Global Review: Incentivising Small And Medium Scale Aquaculture Businesses To Measure And Report Environmental, Social, And Governance Outcomes
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$225,975.00
Summary
The Australian aquaculture industry is faced with a number of environmental, social and governance (ESG) expectations and challenges now and into the future as we see a growing expectation from major retailers and an investor and increasingly government focus on offsetting carbon, nutrients and land. Specific challenges include measuring and reporting on greenhouse gas emissions, disease and antibiotic use, use of forage fish in feeds, habitat destruction, fish welfare and husbandry, and effluen ....The Australian aquaculture industry is faced with a number of environmental, social and governance (ESG) expectations and challenges now and into the future as we see a growing expectation from major retailers and an investor and increasingly government focus on offsetting carbon, nutrients and land. Specific challenges include measuring and reporting on greenhouse gas emissions, disease and antibiotic use, use of forage fish in feeds, habitat destruction, fish welfare and husbandry, and effluent discharge. While larger corporate businesses and some sectors have made some progress in these areas, the small-medium business enterprises will require support given they often have little to no resources to measure, report and allocate new funding and action to address ESG challenges. This is particularly important in areas where some of the challenges will become expectation e.g. market access and carbon emissions reporting. There is a substantial disparity on how key ESG indicators are reported and assured across different sectors of the seafood industry, which is dependent on many different factors. These can include (but are not limited to):
- the size of the enterprise; - local, State or Federal legislation; - third-party certification requirements; - global best practices; - investor expectations - export market requirements - company policies
Consistency of reporting across the industry is vital to improve ESG policy and practices, ensure accountability of organisations, and increase consumer confidence of the seafood sector. A review of ESG challenges, and existing reporting frameworks/incentive programs both nationally and internationally will be key to developing a centralised reporting framework that both satisfies compliance and regulation and leads to tangible improvement outcomes for SME in the ESG space.
Objectives: 1. Desktop Review – ESG Challenges in Australian Aquaculture SME’s. 2. Global Review on incentive schemes 3. Provide recommendations on actionable steps Read moreRead less
FRDC 2016-068 Vulnerability Of The Endangered Maugean Skate Population To Degraded Environmental Conditions In Macquarie Harbour- Presentation To The 6th International Conference Of Fish Telemetry 23
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$7,500.00
Summary
An abstract accepted to present the work from FRDC 2016-068 at the International fish telemetry conference later this year. Given that the final year of the project happened right in the middle of the pandemic, we have not yet had an opportunity to present the work in any international forum. Since then we have new information that has clearly shown that the Maugean skate is in a critical state and requires immediate conservation action. As such, the interest in the species is very high at the m ....An abstract accepted to present the work from FRDC 2016-068 at the International fish telemetry conference later this year. Given that the final year of the project happened right in the middle of the pandemic, we have not yet had an opportunity to present the work in any international forum. Since then we have new information that has clearly shown that the Maugean skate is in a critical state and requires immediate conservation action. As such, the interest in the species is very high at the moment, and the results from this project are even more relevant now. So we think this is a great opportunity to help communicate this novel and very important work. This would allow us to communicate our findings to a broad technical audience, increasing the outreach and impact of the project. The work that will be presented will have important benefits for the conservation of the species and inform management of industry and other users of Macquarie Harbour.Read moreRead less
Removal Of Microalgae And Total Nitrogen In Effluent Water From Prawn Farms Using Electrocoagulation (EC) Water Treatment Technology
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$191,642.00
Summary
The reduction of total nitrogenous output remains a significant challenge in the pond culture of prawns. The majority of total nitrogen (TN) output from the Australian prawn industry is organic nitrogen, of which microalgae assimilate a large proportion. In response to the industry’s need to remove or reduce microalgae and TN from large quantities of release water, our team proposes a project that would investigate the use of electro-coagulation (EC) technology to remove microalgae and TN from s ....The reduction of total nitrogenous output remains a significant challenge in the pond culture of prawns. The majority of total nitrogen (TN) output from the Australian prawn industry is organic nitrogen, of which microalgae assimilate a large proportion. In response to the industry’s need to remove or reduce microalgae and TN from large quantities of release water, our team proposes a project that would investigate the use of electro-coagulation (EC) technology to remove microalgae and TN from settlement pond discharge. EC is a highly effective electrochemical approach to wastewater treatment, and has been successfully used to assist in the removal of both organic and inorganic contaminants from wastewater (Moussa et al., 2017). This technology works by applying an electrical current through the water, destabilizing/neutralizing the repulsive forces that keep particles suspended, causing these particles to form larger particles that settle for easier separation from water. This method of coagulation has a significant advantage over chemical coagulation/flocculation: coagulants are formed in-situ by electrolytic oxidation of an anode, and therefore additional chemicals, metal salts or polyelectrolytes do not need to be added to the system. This results in less sludge generation as a bi-product of the filtration process (Moussa et al., 2017). NaturalShrimp has spent many years developing, patenting, and commercializing the EC technology for use specifically for aquaculture that not only helps with coagulation but also removes pathogens and ammonia. The proposed project will be undertaken by Nautilus Collaboration (primary investigators: C van Rijn and C Huynh), Natural Aquatic Solutions (technology supplier – Rep: Tom Untermeyer) and Fresh By Design (installation and maintenance – Lachlan Bassett). The proprietary EC technology developed by Natural Aquatic Solutions has the capacity to treat around 20.5 m3/hr of water. The electrical current passing between the plates removes chlorine from the saltwater as it passes between the plates. The chlorine then combines with the ammonia to form chloramine which is then removed by a carbon filter downstream from the EC. The current is manually adjusted as the ammonia changes to effectively remove the ammonia in one pass through the EC. The ammonia removed by the EC prevents it from further converting to nitrite or nitrate. This controls the level of bacteria, removes ammonia, greatly reduces nitrate output and produces an anti-oxidative water chemistry beneficial to the health of the receiving ecosystem (T Untermeyer, pers. comm.).
Objectives: 1. Assess technical feasibility of electrocoagulation unit for wastewater remediation. To achieve this objective the project will collect comprehensive data on relevant water quality and other parameters (i.e., salinity, pH, organic/inorganic particle load, microalgae composition, microalgae concentration, ammonia, chloramine, TKN, total P, TSS, turbidity, free chlorine, total chlorine, bacterial colony counts, thermotolerant coliforms, vibrio sp.) in prawn farm discharge water before and after EC treatment over the production cycle encompassed by this project. 2. Assess the economic feasibility of electrocoagulation for wastewater treatment. To achieve this the project will collect data to determine costs of the EC system including capital and installation costs, daily volume of water treated, daily power consumption, and ongoing maintenance requirements. 3. Determine any bottlenecks for application for prawn effluent treatment. To inform future consideration of subsequent particle removal treatment options that are not part of this project, particle aggregates (density/size) will be characterised over time post EC treatment, including settlement or flotation velocity, and cohesiveness under mechanical stress. Read moreRead less
Tropical Fish Traps – Addressing Ghost Fishing Impacts And Refinements To Catch Reporting/sampling
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$150,000.00
Summary
The negative impacts of lost fish traps ghost fishing are well documented and of concern to all parties involved with the sustainable harvest of seafood from the aquatic environment (Macfadyen et al 2009; Newman et al 2011; Vadziutsina & Rodrigo 2020). Essentially, lost fishing gears that continue to kill/harm fish represent an inefficiency in the fish production process, and in essence are a form of waste associated with the harvesting process, that ultimately reduces the yield and casts a bad ....The negative impacts of lost fish traps ghost fishing are well documented and of concern to all parties involved with the sustainable harvest of seafood from the aquatic environment (Macfadyen et al 2009; Newman et al 2011; Vadziutsina & Rodrigo 2020). Essentially, lost fishing gears that continue to kill/harm fish represent an inefficiency in the fish production process, and in essence are a form of waste associated with the harvesting process, that ultimately reduces the yield and casts a bad light on the fishery itself. This project does not meet any specific FRDC priority in the current round, hence the lodgment under (Other), although because of what it attempts to address and minimise, it is likely to gain strong support from those concerned with appropriate management of fisheries i.e., minimising the wasteful use of renewable food resources at a time when there is a food crisis in the world, with parties including the FRDC, AFMA, ENGO's and the fishing industry. Objectives: 1. Quantification of fish trap (various designs) loss rates, both in the distant past and more recently, together with the main factors influencing the loss rate. 2. Quantification of how well “dumped” or unattended traps catch fish, together with the main factors affecting the performance (including the presence of trap disabling mechanisms). 3. Apply refinements* to fishing practices/gear to address loss rates and ghost fishing and assess performance (*utilising observations made in the first year of project). 4. Apply refinements to fishing activity reporting to assist with the management of effort creep, trap loss, and ascertaining appropriate harvest levels for the target species. Read moreRead less
This project will address an urgent action identified under the updated Conservation Advice for the Maugean Skate to increase the levels of dissolved oxygen in Macquarie Harbour. Both modelling and empirical studies have demonstrated the role that salmonid aquaculture and river flows both play in influencing the dissolved oxygen status of the harbour (MHDOWG 2015; Ross & MacLeod 2017, Wild-Allen et al. 2020). A climate driven increase in bottom water temperatures of 1.5-2oC over the past 30 year ....This project will address an urgent action identified under the updated Conservation Advice for the Maugean Skate to increase the levels of dissolved oxygen in Macquarie Harbour. Both modelling and empirical studies have demonstrated the role that salmonid aquaculture and river flows both play in influencing the dissolved oxygen status of the harbour (MHDOWG 2015; Ross & MacLeod 2017, Wild-Allen et al. 2020). A climate driven increase in bottom water temperatures of 1.5-2oC over the past 30 years in the harbour is also considered to have influenced the observed decline through decreased solubility and increased metabolic rates (Ross et al., 2021). The proposed project aims to help address this immediate priority to increase oxygen levels to support the conservation efforts for the skate and to offset the total oxygen drawdown of salmonid aquaculture in the harbour. The scientific evaluation program will assess the efficacy and environmental response to the oxygenation. This evaluation will be critical in assessing the feasibility and scalability of the system. Objectives: 1. Develop plume model and run scenarios to inform injection depth, flow volume, concentration, and distribution of injection points for oxygenation trials. 2. Measure oxygen load, retention and spatial extent of oxygen improvement. 3. Monitor and evaluate the ecosystem response. 4. Determine scalability based on objectives 1-4 using CSIRO’s Macquarie Harbour Model 5. Provide advice on progress to all key stakeholders and how it relates to conservation planning and action for the Maugean skate. Read moreRead less
Child & Adolescent Victimisation: Prevalence & Predictors in Australia. This is a study to determine the rate and predictors of child and adolescent experiences of victimisation in an Australian population based sample.
This study will address widespread concerns about the experiences of violence by Australian children. No previous population based studies have addressed this issue.
Expected outcomes are published papers in major journals, policy relevant data provided to Commonwealth and State ....Child & Adolescent Victimisation: Prevalence & Predictors in Australia. This is a study to determine the rate and predictors of child and adolescent experiences of victimisation in an Australian population based sample.
This study will address widespread concerns about the experiences of violence by Australian children. No previous population based studies have addressed this issue.
Expected outcomes are published papers in major journals, policy relevant data provided to Commonwealth and State governments as well as relevant NGOs.
The consequences of child and adolescent victimisation are substantial. This study will point to both the causes and prioritise strategies to reduce the level of violence experienced by children.
Read moreRead less
This project is needed to reduce the impact of prawn trawling on sea-snake populations both in Australia and overseas; the technology developed has been proven to reduce the landings of sea-snakes by 80%, however, it has not been properly assessed in terms of why it is so effective and whether sea-snakes escaping are healthy and likely to survive. This project attends to this need. The proposed project activity also includes a refinement phase whereby observations made during the Assessment sea- ....This project is needed to reduce the impact of prawn trawling on sea-snake populations both in Australia and overseas; the technology developed has been proven to reduce the landings of sea-snakes by 80%, however, it has not been properly assessed in terms of why it is so effective and whether sea-snakes escaping are healthy and likely to survive. This project attends to this need. The proposed project activity also includes a refinement phase whereby observations made during the Assessment sea-trials phase will be utilised to improve its performance prior to starting the Extension phase across several Australian prawn fisheries.
Successful reduction in sea-snake landings, as well as other small/moderate sized finfish bycatch, will help meet the sustainable fisheries priority.
Objectives: 1. Comprehensively assess the bycatch reduction performance of the Sea-snake TED/BRD including coverage of when, where, and how sea-snake escape, and what other species are likely to benefit the most from its use. 2. Utilise both the existing Sea Harvest data (e.g., from 2023) and the assessment data from Objective 1 activity, to refine the Sea-snake TED/BRD, noting that these refinements may extend beyond improving exclusion rates and retention rates (prawn), to making the trawl gear fish better and ‘cleaner’. 3. Develop clear uptake guidelines to enable the Sea-snake TED/BRD to be successfully introduced into other prawn fisheries where variance in net design, TED/BRD design, and operations, may, if ignored, compromise its performance. Read moreRead less
Valuing Every Contribution: What A Basic Income Would Mean For Australians
Funder
IPSOS
Summary
It surveys Australians to explore how a basic income would affect their lives, how they use their time, and how they engage with the workforce. The survey also sheds light on the growing problem of income and work insecurity, which is alarmingly high.
The Audi Women in Automotive project was jointly developed by Mission Australia and Audi in order to encourage mothers/long term unemployed women to enter a non-traditional field of employment, the automotive industry