FRDC-DCCEE: vulnerability of an iconic Australian finfish (barramundi, Lates calcarifer) and related industries to altered climate across tropical Australia

Funded Activity Summary

Barramundi-associated industries are integral to the socio-economic health of tropical communities. This species supports a strong commercial and aquaculture fishery (~$80 million) and has high societal value being the major recreationally targeted fish in tropical waters (valued at ~$50 million) and is intrinsically important to indigenous culture. In QLD, barramundi is the fastest growing aquaculture sector (~ 21% p.a).

For barramundi there is a need to understand future climate patterns, their impact on distribution, carrying capacities and local abundances within the commercial/recreational fisheries, as well as the threats and opportunities for aquaculture. Current climate-orientated models are restricted to the QLD wild fishery and these predictions need to be extended to NT and WA, and the aquaculture landscape. In QLD, catch rates are linked to climate variability (Balston 2009a, 2009b) and the abundance/connectivity of climate sensitive wetland/mangrove habitats (Meynecke et al 2008). Pond-based aquaculture often already experiences summer water temperatures above those for optimum growth. However, no estimates on climate induced vulnerability of the whole fishery, or on current land and sea-based aquaculture (geophysical, physiological and nutritional impacts), are available, and the capacity for the aquaculture industry to selectively breed for tolerance to altered temperature regimes is unknown. These needs strongly align with those identified in the Marine Biodiversity Adaptation Plan as highest priority for the various sectors. The proposed R&D has strong stakeholder support from commercial, recreational and aquaculture stakeholders, as well as serving as a model for understanding altered climatic regimes in other tropical in-shore finfish.

Objectives:
1. Define current thermal tolerances and associated physiological/energetic consequences of thermal adaptation in genetically divergent barramundi stocks across tropical Australia.
2. Develop predictive models incorporating new physiological and genetic data with available population genetic, environmental and fisheries data to identify vulnerable wild stocks and associated stakeholders under realistic climate change predictions. Opportunities for expansion of fisheries and aquaculture will be determined.
3. Establish genetic basis of thermal tolerance differences through identification of candidate thermal tolerance related genes within functionally/genetically divergent stocks. These candidate genes can be used as biomarkers for the aquaculture industry in the identification of fish with genetic tolerance to thermal stress.
4. Quantify parasite impacts on sea-cage barramundi under different temperature, pH and salinity and develop adaptive management strategies to minimize impacts under altered climate change scenarios.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2011

End Date: 31-12-2013

Funding Scheme: Funding Scheme not available

Funding Amount: $521,000.97

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

Animal Health | Animal Welfare | Climate Change | Climate Mitigation | Ecosystem | Fisheries Management | Modelling | Physiology | Stock Assessment

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