Development Of Prawn Fleet Spatial Management And Profitability Tools Using Tablet Based Technologies
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$148,475.00
Summary
The SGWCP fishery is limited by effort controls which in theory do not create the settings for maximum economic yield. These are high level settings which do not inform fishing based on historical effort and profitability by location, expected catch, prices, costs of fishing and margins, ahead of the daily fishing decision. The current approach is to "go fishing and sell what is caught", as opposed to directing fishing by location and grade mix to target maximum profits over time, given the spat ....The SGWCP fishery is limited by effort controls which in theory do not create the settings for maximum economic yield. These are high level settings which do not inform fishing based on historical effort and profitability by location, expected catch, prices, costs of fishing and margins, ahead of the daily fishing decision. The current approach is to "go fishing and sell what is caught", as opposed to directing fishing by location and grade mix to target maximum profits over time, given the spatial profit performance. Further the approach does not allow for assessment of the impact of delaying fishing as a fleet.
In order to grow fishing businesses and aggregate fishery profitability, finer scale decision making informed by spatial current and expected future stock conditions, prices and margins is required. To bring about such a change in approach, efficient spatial data capture and reporting and economic analysis in real time to inform fishing decisions is required.
Recent developments in tablet based digital technology mean opportunities exist to establish low cost and efficient data collection and management systems to support innovative fishing at both business and fishery levels.
Enhanced fleet management approaches which incorporate spatial and economic considerations are also needed if profits are to be maximised. Space or location and timing of fishing impacts costs, yields and grades - all key drivers of profit.
Objectives: 1. Develop a tool to digitally capture spatial fishery technical, management, and economic data in real time. 2. Develop integration to digitally submit spatial fishery technical, management, and economic data in real time. Read moreRead less
Future Proofing The Southern Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus Maccoyii) Industry By Developing New Products For New Markets
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$300,000.00
Summary
It is clear the SBT industry in South Australia is at a critical point, and without government support to explore new markets and reduce investment risk, SBT company’s and associated regional communities will be severely impacted if the prosperity of the industry is not re-invigorated quickly.
Objectives: 1. To assess the technical and economic feasibility of developing value added SBT products. 2. To develop a collaborative approach to the marketing and sale of value a ....It is clear the SBT industry in South Australia is at a critical point, and without government support to explore new markets and reduce investment risk, SBT company’s and associated regional communities will be severely impacted if the prosperity of the industry is not re-invigorated quickly.
Objectives: 1. To assess the technical and economic feasibility of developing value added SBT products. 2. To develop a collaborative approach to the marketing and sale of value added SBT products in retail markets and food service outlets outside of Japan. 3. To identify product formats, consumer preferences, yields and costs for value added SBT products. Read moreRead less
Accelerating Greenlip Abalone Stock Recovery In South Australia Using Release Of Hatchery-reared Juveniles: Phase 1 - Genetics Risk Assessment And Preliminary Cost-benefit Analysis
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$111,500.00
Summary
There are areas of the Western Zone Abalone Fishery where Greenlip Abalone are depleting, with biomass levels well below carrying capacity and historical levels. Some areas may not recover quickly without intervention and recovery may be further impeded by climate change. Thus, the Western Zone wild-catch abalone industry is seeking to establish a commercial-scale stock release program to accelerate Greenlip Abalone stock recovery in South Australia using release of hatchery-reared juveniles. Th ....There are areas of the Western Zone Abalone Fishery where Greenlip Abalone are depleting, with biomass levels well below carrying capacity and historical levels. Some areas may not recover quickly without intervention and recovery may be further impeded by climate change. Thus, the Western Zone wild-catch abalone industry is seeking to establish a commercial-scale stock release program to accelerate Greenlip Abalone stock recovery in South Australia using release of hatchery-reared juveniles. The Central Zone wild-catch abalone industry is seeking to establish a commercial-scale stock release program to re-build Greenlip Abalone stocks in depleted areas that will use hatchery-reared juveniles. There are two key needs for commencing a stock recovery program using hatchery-reared juveniles. The key industry need is to test release of juvenile Greenlip Abalone in the Western and Central Zones to evaluate the long-term economic viability. To support this important industry goal, the key Government need is for data to underpin release policy. This includes knowledge of the geographic distribution of Greenlip Abalone genetic differentiation (after Miller et al. 2014, Sandoval-Castillo et al. 2017), to inform policy review.
References: Miller et al. 2014 – Molecular genetics to inform spatial management in benthic invertebrate fisheries: a case study using the Australian Greenlip Abalone. Sandoval-Castillo et al. 2017 – Seascape genomics reveals adaptive divergence in a connected and commercially important mollusc, the greenlip abalone (Haliotis laevigata), along a longitudinal environmental gradient.
Objectives: 1. Use single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs; after Sandoval-Castillo et al. 2017) to compare the genetic diversity and population structure of wild Greenlip Abalone and FX abalone 2. Assess the genetic suitability of using FX abalone for release into wild populations at sites across the SA Western Zone Fishery, ensuring that the genetic structure and diversity of wild populations is maintained, including an expert-based, genetics risk assessment workshop 3. Undertake a preliminary cost-benefit analysis to inform 'stop/go’ decision Read moreRead less
Workshop To Examine The Viability Of Establishing A Peak Seafood Industry Body For South Australia
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$30,000.00
Summary
With the impending wind up of Wildcatch Fisheries SA, it is timely to firstly, assess the need for a new peak industry body, and secondly, as part of that assessment, acknowledge the role of existing structures for consultation and representation at the individual fishery sector. For example, there are management advisory committees for a number of fishery sectors, along with tasked working groups to deal with specific fishery management issues, such as the development and implementation of harv ....With the impending wind up of Wildcatch Fisheries SA, it is timely to firstly, assess the need for a new peak industry body, and secondly, as part of that assessment, acknowledge the role of existing structures for consultation and representation at the individual fishery sector. For example, there are management advisory committees for a number of fishery sectors, along with tasked working groups to deal with specific fishery management issues, such as the development and implementation of harvest strategies and reform of the Marine Scalefish Fishery.
It is important to recognise that South Australia already has sound legislation in place (Fisheries Management Act 2007 – although it may need review and updating); it also has considerable regulation in support of the Act, along with management plans for individual fisheries – most of which have recently been reviewed and updated, including the incorporation of updated harvest strategies. Finally, SA has key policies in place covering:
Co-management Allocation Harvest Strategy Development Objectives: 1. To host a workshop to determine the support, options and viability of a seafood peak industry body in South Australia Read moreRead less
Snapper Science Program: Theme 2 – Estimates Of Biomass
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$1,444,256.00
Summary
One of the highest research priorities for Snapper is the development of reliable fishery-independent indices to monitor population trends and inform stock status (Cartwright et al. 2021). This need is driven by the lack of information on stock status provided by fishery-dependent statistics, especially catch-per-unit effort, resulting from changes in management regulations and hyperstability associated with targeting aggregations. Furthermore, fishery-independent estimates of biomass are essent ....One of the highest research priorities for Snapper is the development of reliable fishery-independent indices to monitor population trends and inform stock status (Cartwright et al. 2021). This need is driven by the lack of information on stock status provided by fishery-dependent statistics, especially catch-per-unit effort, resulting from changes in management regulations and hyperstability associated with targeting aggregations. Furthermore, fishery-independent estimates of biomass are essential in the absence of fishery-dependent data resulting from fishery closures). Consequently, there is a need to develop methods for obtaining reliable fishery-independent estimates of biomass for Snapper that can inform stock status.
A variety of fishery-independent approaches have been used to estimate the biomass of exploited fish stocks. Several of these methods were developed and established for small pelagic fish species and have been adapted for demersal species such as Snapper, including the daily egg production method (DEPM) (Steer et al. 2017, Drew et al. 2022) and hydroacoustic techniques (Scoulding et al. 2023). There are also other recently developed, novel approaches to estimate abundance that could be considered for Snapper, such as close-kin mark-recapture (CKMR) (Bravington et al. 2016). This project will investigate and refine multiple fishery-independent approaches to estimate biomass for Snapper and provide recommendations based on feasibility, cost, and applicability to guide future assessments.
This research proposal has been developed to address four research priorities: • Review the existing methodology used to estimate spawning biomass for Snapper using the DEPM and investigate methodological and statistical approaches to reduce uncertainty associated with individual parameters and refine estimates of spawning biomass. • Evaluate the feasibility and suitability of alternative methods, such as hydroacoustics and CKMR, to generate a fishery-independent estimate of abundance and biomass for Snapper. • Compare estimates of spawning biomass of Snapper obtained using the DEPM and hydroacoustic techniques. • Review the existing Snapper stock assessment model (‘SnapEst’) and assess the suitability of new datasets to improve annual estimates of fishable biomass, exploitation rate, and recruitment. There is also the need to develop forecasting capability to predict how fishable biomass will respond under various recruitment scenarios. Such projections would assist the development of appropriate recovery and management strategies.
Consequently, Research Theme 2– Estimates of Biomass involves four projects: 2.1 Refinement of DEPM methodology for Snapper 2.2 Development and application of hydroacoustic techniques for Snapper in South Australia 2.3 Evaluation of close-kin mark-recapture (CKMR) for Snapper 2.4 Enhancement of the stock assessment model ‘SnapEst’
2.1 Refinement of DEPM methodology for Snapper The daily egg production method (DEPM) has been used to estimate the spawning biomass of Snapper in New Zealand (Zeldis and Francis 1998), South Australia (McGlennon 2003, Drew et al. 2022), and Western Australia (Jackson et al. 2012). The underlying principle of the DEPM is that spawning biomass can be determined from the mean number of pelagic fish eggs produced per day over the spawning area (i.e., total daily egg production) divided by the mean number of eggs produced per unit mass of adult fish (i.e., mean daily fecundity) (Parker 1980, Lasker 1985). Total daily egg production is the product of mean daily egg production (P0) and total spawning area (A), while mean daily fecundity is estimated from the adult parameters of spawning fraction (S), batch fecundity (F), female weight (W), and sex ratio (R) (Parker 1980, Lasker 1985).
Difficulties differentiating eggs of Snapper from other fishes based on their morphology had precluded the application of DEPM for Snapper, until this issue was addressed through the development of a molecular technique to validate the identity of Snapper eggs (Oxley et al. 2017, Steer et al. 2017). Thereafter, the DEPM has been used to provide fishery-independent estimates of spawning biomass that have become an integral input to the stock assessment for Snapper in SA (Fowler et al. 2019, 2020, Drew et al. 2022). Recent applications of the DEPM for Snapper have identified several potential areas for method development and experimentation to reduce uncertainty associated with individual parameters and refine estimates of spawning biomass (Drew et al. 2022).
This experimental study involves two components that relate to refining the estimates of (1) total daily egg production and (2) mean daily fecundity. The first component related to total daily egg production includes a comparison of field techniques used to sample Snapper eggs, assessment of the spatial design of plankton surveys, and a temporal comparison of total daily egg production within a spawning season. Three field sampling techniques for plankton (i.e., vertical, oblique, and horizontal tows) will be compared to determine the most appropriate methodology to sample Snapper eggs for the DEPM. Concurrently, the spatial design of plankton surveys will be explored by conducting stratified plankton sampling at multiple intensities (i.e., 4 × 2 nm2, 2 × 2 nm2, and 1.4 × 1.4 nm2) to identify the most appropriate spatial scale to sample Snapper eggs from aggregations of spawning fish. The experimental field study will be repeated twice in a single spawning period (i.e., December 2023 and January 2024) over the same survey area to evaluate within-season variation in total daily egg production. The data collected from the field study will be explored using various traditional and geostatistical approaches to estimate total daily egg production (i.e., P0 × A). In doing so, the study will improve the understanding of how P0 and A spawning area are estimated for an aggregating demersal species.
The second component relates to mean daily fecundity and will examine how methods to estimate adult parameters (i.e., S, F, W, and R) can be refined. Representative samples of adult Snapper will be collected throughout the survey area concurrent with plankton surveys and processed for biological information. Initially, the aforementioned adult parameters will be calculated using current methods established for Snapper and compared to previous applications of the DEPM to Snapper in SA (e.g., Drew et al. 2022). Then, approaches developed in applications of the DEPM to other species will be used to estimate adult parameters and their variance, including the estimation of relative fecundity (F’) which is calculated by dividing batch fecundity (F) by female weight (W) to estimate the number of eggs produced per gram of total female weight (Ward et al. 2021). For each parameter, field, laboratory, and analytical methods will be evaluated to develop recommendations for future applications of DEPM for Snapper.
2.2 Development and application of hydroacoustic techniques for Snapper in South Australia Hydroacoustic surveys have been used extensively around the world to survey pelagic fish species that form monospecific schools. They exploit the long-range propagation of underwater sound to survey large areas relatively quickly at high resolution. This technique relies on the proportional relationship of acoustic backscatter to abundance when the scattering properties of the target species are known. Individual species can be identified based on acoustic characteristics of the aggregations. However, additional optic methods can be incorporated to provide additional evidence on species composition, fish size, and orientation. Researchers from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (WA DPIRD) have developed a conceptual method to quantify abundance and estimate the biomass of Snapper that incorporates traditional acoustic surveys with underwater video techniques (Scoulding et al. 2023). The optical component enables the species composition of the school to be quantified and the approximate size of the fish to be determined, which contributes to improved estimates of biomass. Several limitations were identified in the recent study which prevented the estimates of biomass from being recommended for incorporation into formal stock assessment (Scoulding et al. 2023). However, it is likely that some of these limitations are not relevant to Snapper in SA’s gulfs (e.g., aggregations of mixed species, presence of other large teleosts), and others could be addressed through further method development (e.g., measurements of target strength for other species, benthic habitat maps).
This study will apply the methodology developed by Scoulding et al. (2023) to a targeted survey area in Gulf St Vincent in December 2023 and January 2024 to evaluate the applicability of hydroacoustic methods to quantify the abundance and biomass of spawning aggregations of Snapper. Furthermore, the hydroacoustic study will be completed over the same survey area and at the same time as the DEPM refinement study, therefore enabling direct comparison of biomass estimates between methods.
2.3 Evaluation of close-kin mark-recapture (CKMR) for Snapper CKMR is a form of mark-recapture experiment in which the size of a spawning population (and fecundity at age, and survival) can be estimated based on the number of closely related individuals in a sample (i.e., parent-offspring pairs and half-sibling pairs). Intuitively, given a sample of individuals from a population, a greater number of closely related pairs are expected to be observed in a smaller population, whilst fewer related pairs are expected from a larger population. Close-kin mark-recapture can be used to estimate abundance, natural mortality (if catches are known), and fecundity with high precision (given sufficient sampling) and is independent of the fishery. Close-kin mark-recapture is a relatively new fisheries assessment tool that is increasing in popularity and has been successfully applied to two large-scale and economically important commercial fish and shark species (e.g., Southern Bluefin Tuna – Davies et al. 2020, School Shark – Thomson et al. 2020) and several species of conservation importance (e.g., Speartooth Shark – Patterson et al. 2022, Grey Nurse Shark, Bradford et al 2018, White Shark, Hillary et al ). This scoping study will provide the expected precision for estimates of abundance of Snapper stocks in South Australia from a CKMR study (given a range of samples sizes) provided the true stock abundance is as estimated by the base case stock assessment model. If the stock is in fact smaller, then the precision from a CKMR model will be greater than forecast, and if bigger, then precision will be lower but catches will likely be sustainable. The information on population demographics, stock structure, and biological parameters will be drawn from the base case stock assessment for SA snapper.
2.4 Enhancement of the stock assessment model ‘SnapEst’ The SA Snapper fishery stock assessment model, ‘SnapEst’, was developed over two decades ago with FRDC support as a dynamic, spatial, age- and length-structured model (McGarvey and Feenstra 2004). The model integrates multiple data sources including biological information (i.e., length and age) and fishery-dependent data (i.e., catch and catch rate) to produce annual estimates of fishable biomass, exploitation rate, recruitment, and egg production. Significant modification and improvements have been applied to the model in recent years, which were necessitated by significant changes to management arrangements for the commercial sector from 2012 onwards and the updated understanding of population dynamics and stock structure for Snapper in SA (i.e., SG/WCS, GSVS, and the SE Region; Fowler et al. 2017). The most recent change to the stock assessment model was driven by the replacement of catch rate by DEPM biomass estimates as the fitted index of abundance for the SG/WCS and GSVS from 2013 onwards as a consequence of the extensive management changes and known catch rate hyperstability, which increased the need for a fishery-independent estimate of biomass.
The aim of this study is to evaluate, enhance and extend the stock assessment modelling capability for Snapper in SA. This will involve four main components. Firstly, the existing model (i.e., the version that was used in the most recent stock assessment; Drew et al. 2022) will be reviewed by a leading independent fishery modeller. It is anticipated that the external review will provide a series of recommendations and suggestions to improve confidence and transparency in model outputs. The second component involves integrating new data inputs into the model developed in the Snapper Science Program, such as an index of juvenile recruitment and improved estimates of biomass. The various data inputs will be assessed for their suitability for incorporation into the model.
The third component is the development of a recruitment forecasting sub-model that will use relative estimates of juvenile (i.e., age 0+) abundance to predict potential future trends in recruitment to fishable biomass 4 or 5 years later. The primary data source for the recruitment forecasting sub-model will be the time series of juvenile abundance for each stock that is being developed through a concurrent project (Snapper Science Program: Theme 1 – Biology and Ecology). The sub-model will relate the relative abundance of age 0+ juveniles in each year to the model-estimated recruitment of adults to the fishable stock.
The fourth component is to design, develop, code and implement a projection model, ‘SnapProj’. Once validated, the projection model will be a powerful tool to forecast population trends and inform management decision making.
Objectives: 1. Undertake field experiments to inform the design of future plankton surveys to estimate total daily egg production of Snapper in the DEPM. 2. Undertake sampling of adult Snapper at spawning aggregations to improve understanding and refine estimates of key reproductive parameters used to estimate mean daily fecundity in the DEPM. 3. Review and compare a range of statistical methods for estimating DEPM parameters using new and historical data and develop recommended approaches for future surveys. 4. Evaluate the use of active acoustic methods to quantify the abundance of Snapper in spawning aggregations and produce an estimate of biomass. 5. Undertake a scoping study to assess the number of samples required for a close-kin mark-recapture (CKMR) estimate of abundance for Snapper in SA. 6. Contract an independent expert to conduct an external review of the existing Snapper stock assessment model ‘SnapEst’ and use the recommendations from the review to inform future model development. 7. Evaluate the suitability of new and alternate fishery-independent estimates of biomass for integration into ‘SnapEst’. 8. Develop a sub-model that uses an index of age 0+ juvenile abundance to forecast trends in fishable biomass. 9. Convert ‘SnapEst’ into a projection tool, SnapProj, and formally evaluate its accuracy using the SE Region as a case study. 10. Use the results from the three fishery-independent methods considered (i.e., DEPM, hydroacoustic surveys, and CKMR) to inform the design of future surveys to estimate biomass for Snapper. Read moreRead less
Sturgeon Aquaculture In Australia: Feasibility Study
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$140,000.00
Summary
Australian aquaculture industries are expanding, and the South Australian aquaculture industry aims to double production by 2020. Increased aquaculture production will rely on new species and products and intensification of existing industries. Australia has high production costs and new products need to be high value to remain competitive.
The Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baeri) and beluga (Huso huso), which produce caviar and meat were added to the live import list for commercial aq ....Australian aquaculture industries are expanding, and the South Australian aquaculture industry aims to double production by 2020. Increased aquaculture production will rely on new species and products and intensification of existing industries. Australia has high production costs and new products need to be high value to remain competitive.
The Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baeri) and beluga (Huso huso), which produce caviar and meat were added to the live import list for commercial aquaculture in 2015. These species are long lived and late maturing presenting an extended period between introduction and production of caviar. There is a consequent need to assess the commercial potential of sturgeon aquaculture in Australia, to drive processes to obtain regulatory consent and to establish links to facilitate technology transfer and RD&E.
This project will assess the feasibility of sturgeon aquaculture in Australia, including identification of the most appropriate and expedient way to bring sturgeon to Australia, identify appropriate sources for stock, develop standards for import and holding of stock, and link Australia to a network of world sturgeon farming knowledge.
This project will utilise expertise from PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture, SARDI Aquatic Sciences, the Australian aquaculture industry and relevant international experts to meet information requirements for regulatory approvals, to identify and develop methods to manage risk and provide a sound basis for industry development.
Objectives: 1. Determine requirements for importing sturgeons into Australia 2. Develop and maintain networks to establish and maintain sturgeon aquaculture in Australia 3. Develop desktop understanding of feasibility of sturgeon aquaculture in Australia 4. Provide information to facilitate import of sturgeons to Australia Read moreRead less
Normalising Voluntary Catch Reporting On QLD Fishing 2.0 App
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$400,830.00
Summary
There is a need for accurate and timely recreational fishing catch data to support inputs to stock assessment and reduce uncertainty and increase trust in management advice for many Queensland fish stocks. Population based phone logbook surveys have been traditionally used to estimate recreational catch, but they are becoming increasingly costly and impractical. Cost-effective alternatives capable of engaging recreational fishers are needed. Voluntary self-reporting of catches by recreat ....There is a need for accurate and timely recreational fishing catch data to support inputs to stock assessment and reduce uncertainty and increase trust in management advice for many Queensland fish stocks. Population based phone logbook surveys have been traditionally used to estimate recreational catch, but they are becoming increasingly costly and impractical. Cost-effective alternatives capable of engaging recreational fishers are needed. Voluntary self-reporting of catches by recreational fishers – e.g. via a smart phone-based application (app) – is one key alternative method that can reduce costs and potentially increase the accuracy, and hence stakeholder acceptance of recreational catch estimates that inform stock assessments. However, despite the number of smart phone apps targeting recreational fishers growing in abundance, this approach has its own inherent challenges, which have been well-documented. Further, there has been a lack of rigorous social science initiatives with the goal of understanding the underlying dynamics of mobile app usage in this context, and existing behaviour change programs fostering app usage by recreational fishers are rarely formally documented or evaluated. Having recreational fishers willing and supportive towards providing their fishing data through Fisheries Queensland’s phone app will improve the accuracy of estimates and the acceptance of the results. Encouragement of this support and willingness to voluntarily report is needed. Getting fishers to generate large volumes of quality data in a government owned app is the key challenge. Developing and implementing a behaviour change campaign involving a range of behavioural science informed interventions that promote facilitating factors while overcoming barriers deterring people from self-reporting (e.g. mistrust in the use of the data) and promoting factors that foster self-reporting (e.g., contributing to citizen science, protecting fish species for subsequent generations while not engaging in strategic bias) can be used to meet the need for effective and widespread self-reporting. One of the high-priority species is Australian east coast Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson). A 2020 stock assessment measured the biomass of the species at ~17% of 1910 levels. During public consultation on proposed management changes, most survey respondents across all sectors expressed a desire for better recreational catch data for Spanish mackerel. These findings suggest options to improve recreational catch reporting should accompany any proposed management action to rebuild the east coast Spanish mackerel stock. Most survey respondents preferred a voluntary reporting arrangement for recreationally caught Spanish mackerel over mandatory reporting. Most respondents also preferred the use of a smartphone app for any recreational catch reporting of Spanish mackerel. Improved monitoring and research is a foundational reform of the Queensland Sustainable Fisheries Strategy (SFS) 2017–2027 that includes several actions relating to improved data collection, additional monitoring of key biological stocks and the use of novel technologies such as apps.
Our revised application has been streamlined into three phases with an investment of $400,830 (excl. GST) in line with the budgetary guidance. This covers the research, design, delivery and evaluation of a pilot behaviour change program covering one fish species at two sites along the Queensland coast. A review of challenges and adjustments will follow each phase, as required.
Objectives: 1. To confirm the drivers and barriers affecting Queensland recreational fishers’ willingness to voluntarily provide high-quality catch information via a smart phone-based app 2. To co-design interventions and strategies which target facilitators and barriers to enhance the quality and quantity of data provided 3. To identify cost-effective strategies and activities to increase self-reporting of recreational fishing catches Read moreRead less