Tactical Research Fund: synthesis of existing information, analysis and prioritisation of future monitoring activities to confirm sustainability of the red-legged banana sub-fishery in the Joseph Boneparte Gulf

Funded Activity Summary

The Northern Prawn Fishery (NPF) received certification under the Marine Stewardship Council in 2013, becoming the first tropical prawn fishery in the world to receive ecocertification under this process. Certification was conditional upon a number of actions being addressed. Included among them was the need to demonstrate, using robust scientific information, that fishing in the JBG sub-fishery is not having adverse impacts on at-risk species, vulnerable habitats or ecosystems.

To maintain certification under the MSC, NPF Industry Pty Ltd must undertake a number of actions by September 31 2013. They include:
- evaluating existing information to confirm its suitability for understanding key ecosystem elements in the JBG, understanding the nature, distribution and vulnerability of main habitat types present, and monitoring at-risk species (where identified). Identify deficiencies/gaps;
- implementing a program of activities to address deficiencies/gaps where required; and,
- using existing and newly implemented (as required) research and monitoring activities to assess the status of at-risk species, vulnerable habitats and ecosystems in the JBG sub-fishery.

This proposal will seek to progress these actions. Failure to do so would jeopardise ongoing certification of the NPF.

Objectives:
1. Determine the feasibility of using and extending the existing observer coverage of the NPF to monitor the at-risk species identified through the ERA process
2. Assess all available spatially-explicit information on habitats and their proxies (seascapes, bioregions, environmental envelopes, geomorphs, etc.), and develop a detailed plan to identify the nature, distribution and vulnerability of main habitat types in the JBG
3. Assess whether existing information available is sufficient to understand key ecosystem elements (including target species, bycatch species and habitats) in the JBG fishery

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-11-2013

End Date: 16-10-2014

Funding Scheme: Funding Scheme not available

Funding Amount: $53,440.00

Funder: Fisheries Research and Development Corporation

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

There are no FoR codes available for this funding activity

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Bycatch | Ecosystem | Observer | Sustainability

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