Review the preconditions and the underpinning industry and government structures necessary for the successful implementation of co management Objectives: 1. To investigate the resilience of the various co-management approaches to a changing fishing operational environment (biophysical and socio-governance) 2. To look at the lessons learnt, and the challenges arising from, the implementation of co-management in all jurisdictions; with a view to identifying positive and negati ....Review the preconditions and the underpinning industry and government structures necessary for the successful implementation of co management Objectives: 1. To investigate the resilience of the various co-management approaches to a changing fishing operational environment (biophysical and socio-governance) 2. To look at the lessons learnt, and the challenges arising from, the implementation of co-management in all jurisdictions; with a view to identifying positive and negative drivers 3. To assess the skill sets needed to successfully implement co-management 4. To assess how to resource co-management once the fishery has moved past the RD&E phase 5. To identify the relevant RD&E questions to inform future investment 6. To document recommendations for the future implementation of co management Read moreRead less
Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: Technical Guidelines For The Translocation Of Live Aquatic Animals
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$18,000.00
Summary
There is an existing National Policy for the Translocation of Live Aquatic Organisms. published by the Ministerial Council of Forestry, Fisheries and Aquaculture (1999). This provides the policy basis for translocation within Australia. Industry concern about the practical processes for achieving translocation approval lead to the funding of FRDC 2002/080. In addition, recent concern among jurisdictions over VER outbreaks has emphasised the need to develop technical guidelines to underpin test ....There is an existing National Policy for the Translocation of Live Aquatic Organisms. published by the Ministerial Council of Forestry, Fisheries and Aquaculture (1999). This provides the policy basis for translocation within Australia. Industry concern about the practical processes for achieving translocation approval lead to the funding of FRDC 2002/080. In addition, recent concern among jurisdictions over VER outbreaks has emphasised the need to develop technical guidelines to underpin testing, as well as policy guidelines, for finfish. Objectives: 1. To progress a common approach to the translocation of live finfish across Australia for aquaculture and restocking purposes. Read moreRead less
Given increasing complexity in fisheries management and additional scrutiny on managers, there is a need for fisheries managers from the different jurisdictions to meet as a group to exchange ideas and initiatives and build networks. The Australian Fisheries Management Forum (AFMF), comprised of the respective heads of Commonwealth and State/Territory management agencies, supports the need for such a forum.
Similar cross-fertilisation forums exist between researchers through the Austral ....Given increasing complexity in fisheries management and additional scrutiny on managers, there is a need for fisheries managers from the different jurisdictions to meet as a group to exchange ideas and initiatives and build networks. The Australian Fisheries Management Forum (AFMF), comprised of the respective heads of Commonwealth and State/Territory management agencies, supports the need for such a forum.
Similar cross-fertilisation forums exist between researchers through the Australian Society for Fish Biology (ASFB) and the National Compliance Committee for compliance officers.
It has been a considerable period since fisheries managers workshops were last held. Previous workshops occurred in the 1980s and early 1990s. In March 2014, a two-day national fisheries management workshop was held in Adelaide at the South Australian Aquatic Sciences Centre. This workshop was overseen by the AFMF’s Fisheries Management Sub-Committee (FMSC), with funding support from the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC). Recommendations arising from this workshop included convening a subsequent fisheries managers workshop in 12-24 months and the formation of an Australian Professional Fisheries Management Society.
As an interim arrangement pending the potential formation of a professional fisheries managers society as a chapter of ASFB, the FMSC has agreed to hold another fisheries managers workshop, which Queensland will host in October 2017.
Future workshops will be held to coincide with ASFB annually (starting in 2018). Objectives: 1. Hold workshop to solidify the fisheries management working group as part of AFMF Read moreRead less
Tactical Research Fund: Topping Up The "Crystal Bowl" For Barramundi
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$62,000.00
Summary
Application 2010/018: A "Crystal Bowl" for Barramundi was submitted to the FRDC 2010 round. While the application was rejected the Board indicated it was sympathetic to the approach described and suggested further discussion with Recfishing Research in the development of any future application. It is proposed that a further application be developed for the FRDC 2011 round addressing the issues raised by the Board.
The "Crystal Bowl" concept will underpin any move to regional management ....Application 2010/018: A "Crystal Bowl" for Barramundi was submitted to the FRDC 2010 round. While the application was rejected the Board indicated it was sympathetic to the approach described and suggested further discussion with Recfishing Research in the development of any future application. It is proposed that a further application be developed for the FRDC 2011 round addressing the issues raised by the Board.
The "Crystal Bowl" concept will underpin any move to regional management which is dependent on fine scale data collection on Barramundi in the Fitzroy River system and remains pivotal to the further development of the concept.
Data collected will also be used as baseline data for two coal port developments proposed by Xstrata for the Fitzroy River. These proposals are in their early stages. One proposal at Balaclava Island at the mouth of the river could impact on Barramundi and Threadfin spawning grounds and the other to barge coal down the Fitzroy River will significantly disrupt fishing activities. Discussions are underway with consultants for Xstrata to establish a monitoring program however this is unlikely to commence until the project are approved.
The data required is commercial catch, recreational catch and recruitment. Also required are the environmental conditions including connectivity of wetland lagoons, river flows and rainfall.
Data on commercial catch is available from Fisheries Queensland. CapReef, a community based monitoring program, has collected data on recreational catch since 2007 and recruitment since 1999. A further application for the "Crystal Bowl" will not be submitted until November 2010 and if approved would not commence until around June 2011. Objectives: 1. Collection of commercial catch and recreational catch data for the Fitzroy River in 2010-11 2. Collection of Barramundi recruitment and environmental data for the 2011 recruitment season from January to April 3. Use of that data in the development of commitment to local or regional management among local stakeholders and as baseline data for estimating the impact of proposed coal port developments for the Fitzroy River Read moreRead less
The WRL industry needs to adopt new digital technology to benefit from the digital economy and ensure industry is efficient, highly productive and world-leading in all its management practices and policies. This is fundamental to achieving the WRL Strategic Plan objectives and aims to develop the western rock lobster industry’s competitiveness in digital technologies and ensure that the industry can draw the full benefits from digital innovation.
Discussions on 2017/18 research prioriti ....The WRL industry needs to adopt new digital technology to benefit from the digital economy and ensure industry is efficient, highly productive and world-leading in all its management practices and policies. This is fundamental to achieving the WRL Strategic Plan objectives and aims to develop the western rock lobster industry’s competitiveness in digital technologies and ensure that the industry can draw the full benefits from digital innovation.
Discussions on 2017/18 research priorities and potential areas for collaboration were discussed extensively at the FRDC Annual Stakeholder Workshop in August 2017 with digital technology a commonality across all groups, including scoping data collecting and analysis innovations for policy, management and operations; New apps for commercial recreational catch, management, markets and effort; and Monitoring and sensor (environment to consumers).
There is a need for the WRL to seek expertise to create a new digital platform that will be capable of adding new modules and applications in to the future as required as well as interoperability with other systems. Industry wants to generate and manage its own data (noting that it will make every effort to be compatible with a national industry data management project) and supply the requested data to government when it is required and in the appropriate form. This will require trust but industry needs to accept this responsibility if it wants to act fast and make the most of opportunities in the digital economy. Industry can't rely on government to achieve this.
The WRL needs to identify and implement new digital applications that will improve process efficiency and assist fishers, managers, scientists, regulators and key stakeholders to make more informed and better decisions.
The WRL needs to scope what other fisheries and non-fishing industries are doing nationally and internationally with collecting data and using it in new and innovative ways to improve operations, management, policy, science and decision making.
This program needs to make provision for extension areas such as a new on-line OH&S standards and automatic reporting, digitised traceability from catch to plate, new auto entry catch application, and new monitoring and sensor technologies. Objectives: 1. Scope national and international data collection and analysis innovation to assist policy development and fisheries management 2. Develop and extend a fully digitised database to achieve at least three management objectives 3. Expand database to meet non-managment objectives. Read moreRead less
Experimental Culture Of Trout In Cages In Australian Freshwaters
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
Objectives: 1. Evaluate the potential for cage-cultured trout under Australian conditions, both in regard to environmental criteria and the degree of suitability of locally made materials
Tactical Research Fund: Development Of A Plan To Address National Needs For Recreational Fishing Data For Fisheries Management And Development
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$49,049.10
Summary
Governments and industry have recognised the importance and potential for further development of the recreational fishing sector. However, to increase and measure the social and economic values of the sector, and to ensure sustainability of the fisheries, there is a need to effectively and efficiently collect, curate and share appropriate recreational fisheries data. A systematic national approach to the collection and management of recreational fisheries data would also assist with the managem ....Governments and industry have recognised the importance and potential for further development of the recreational fishing sector. However, to increase and measure the social and economic values of the sector, and to ensure sustainability of the fisheries, there is a need to effectively and efficiently collect, curate and share appropriate recreational fisheries data. A systematic national approach to the collection and management of recreational fisheries data would also assist with the management of the sector and prediction of the impacts of regulatory decisions and program implementation.
A systematic and coordinated approach to the collection and sharing of recreational fisheries data for fisheries management and industry development are common themes in the: - FRDC research and development plan to 2010 - Australian Fisheries Management Forum (AFMF) 2006-2008 research priorities - 2006 State of the Marine Environment Report (SOMER2006) - Fisheries Statistics Working Group’s “strategy to improve the quality, comparability and availability of fisheries data and statistics in Australia”.
The approach proposed here recognises that the 2000 National Recreational and Indigenous Fishing Survey provided information that, while useful and widely used, did not address many industry and government needs and is unlikely to be repeated. As a result, each jurisdiction is independently collecting recreational fisheries data for stock assessment, resource allocation and other management requirements.
Late in 2006, all jurisdictions and industry agreed on the need for a coordinated national approach to collection of recreational fisheries data. Since then AFMF’s Science and Research Sub-committee has been liaising with Recfish Australia and Recfishing Research (FRDC 2007/227) concerning a national approach to data collection and management that meets the needs of government and industry. There is strong support for the development of a national recreational fisheries data plan based on the respective and combined needs of government and industry stakeholders.
Objectives: 1. To develop a national plan for the efficient and effective collection and management of recreational fisheries data for Government and industry. Read moreRead less
Effects Of Environmental Variability On Recruitment To Fisheries In South Australia
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$49,709.00
Summary
Fisheries recruitment is generally variable and seldom related to spawning stock size, except in the case of salmonid fishes. Environmental variability has a large effect on recruitment that can be stronger than the effect of stock size. It is difficult to understand whether fishing pressure is affecting stock sizes unless we have some understanding of how the environment affects the populations of exploited species. While the environment is known to significantly affect recruitment, the relatio ....Fisheries recruitment is generally variable and seldom related to spawning stock size, except in the case of salmonid fishes. Environmental variability has a large effect on recruitment that can be stronger than the effect of stock size. It is difficult to understand whether fishing pressure is affecting stock sizes unless we have some understanding of how the environment affects the populations of exploited species. While the environment is known to significantly affect recruitment, the relationship is complex and multivariate. To gain insight into the relationship, we need to assemble a range of environmental variables for appropriate statistical analyses. These data are often scattered, and have varying spatial and temporal resolutions and quality. An important step along the way to elucidating relationships between environment and recruitment is to compile the datasets into a form that can be spatially matched, appropriately averaged and statistically scaled to extract the environmental signal from the background noise that could otherwise obscure a relationship with recruitment.
If environmental indices are related to fisheries recruitment of specific species (e.g. marine scale fish, rock lobsters and prawns) then management can use the indices (1) to understand the physical processes that account for variability in recruitment and fishery productivity, (2) possibly predict recruitment a year or two in advance, and (3) to speculate about the effects of global warming on our fisheries.
Pearce et al. (FRDC 94/032) compiled time series of environmental variables in Western Australia, and found that variations in the strength and path of the Leeuwin Current affected mainly the larval stages of commercial species. The magnitude and sign (positive or negative) of the effect differed by species. We will build on this study, incorporating some of their recommendations, to gain insight into the processes affecting recruitment.
Objectives: 1. Compile an integrated spatial database of environmental variables for the SA region including Southern Oscillation Index, satellite imagery, satellite data (SST, ocean colour data and altimetry), chlorophyll, bottom temperatures, CTD profiles, derived water column stability, wind data (speed, direction and wind stress), and derived upwelling indices. 2. Compile the model-based and measured recruitment indices for S.A. fisheries including King George whiting, snapper, garfish, rock lobster, prawns and abalone over as along a period as possible. Compile suitably averaged pilchard larval abundance as an index of recruitment in the absence of a true measure of recruitment. 3. Relate the recruitment indices for King George whiting, snapper, garfish, rock lobster, prawns and abalone, and the larval abundance of pilchard to the environmental variables with the goal of understanding the effect of environmental fluctuations on the recruitment of each species. Read moreRead less
Low Cost Management Regimes For Sustainable, Small Low-value Fisheries Based On Coastal Inshore Species
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$89,889.00
Summary
Low cost, practical management regimes for small-scale, low-value fisheries are desperately needed, to ensure long term sustainability for these fisheries without the need for resource hungry management frameworks. While management should focus on output regimes to provide business cases to support investment, input regimes should also be considered. The level of data and/or resource poverty for these low-value/small-scale fisheries is often such that they lack formal data collection protocols. ....Low cost, practical management regimes for small-scale, low-value fisheries are desperately needed, to ensure long term sustainability for these fisheries without the need for resource hungry management frameworks. While management should focus on output regimes to provide business cases to support investment, input regimes should also be considered. The level of data and/or resource poverty for these low-value/small-scale fisheries is often such that they lack formal data collection protocols. Associated challenges in providing guidance, even at the level of basic data collection regimes, can include limited literacy and numeracy, and profound associated cultural issues associated with indigenous sectors.
A logical first step is to undertake a desktop study that provides guidance and a recommended approach to developing management regimes. This has been long been flagged as a priority by the Northern Territory for its small-scale, low-value fisheries, including those with an indigenous and/or community emphasis.
The focus would be on developing a kernel for advice that is informed by a starting-point case study. The multi-sector N.T. Spanish Mackerel Fishery would be considered in the first instance, but with proactive awareness that guidance should be developed in a format that is able to be more generally adapted. Work would be undertaken in close collaboration with state/territory agencies and indigenous liaison teams.
The innovative nature of the project lies in providing pragmatic, practical, stepwise guidance provided to date to explicitly confront and address the extreme data poverty and, to a lesser extent, the profound cultural issues associated with small-scale, low-value fisheries.
Where appropriate, the project will apply the general advice from the new National Harvest Strategy Guidelines. It will also be enhanced by i) the experience of the project team within the Commonwealth context, and in providing general guidance to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), for data-poor fisheries; and ii) the experience, local knowledge and trusted reputation of the N.T. members of the project team.
Objectives: 1. To review and inventory existing approaches for management regimes for small-scale fisheries, with emphasis on low-cost approaches. 2. To provide a guidelines document of advice and recommendations for the development of management regimes for small-scale, low-value fisheries, according to fishery family/archetype. 3. To use the NT Spanish Mackerel Fishery as a case study to inform and refine the guidelines document for one fishery family/archetype. 4. Via the case study fishery, to consider how to incorporate multiple sector objectives and how best to engage relevant stakeholders, in the context of pragmatic management regimes 5. In association with relevant management agencies, develop a new proposal to apply the guidelines to additional case study fisheries, and to continue the engagement with the Spanish mackerel fishery. Read moreRead less