Policy Modelling for Ageing in Emerging Economies: The Case of Indonesia. This project, in collaboration with the World Bank and the Indonesian Planning Authority, will support major social and economic policy development in a rapidly ageing region. It will break new ground by developing a cutting-edge economic policy model reflecting salient features of ageing in emerging economies, taking into account the wider implications for education, employment, formalisation, growth, and retirement. It w ....Policy Modelling for Ageing in Emerging Economies: The Case of Indonesia. This project, in collaboration with the World Bank and the Indonesian Planning Authority, will support major social and economic policy development in a rapidly ageing region. It will break new ground by developing a cutting-edge economic policy model reflecting salient features of ageing in emerging economies, taking into account the wider implications for education, employment, formalisation, growth, and retirement. It will bring the armoury of policy analysis instruments available to these countries up to the standard now enjoyed by the developed world. Indonesia, on the brink of major pension reform, will be used as a test bed. Data sets will be developed to allow the model structure to be applied to other emerging economies in Asia. Read moreRead less
Can Spatial Fishery-dependent Data Be Used To Determine Abalone Stock Status In A Spatially Structured Fishery?
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$562,128.00
Summary
With the advent of the Status of Australian Fish Stocks (SAFS) process, there is now a requirement to provide a stock ‘status’ determination in addition to the annual TACC determination. The ‘status’ reflects changes in the overall biomass, the fishing mortality, or in their proxies. This has led to disagreements among researchers, managers and industry, largely due to uncertainty around how best to derive a meaningful overall stock status indicator to meet the requirements of the SAFS reporting ....With the advent of the Status of Australian Fish Stocks (SAFS) process, there is now a requirement to provide a stock ‘status’ determination in addition to the annual TACC determination. The ‘status’ reflects changes in the overall biomass, the fishing mortality, or in their proxies. This has led to disagreements among researchers, managers and industry, largely due to uncertainty around how best to derive a meaningful overall stock status indicator to meet the requirements of the SAFS reporting process. These higher-level reporting processes are an important demonstration of sustainable management of Australian fisheries, but only if stock status determinations are accurate and defensible.
Australian abalone fisheries primarily use harvest control rules based around CPUE (Kg/Hr) to set TACC. However, with abalone, stable catch-rates may not indicate stable biomass and/or stable density. Catch-rates are frequently criticised because the effort needed to take a quantity of catch may be influenced by density but also by density independent factors such as conditions at the time of fishing, experience, and the ability of fishers to adjust their fishing strategy to maintain catch rates (diver behaviour driven hyper-stability). While there are many issues with the assumption that CPUE is a reliable proxy for abundance, it is assumed to be so despite the absence of robust data to validate use of CPUE in this way. In some jurisdictions CPUE is supplemented by sparse fishery-dependent size and density data. There is an urgent need to review common assumptions, methods and interpretations of CPUE as a primary indicator, and to determine whether inclusion of spatial fishery data could provide a ‘global’ indicator of stock status for abalone fisheries.
Objectives: 1. Characterise the statistical properties, coherence, interpretability and assumptions of spatial and classic indicators of fishery performance 2. Develop methods for inclusion of fine-scale spatial data in CPUE standardisations 3. Identify methods for detecting hyper-stability in CPUE 4. Determine feasibility of spatial data based stock status determination in spatially structured fisheries Read moreRead less
Basement Jacks - Where's Your Stock At? Understanding Stock Structure And Connectivity Of Mangrove Jack In Northern Australia
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$250,000.00
Summary
Mangrove Jack (Lutjanus argentimaculatus) are a long lived (>50 years), late maturing (~6 to 10 years) species that can grow to a large size (>1 metre). Their typical distribution in Australian waters extends from Perth, around the north of the continent to Sydney. Mangrove Jack spend several years as juveniles in freshwater and estuarine habitats before migrating to deeper, offshore waters as they near sexual maturity.
Mangrove Jack are popular amongst all fishing sectors; their aggre ....Mangrove Jack (Lutjanus argentimaculatus) are a long lived (>50 years), late maturing (~6 to 10 years) species that can grow to a large size (>1 metre). Their typical distribution in Australian waters extends from Perth, around the north of the continent to Sydney. Mangrove Jack spend several years as juveniles in freshwater and estuarine habitats before migrating to deeper, offshore waters as they near sexual maturity.
Mangrove Jack are popular amongst all fishing sectors; their aggressive feeding and tendency to aggregate (as both juveniles and adults) also makes them vulnerable to overfishing. Juvenile Mangrove Jack are primarily (but not exclusively) caught by Indigenous fishers, recreational fishers and charter boat clients around estuaries and inshore reefs, whereas adults are caught (occasionally in significant quantities) by offshore trawl operations to the west of Cape York.
The sustainability of Mangrove Jack is assessed under the national Status of Australian Fish Stocks (SAFS) reporting framework, which relies on an understanding of the stock structure of each focal species. Previous genetic analyses using mitochondrial and microsatellite markers suggest that Mangrove Jack form a single homogeneous stock in Australian waters. However, these analytical tools often lack the resolution necessary to detect fine-scale stock structure in larval dispersing fishes. This in turn compromises current stock assessment approaches for Mangrove Jack (undertaken at the jurisdictional or management unit level) as there may be a spatial mismatch between the area of the assessment unit/s and the true stock structure of this species; a situation confounded by a limited understanding of the dynamics of ontogenetic migration/connectivity in Mangrove Jack.
This being the case, there is a pressing need to examine the population structure and connectivity of Mangrove Jack across its Australian range. This will be achieved through a combination of cutting-edge genetic methods (i.e. single nucleotide polymorphisms), otolith micro-chemistry and parasite analyses, in order to address the national FRDC priority “Resolving stock uncertainty for priority species (including Mangrove Jack)”. Objectives: 1. Determine the stock structure of Mangrove Jack across northern Australia 2. Describe the level of inshore/offshore connectivity of Mangrove Jack between Carnarvon and Cape York (encompassing areas prospected by demersal trawl fisheries) 3. Increase stakeholder participation in fisheries research 4. Improve community awareness of fishery management practices Read moreRead less
Structural safety guidelines for accidental hydrogen explosion hazards . This project aims to develop structural safety guidelines to mitigate hydrogen explosion hazards which can be identified as a major safety concern due to the higher demand worldwide for sustainable energy sources with no carbon emission. The world’s growing demand for hydrogen and Australia’s National Hydrogen Strategy to develop the industry will make Australia a core player in hydrogen production creating a massive econom ....Structural safety guidelines for accidental hydrogen explosion hazards . This project aims to develop structural safety guidelines to mitigate hydrogen explosion hazards which can be identified as a major safety concern due to the higher demand worldwide for sustainable energy sources with no carbon emission. The world’s growing demand for hydrogen and Australia’s National Hydrogen Strategy to develop the industry will make Australia a core player in hydrogen production creating a massive economic opportunity. However, the high flammability and low ignition energy of hydrogen makes it vulnerable to accidental explosions. Hence, this project will address the lack of safety protocols in Australian Standards related to the handling of hydrogen by producing essential design recommendations.Read moreRead less
Inequality, Prosperity and the Australian Welfare State. This project aims to clarify contested understandings of Australian inequality and the role of economic and social policies in addressing policy challenges going forward. The objective of the project is to generate significantly improved knowledge of inequality in Australia using innovative approaches of data splicing, decomposition, simulation and backcasting to fill research gaps and resolve contested interpretations. We aim to provide a ....Inequality, Prosperity and the Australian Welfare State. This project aims to clarify contested understandings of Australian inequality and the role of economic and social policies in addressing policy challenges going forward. The objective of the project is to generate significantly improved knowledge of inequality in Australia using innovative approaches of data splicing, decomposition, simulation and backcasting to fill research gaps and resolve contested interpretations. We aim to provide a benchmark and robust framework against which policy development after the current crisis can be evaluated. This project aims to provide significant benefits, keeping Australia at the forefront of research on inequality and public policy, strengthening links between researchers and policy makers.
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Post-graduate Support To Develop Science To Support Red Sea Urchin Fisheries
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$75,000.00
Summary
Red Sea Urchin is a recreational and commercial hand-collected species along the coast of south-eastern Australia. The species likely has long life spans, comparatively narrow environmental tolerances, and despite having planktonic larvae and ample habitat may have limited recruitment in southern NSW due to the cold intolerance of the larvae (Byrne et al., 2022). With climate warming and more favourable thermal conditions for larvae and adults, Red Urchins may increase along the NSW south coa ....Red Sea Urchin is a recreational and commercial hand-collected species along the coast of south-eastern Australia. The species likely has long life spans, comparatively narrow environmental tolerances, and despite having planktonic larvae and ample habitat may have limited recruitment in southern NSW due to the cold intolerance of the larvae (Byrne et al., 2022). With climate warming and more favourable thermal conditions for larvae and adults, Red Urchins may increase along the NSW south coast. Unfortunately, the demography, potential recruitment and connectivity of the species is not known.
The Red Sea Urchin resource has been supported by a SUTS closure network since 1994, but there is no long-term knowledge on how this affects populations or what protection it offers for the stock . Limited reproductive information means we are unable to estimate a suitable size at first capture for the species, and current fisheries management provisions may not sustainably maximise productivity . In addition, the impacts of ocean warming on Red Sea Urchin distributions remain unknown. The SUTS closures have recently been opened to harvesting of Centrostephanus rodgersii, thereby also affording an important opportunity to investigate potential ecological interactions between these two species.
The biological and ecological data gaps related to the Red Sea Urchin fishery must be addressed to support sustainable management of this resource over the long term, and ensure that the fishery remains productive, commercially profitable, and capable of supporting cultural and recreational fishing needs. This project will address biological and ecological knowledge gaps to support management of the Red Sea Urchin Fishery by:
• Characterising the Red Sea Urchin demography across SE Australia, including associated spatial variation such as that inside and outside SUTS closures ; • Estimating reproductive parameters (size, age, roe quantity and quality) for Red Sea Urchin in SE Australia, including associated spatial variation such as that inside and outside SUTS closures; • Quantifying ecological relationships between Red Sea Urchins (density, size) and environmental conditions (depth, substrate, relief, temperature) and with respect to co-distributed Long Spined Sea Urchin • Predicting the impacts of ocean warming on Red Sea Urchin populations with comparative data for the Long Spined Sea Urchin; and • Modelling larval dispersal potential of the Red Sea Urchin, particularly for larvae originating from within SUTS closures, to determine if they act as sources for adjacent fished areas .
Objectives: 1. Assess the long-term effects and status of SUTS closures on the size, densities and roe quality of theRed Sea Urchin; 2. Identify key habitats and distribution of the Red Sea Urchin through ecological relationships between the urchin and various environmental factors; 3. Determine if the SUTS closures may offer an advantage to the fishery by providing greater capacity to replenish adjacent reefs with larvae; 4. Predict the impacts of ocean warming on Red Sea Urchin populations 5. Assess the effects of harvesting Longspined Urchin in SUTS closures on the Red Urchin, Spiny Urchin, Turban Shells, Abalone, and Kelp Read moreRead less
An Updated Understanding Of Eastern School Whiting Stock Structure And Improved Stock Assessment For Cross-jurisdictional Management
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$451,748.00
Summary
Most of the commercial catch of Eastern School Whiting is taken by the Commonwealth South East Trawl (SET) sector of the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF) in eastern Victorian waters and Bass Strait and in the NSW Ocean Trawl Fishery in central and northern NSW waters. Smaller amounts are reported from inshore state waters of southern NSW, Victoria and Tasmania (Conran et al. 2018).
Eastern School Whiting have been managed by catch quotas in Commonwealth fisheries ....Most of the commercial catch of Eastern School Whiting is taken by the Commonwealth South East Trawl (SET) sector of the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF) in eastern Victorian waters and Bass Strait and in the NSW Ocean Trawl Fishery in central and northern NSW waters. Smaller amounts are reported from inshore state waters of southern NSW, Victoria and Tasmania (Conran et al. 2018).
Eastern School Whiting have been managed by catch quotas in Commonwealth fisheries since 1993. A Commonwealth Tier 1 stock assessment is completed every 3–5 years to estimate the recommended biological catch (RBC) for the entire biological stock. Historically, the estimated discards and average state catches were then subtracted from the RBC to set the Commonwealth total allowable catch (TAC). The most recent stock assessment in 2017, calculated an RBC of 1,606 t and the 2019–20 Commonwealth TAC was set at 788 t.
A new basket TAC for Eastern School Whiting and Stout Whiting was introduced in NSW state waters from May 2019 (set at 1,189 t for the 2019–20 fishing year). While some of this catch is likely to comprise Stout Whiting, the combined total of the two independently determined TACs could permit total catches of Eastern School Whiting that exceed the current RBC for the shared stock. Furthermore, as part of these management reforms, the NSW Southern Fish Trawl Fishery is to transition into the Commonwealth SET, which will include allocation of Commonwealth quota to existing state operators. A review of the existing cross-jurisdictional stock assessment and management arrangements for this species is urgently needed to ensure sustainable fishing continues to occur.
Critical information gaps that are hindering this process include the uncertain stock structure of Eastern School Whiting, mixed species composition of whiting in northern NSW and representativeness of biological parameters currently used in the joint stock assessment. This collaborative project between Commonwealth and state agencies aims to fill these information gaps using state-of-the-art scientific methods to increase confidence in stock assessment outputs and help develop appropriate cross-jurisdictional management arrangements. Objectives: 1. To clarify the stock structure of Eastern School Whiting in south-eastern Australian waters using a range of modern methods. 2. Investigate the spatial and temporal variation in the main biological parameters (length and age structures, growth and reproductive biology) of Eastern School Whiting across the species’ distribution. 3. Investigate the species composition of mixed trawl whiting catches in northern NSW to improve the quality of state catch data used in stock assessments. 4. Explore the effects of the findings from the first three objectives on the outputs of an updated Tier 1 stock assessment for Eastern School Whiting. Read moreRead less
Inequality of health, wealth and education in China. This project aims to examine whether China’s recent increase in income inequality is associated with increased inequalities in other well-being related outcomes: health, education and wealth. It also aims to identify the factors associated with increases in inequalities. Significant increases in income and wealth inequality could have detrimental effects on economic and political stability. The expected outcomes from this project will help to ....Inequality of health, wealth and education in China. This project aims to examine whether China’s recent increase in income inequality is associated with increased inequalities in other well-being related outcomes: health, education and wealth. It also aims to identify the factors associated with increases in inequalities. Significant increases in income and wealth inequality could have detrimental effects on economic and political stability. The expected outcomes from this project will help to identify policies useful in addressing inequalities and enhancing stability within Australia's important trading partner.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100085
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$440,954.00
Summary
Forensic genomic toolkit for tracking the illegal wildlife trade. This project aims to analyse the illegal parrot trade by utilising conservation genomic approaches. The project will reveal wildlife trade routes in South-east Asia by developing cutting-edge forensic genomic techniques and criminological methods. Expected outcomes of this project include new field-deployable sequencing technology to provide in-situ genetic information for identifying the taxonomy and provenance of confiscated spe ....Forensic genomic toolkit for tracking the illegal wildlife trade. This project aims to analyse the illegal parrot trade by utilising conservation genomic approaches. The project will reveal wildlife trade routes in South-east Asia by developing cutting-edge forensic genomic techniques and criminological methods. Expected outcomes of this project include new field-deployable sequencing technology to provide in-situ genetic information for identifying the taxonomy and provenance of confiscated specimens, and a first ever genetic database of traded wildlife. The project will facilitate important countermeasures to the illegal wildlife trade including confiscation, reintroduction, improved law enforcement, and education for better biodiversity outcomes in our region.Read moreRead less