To update assessment reports on Whichfish.com to keep the site current for users. Objectives: 1. 1. Re-organise existing report format in line with the new methodology 2. 2. Update relevant information for the 20 species on Whichfish 3. 3. Reassess risk scores and future outlook sections using draft methodology 4. 4. Provide written feedback about any issues and/or challenges encountered in applying the draft risk assessment which will be incorporated into a guid ....To update assessment reports on Whichfish.com to keep the site current for users. Objectives: 1. 1. Re-organise existing report format in line with the new methodology 2. 2. Update relevant information for the 20 species on Whichfish 3. 3. Reassess risk scores and future outlook sections using draft methodology 4. 4. Provide written feedback about any issues and/or challenges encountered in applying the draft risk assessment which will be incorporated into a guidance document for future assessors and suggestions to improve risk assessment criteria. Read moreRead less
Developing A Positive Cultural Attitude Towards The Capture And Release Of Sharks And Rays
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$358,968.00
Summary
Recently, PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture (PIRSA F and A) identified the need to develop a recreational fishery- and research-supported program that combines new communication strategies and evidence-based CoP development to disseminate information relevant to supporting the management of recreational fisheries for sharks and rays. The priority identified was to improve education and awareness among the recreational fishers in relation to ethical capture, handling and release practices for shark ....Recently, PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture (PIRSA F and A) identified the need to develop a recreational fishery- and research-supported program that combines new communication strategies and evidence-based CoP development to disseminate information relevant to supporting the management of recreational fisheries for sharks and rays. The priority identified was to improve education and awareness among the recreational fishers in relation to ethical capture, handling and release practices for sharks and rays. Examples of this approach were undertaken in the United States (NOAA), Australia (TAFI and SARDI) and Hawaii (NOAA), where recreational groups have contributed to research activities to assess PRS and use the information to educate other fishers about specific issues related to fisheries for shark species. This proactive approach could be applied to shark and ray species that are priorities for management and taken as bycatch, or targeted by recreational and gamefishing anglers across southern Australia. Correspondence with research colleagues in Victoria and NSW, and fishery stakeholders, identified a need to review, improve and rationalise guidelines for capture, handling and release of sharks and rays, and highlighted data gaps for key species. A field-based quantitative study of the PRS of selected target priority species will be designed during a workshop in 2019, led by SARDI and CSIRO, with support of a linked FRDC-funded project (2018-042) in Victoria (Monash University). The overarching aim is to inform the development of capture, handling and release guidelines and CoPs for sharks and rays that apply to the range of fishing situations across southern Australia. The SARDI and Monash-based projects address region-specific needs and will co-manage the workshop (See suppl. letter). This will include engagement between government agencies, NGOs, and fishers to understand the relative susceptibilities of target species to handling, and expected impacts of gear configuration on PRS. Research outcomes of the broader project will be coupled with public and fishery feed-back strategies (e.g. expansion of a tagging program) to address the management and perception issues.
Objectives: 1. Facilitate a national workshop to identify priority species and operational factors to investigate during studies aimed at informing sustainable recreational fisher practices for sharks and rays. 2. Use web-supported telemetry technology, and direct engagement of recreational fishers to collect post-release survival data on the priority species within a structured case-study framework. 3. To support positive and sustainable cultural attitudes towards sharks and rays through the production of evidence-based educational material to inform sustainable recreational fisher practices. Read moreRead less
This project will result in a high quality, documentary style production that can be used to protect, share and promote Indigenous peoples' own narratives about their fishing practices, rights, customs and knowledge. Indigenous Australians have a rich and enduring connection with their sea country. This connection is powerfully reflected by their traditional and ongoing sustainable management and harvesting of marine and coastal resources. In communicating this connection to Indigenous Austra ....This project will result in a high quality, documentary style production that can be used to protect, share and promote Indigenous peoples' own narratives about their fishing practices, rights, customs and knowledge. Indigenous Australians have a rich and enduring connection with their sea country. This connection is powerfully reflected by their traditional and ongoing sustainable management and harvesting of marine and coastal resources. In communicating this connection to Indigenous Australians, it is more powerful to use visual, spoken or pictorial means. This project is also vitally important in terms of Indigenous knowledge preservation, through recording the stories and knowledge of Elders about their marine resources, rights and responsibilities.
Through a series of culturally appropriate, on-country interviews with Indigenous fishers from around Australia, as well as IRG members, our project team will create a documentary that captures valuable stories, insights and aspirations of Indigenous Australians in regard to management and use of marine resources. These perspectives will be complemented by contemporary research findings and best-practice management approaches in relation to Indigenous fisheries issues. The production will touch on the Indigenous RD&E priorities endorsed at the Cairns Forum 2012, including:
•Primacy for Indigenous people •Acknowledgement of Indigenous cultural practices •Self-determination of Indigenous rights to use and manage cultural assets and resources •Economic development opportunities arising from Indigenous peoples' cultural assets and associated rights •Capacity building opportunities for Indigenous people are enhanced.
Through background research and structured interview processes, the production will draw attention to customary knowledge, cultural rights and responsibilities Indigenous people have over their marine and coastal resources, their contemporary fisheries management and economic development aspirations through the fisheries and seafood sectors, as well as the current impacts on Indigenous fishing practices. The production team will also work to develop a cohesive and compelling narrative for the video, in consultation with the IRG.
Objectives: 1. Research and develop with the IRG 10 compelling stories that together make an informative and educative contribution to Indigenous fishing knowledge systems. 2. Produce 10 by 5 minute stories that particularly relate to Cairns Principles and RD&E Priority Areas 3. Develop an overarching narrative that ties the 10 stories together into a strong 50 minute documentary 4. Document the project methodology in order to provide a framework for future outputs to ensure consistency ofapproach and promote best practice/continual improvement. 5. Provide advice to IRG as required on publishing, distribution and audience uptake of stories. Read moreRead less
Development Of Technical And Extension Material To Support Murray Cod Aquaculture Industry Expansion In Australia
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
The 5 July 2017 meeting of representatives from the various States involved in the Murray Cod industry agreed to three key R&D priorities to support expansion of the Murray Cod industry in Australia. They included:
1. Development of a farm management plan/manual to: provide advice on optimising production systems and water quality; review and update of existing Murray Cod culture guidelines using recent relevant publications and input from commercial operators; and identify any informa ....The 5 July 2017 meeting of representatives from the various States involved in the Murray Cod industry agreed to three key R&D priorities to support expansion of the Murray Cod industry in Australia. They included:
1. Development of a farm management plan/manual to: provide advice on optimising production systems and water quality; review and update of existing Murray Cod culture guidelines using recent relevant publications and input from commercial operators; and identify any information gaps 2. Off Flavour. Review of recent publications/work from other sectors (eg Barramundi) to prevent off flavor in Murray Cod. Murray Cod quality product assurance; and 3. Fish health and treatment (parasites, bacterial infection, Lurnea, Chilodonella, ratty tail). Review and update information on treatment options (chronic/prophylactic) for Murray Cod. Murray Cod health management strategy
This project proposal aims to address these high R&D industry priorities by developing a range of technical and extension material.
The Murray Cod industry is developing rapidly in Australia increasing from 250t 2014/15 to over 500t 2016/17. Industry forecast several thousand tonnes production by 2020 with many new farms seeking approval and new franchise business models moving forward. To capitalise on this expansion, there is a pressing need to improve extension resources.
Objectives: 1. Development of best practice production guidelines for Murray Cod aquaculture, to be used nationally 2. Extension to industry, and new investors, of the best practice production guidelines Read moreRead less
Indicators For Density And Biomass Of Exploitable Abalone – Developing And Applying A New Approach
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$147,900.00
Summary
Most jurisdictions have developed and used various combinations of indicators in stock assessment and TAC setting of their abalone fishery. Applications often use a time series of commercial catch rate or FIS density to detect trends and identify reference points of stock status. The use of fishery dependent indicators from logbooks and GPS loggers have been criticized for their potential to be biased and insensitive (‘hyper-stable’) because of commercial selection of all observations that are ....Most jurisdictions have developed and used various combinations of indicators in stock assessment and TAC setting of their abalone fishery. Applications often use a time series of commercial catch rate or FIS density to detect trends and identify reference points of stock status. The use of fishery dependent indicators from logbooks and GPS loggers have been criticized for their potential to be biased and insensitive (‘hyper-stable’) because of commercial selection of all observations that are made. As a consequence, Fishery Independent Surveys (FIS) have also been used in stock assessment, with varying coverage in all state’s abalone fisheries. However, FIS have also been criticized for their large cost and considerable uncertainty about how representative and useful the data is for intensely spatially-structured abalone fisheries (e.g. spatial mismatch of the FIS and the stock). FIS reviews in several states found variable relationships between FIS estimates and other indicators of the fishery.
Alternatively, both GPS loggers and FIS have considerable complementary strengths. GPS logger information has strengths of extensive fine-scale detail about catch (e.g. allowing spatial standardisation, that represents one of the main challenges to fishery dependent data) with good coverage of the fishery, while FIS have strengths of repeatable and local scale detail that is independent of the fishery.
The project will review data available from GPS loggers, catch records and FIS in WZ Victoria, with possible extension to other fisheries depending on data access and funding. Methods to calculate density and biomass from different sources of data will be consolidated and applied at different spatial scales, and the precision and statistical coherence of estimates compared. These comparisons will enable the development of criteria to improve design of FIS, logger programs and related observations, and recommendations and guidance on the use of indicators of legal density and biomass in fishery harvest strategies.
Objectives: 1. Use the Victorian Western Zone (and other fisheries data, where available) as a test-bed to develop and evaluate a new approach to calculating density and biomass indicators of exploitable abalone. 2. Consolidate methods to calculate indicators of local exploitable density from reported catch, GPS logger and fixed site survey observations. 3. Assess the consistency, accuracy and reliability of these new indicators, and their likely performance for management decisions 4. Develop and apply new methods to (i) calibrate logger-derived local density from overlap of local observations of loggers and surveys, (ii) use logger observations to estimate the area fished and to which the calibrated local density estimates could be extrapolated to apply, and (iii) combine the density and area estimates to give an index of exploitable biomass in the fished area. 5. Provide criteria for the design of surveys, logger programs and related observations (e.g. the spatial scale of catch reporting) to give calibrated logger density and biomass indicators. 6. Provide recommendations and guidance on the use of indicators of exploitable density and biomass in fishery harvest strategies. 7. Provide training to develop capacity to understand and implement the approach with logger data. Read moreRead less