Media Release
For immediate use - 13 August 2002
WAVE OF SUPPORT FOR FISHERIES R&D
The Commonwealth Government's Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) has announced funding of $22.8 million for new research and development projects. FRDC Chairman, Mr Denis Byrne, announced details of the 2002-2003 funding round today.
"Australia's fishing industries - including the $2.4 billion dollar commercial fishing industry and the five million strong recreational sector - will benefit from funding allocated to more than 70 projects," Mr Byrne said.
"Projects funded this year reflect the industry and governments' commitment to ensuring the sustainability of Australia's fisheries resources, developing leadership within industry and building on previous success to deliver national benefits.
"Among these is a groundbreaking R&D project to develop a genetic fingerprinting method to improve the accuracy of fishery harvest monitoring, which underpins stock sustainability, catch rates, incomes and recreational values.
"It is estimated that 25-30% of all Australians fish recreationally spending over $2.9 billion annually. It is an important industry from a social, economic and environmental perspective and FRDC is strongly committed to working with the industry to ensure its sustainability for the future," he said.
"To this end we are funding innovative ways to measure and analyse data from recreational fisheries and incorporate them in management regimes. Murdoch University researchers have taken up the challenge to improve collection and interpretation of recreational data as part of the stock assessment process and to incorporate the results in ecosystem-based management as it evolves.
"Our R&D funding directly benefits all Australians," Mr Byrne said. As part of FRDC's continuing drive to learn and communicate more about the health benefits of Australian seafood a project will investigate whether increased seafood consumption can reduce the need for anti-hypertensive drugs for people who are both hypertensive and overweight. The project builds on the wealth of health benefits research already funded by the organisation.
"FRDC has also funded a project to assist the rapidly expanding prawn farming industry to domesticate black tiger prawns. Prawn farmers have identified this initiative as critical to their future competitiveness. The Australian Prawn Farmers' Association, in partnership with researchers from CSIRO, the Queensland Department of Primary Industries, the Australian Institute of Marine Science and Australia's leading prawn hatcheries to attempt to achieve this formidable goal.
"Once again FRDC will also sponsor Australia's premier aquaculture conference. Aquafest Australia 2002 "Meeting the Challenge" will be held in Hobart from 19-22 September. Topics include risk management, future R&D funding, new technologies, stock health, commercial and regulatory issues, public health and nutrition.
The FRDC is responsible for planning, investing in and overseeing fisheries
R&D and facilitating the dissemination, adoption and commercialization
of the results. The FRDC is a statutory authority of the Commonwealth
Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Australia.
ENDS
Contact: Kylie Paulsen, Communications Manager - Extension, Ph 0438 630
491
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