provide access to training material for aquatic animal health professionals. 10. Many of Australia’s aquatic animal health pathologists have retired recently or are due to retire in the near future. There is a need to ensure the data and collections of these aquatic animal health professionals are captured and shared more broadly. Objectives: 1. To improve the user interface of Neptune to allow more streamlined searches, better data access and more efficient data entry. 2. Complete the transformation of data from the Australian Aquatic Animal Pathogen and Disease Database (AAAPD) (FRDC project 2003/646) so that all available peer-reviewed and official reports of aquatic animal pathogens and diseases in the AAAPD are included in Neptune 3. Establish a digital microscopy capability within the Neptune Community Space 4. Establish a digital microscopy slide image library within the Neptune Community Space that incorporates examples of significant endemic aquatic animal diseases and links them with relevant database case entries 5. Establish a digital microscopy slide image library for significant exotic aquatic animal diseases that is clearly differentiated from other data entries and resources for endemic diseases 6. Implement a program of activities that engages the user community in the Neptune facility and includes monthly webinars on research project progress or special issues, online workshops that use the digital microscopy functionality (e.g. histopathology, exotic disease awareness), and regular user training (as required) on the use of Neptune capabilities 7. Develop plans for the development of user generated mapping functionality 8. Explore options that could provide a more cost-effective hosting environment for Neptune Read moreRead less
Trophodynamics Of The GAB: Assessing The Need For An Ecological Allocation In The SA Pilchard Fishery
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$420,690.00
Summary
PIRSA Fisheries Policy Group and the SA pilchard industry have identified an understanding of the trophodynamic role of pilchards as a key management need for this fishery.
Strategic assessment of the fishery against ESD principles (e.g. Fletcher et al. 2002) is likely to identify the absence of knowledge of the ecological role of pilchards as a significant issue.
Provisions of the Commonwealth Environment and Biodiversity Conservation Act, and Environment Australia guidelines ....PIRSA Fisheries Policy Group and the SA pilchard industry have identified an understanding of the trophodynamic role of pilchards as a key management need for this fishery.
Strategic assessment of the fishery against ESD principles (e.g. Fletcher et al. 2002) is likely to identify the absence of knowledge of the ecological role of pilchards as a significant issue.
Provisions of the Commonwealth Environment and Biodiversity Conservation Act, and Environment Australia guidelines that require strategic assessment of the ecological impacts of fishing, including trophic impacts, are particularly relevant for large fisheries that target an important prey species, such as the SA pilchard fishery.
The potential trophic effects of fishing can be potentially overcome by establishing appropriate ecological allocations.
This project will collect, synthesize and interpret data on trophodynanamic processes in the GAB that are required to assess the need for an ecological allocation in the SA pilchard fishery.
The long-term project will also address the need for principles and guidelines to assessing the need for and size of ecological allocations in fisheries that may influence trophodynamic pathways and ecological interactions in ecosystems with high conservation value. Objectives: 1. To establish methods for estimating of primary and secondary production in eastern GAB. 2. To establish methods for measuring the importance of pilchards in the diets of key predators in the eastern GAB. 3. To establish methods for comparing the growth rates and reproductive success of these predators in areas/periods of high/low fishing pressure and pilchard abundance. 4. To establish a conceptual ecosystem model and develop a preliminary pelagic trophodynamic model for the eastern GAB. 5. To develop a proposal for comprehensive study to assess the need for an ecological allocation in the SA pilchard fishery. Read moreRead less
Spatial Scales Of Exploitation Among Populations Of Demersal Scalefish: Implications For Wetline Management
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$514,378.00
Summary
To address the urgent issue of impending over-exploitation of reef-fish resources, the WA Minister for Fisheries has recently approved the Wetline Review to bring WA’s wetline fisheries under more effective management, beginning with the West Coast Bio-region. The West Coast Bio-region supports 56% of WA’s wetline fishing fleet (valued at ~ $4 million dollars), 76% of recreational boat-based line-fishers and most of the charter boat fishery. The issues at stake here are commercial and charte ....To address the urgent issue of impending over-exploitation of reef-fish resources, the WA Minister for Fisheries has recently approved the Wetline Review to bring WA’s wetline fisheries under more effective management, beginning with the West Coast Bio-region. The West Coast Bio-region supports 56% of WA’s wetline fishing fleet (valued at ~ $4 million dollars), 76% of recreational boat-based line-fishers and most of the charter boat fishery. The issues at stake here are commercial and charter fishing viability, enjoyment of recreational fishing by the majority of WA’s population, provision of local world-class table fish for the non-fishing public and equitable allocation of resources among all sectors. The key needs for management of the west coast demersal scalefish fishery are - * A better understanding of the spatial scales of the two major fish populations along the West Coast Bio-region to determine their appropriate geographical scales for management. * Knowledge of the regional variation in the biology of snapper and WA dhufish along the West Coast Bio-region. Age and growth of temperate snapper has not been studied in WA. * Estimating the exploitation status of the stocks of the major species, snapper and WA dhufish. * To ensure that sustainability of the resource is the foundation of all management options by educating the stakeholders about the biology and the exploitation of the finfish resources and by involving them in the management process. Objectives: 1. To examine the level of intermixing among populations of both pink snapper and WA dhufish along the West Coast to determine the appropriate geographical scales for management. 2. To determine whether there are regional differences in the biology of pink snapper and dhufish populations along the West Coast, particularly in growth and reproduction (timing of /size at maturity). 3. To evaluate the spatial variation in the exploitation status of pink snapper and dhufish within the West Coast Bio-region. 4. To develop a suite of alternative management scenarios to assist the multiple fishing sectors of the Bio-region to select and adopt an optimal management strategy. Read moreRead less
Age Determination Of Oreo Dory Species By Radiometric Analysis
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$92,562.50
Summary
Objectives: 1. To determine the age of spiky dory Noecyttus rhomboidalis smooth dory Pseudocyttus maculatus and black dory Allocyttus spp. by radionuclide analysis.
Abalone Aquaculture Subprogram: Formulated Feeds For Newly Settled Juvenile Abalone Based On Natural Feeds (diatoms And Crustose Coralline Algae)
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$159,386.00
Summary
Objectives: 1. Use information on the nutritional and attractant factors present in natural food items to develop a variety of recipes for formulated feeds for very young juvenile abalone («15 mm) 2. Manufacture and evaluate the feeds for water stability and palatability for the different feed delivery mechanisms including gels, pellets, pastes, adhesion feeds (on plates) and others. 3. Produce formulated diets of high nutritional value which produce high growth rates in very yo ....Objectives: 1. Use information on the nutritional and attractant factors present in natural food items to develop a variety of recipes for formulated feeds for very young juvenile abalone («15 mm) 2. Manufacture and evaluate the feeds for water stability and palatability for the different feed delivery mechanisms including gels, pellets, pastes, adhesion feeds (on plates) and others. 3. Produce formulated diets of high nutritional value which produce high growth rates in very young abalone (<15mm), as verified by growth rate trials. 4. Provide information to the groups in the FRDC subprogram involved in the formulated feed development, so as to improve the existing formulated feed used for the "grow out" phase (15mm+) 5. Identify the nutrients incorporated into the actively growing tissues of abalone fed diatoms by assessing fatty acid metabolism and carbon and nitrogen retention in juvenile abalone using stable isotopes Read moreRead less