Accelerating Greenlip Abalone stock recovery in South Australia using release of hatchery-reared juveniles: Phase 1 - genetics risk assessment and preliminary cost-benefit analysis

Funded Activity Summary

There are areas of the Western Zone Abalone Fishery where Greenlip Abalone are depleting, with biomass levels well below carrying capacity and historical levels. Some areas may not recover quickly without intervention and recovery may be further impeded by climate change. Thus, the Western Zone wild-catch abalone industry is seeking to establish a commercial-scale stock release program to accelerate Greenlip Abalone stock recovery in South Australia using release of hatchery-reared juveniles. The Central Zone wild-catch abalone industry is seeking to establish a commercial-scale stock release program to re-build Greenlip Abalone stocks in depleted areas that will use hatchery-reared juveniles.
There are two key needs for commencing a stock recovery program using hatchery-reared juveniles. The key industry need is to test release of juvenile Greenlip Abalone in the Western and Central Zones to evaluate the long-term economic viability. To support this important industry goal, the key Government need is for data to underpin release policy. This includes knowledge of the geographic distribution of Greenlip Abalone genetic differentiation (after Miller et al. 2014, Sandoval-Castillo et al. 2017), to inform policy review.

References:
Miller et al. 2014 – Molecular genetics to inform spatial management in benthic invertebrate fisheries: a case study using the Australian Greenlip Abalone.
Sandoval-Castillo et al. 2017 – Seascape genomics reveals adaptive divergence in a connected and commercially important mollusc, the greenlip abalone (Haliotis laevigata), along a longitudinal environmental gradient.




Objectives:
1. Use single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs; after Sandoval-Castillo et al. 2017) to compare the genetic diversity and population structure of wild Greenlip Abalone and FX abalone
2. Assess the genetic suitability of using FX abalone for release into wild populations at sites across the SA Western Zone Fishery, ensuring that the genetic structure and diversity of wild populations is maintained, including an expert-based, genetics risk assessment workshop
3. Undertake a preliminary cost-benefit analysis to inform 'stop/go’ decision

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-06-2021

End Date: 30-11-2021

Funding Scheme: Funding Scheme not available

Funding Amount: $111,500.00

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

RAC SA

Related Links