Bycatch Solutions: a handbook for fishers in non-trawl fisheries "communications File"

Funded Activity Summary

Dealing with bycatch is a high priority for industry, government and many interested stakeholders. It may not be necessary to research and develop new solutions in every fishery if existing approaches can be adapted by fishers (Refer Objectives 1 & 2 Section B4). This project will provide information to fishers in non-trawl fisheries on the options for handling bycatch problems used by fishers in comparable fisheries in Australia and overseas (Refer Objective 3 Section B9).

Further bycatch reduction work is needed for non trawl-net based fisheries, trap fisheries and various line fisheries. In the case of the Commonwealth fisheries there is now a policy driver for the preparation of bycatch plans. Many of the state managed fisheries are facing similar issues and bycatch control will have to be addressed through fishery management plans (Refer Objectives 4 & 5 Section B4).

Some of the solutions documented may be adaptable with few changes. Others may require more substantial changes, either to gear or to management arrangements. In the case of the latter, the identification of specific assessments needed will assist the prioritisation of future research and development funds (Refer Objective 6 Section B6).

The handbook we have proposed will bring together in an easy-to-use form all the existing available information on bycatch reduction methods in non trawl fisheries. Access to information and ideas in the handbook will asist in increasing the rate of progress towards ecologcally sustainable fisheries

Objectives:
1. To document existing mechanisms used to control bycatch in Australia non trawl fisheries
2. To document existing mechanisms used to control bycatch in comparable fisheries overseas
3. To provide information to fishers about the options for controlling bycatch in their (non-trawl) fishery.
4. To provide information to fishery and environmental managers and the public on existing mechanisms used by the industry for controling bycatch.
5. To provide information to fishery and environmental managers and the public on potential options for controlling bycatch.
6. To provide guidance to industry and fishery managers about R&D priorities with regard to bycatch control options on an individual fishery basis.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 22-01-2002

End Date: 24-01-2002

Funding Scheme: Funding Scheme not available

Funding Amount: $11,392.00

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 | Fisheries Management

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