Media Release

For immediate use - 13th August 2002

WA TO RECEIVE $4.6M FOR FISHERIES R&D

The Fisheries and Development Corporation (FRDC) has announced funding of over $4.6 million for new research and development projects in Western Australia.

FRDC Chairman, Mr Denis Byrne, announced details of the FRDC's 2002-2003 funding round today.

"Western Australia's fishing industry and other stakeholders will benefit from funding allocated to 20 new projects to be conducted over the next few years by State government fisheries research institutes, industry groups and other research providers," said Mr Byrne.

"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 benefits to Western Australia.

"WA is engaged in some ground-breaking research that is being funded by the FRDC.

"WA's McGowan family is championing the enhancement of scallops in their fishery in partnership with another scallop fishing company, FRDC and project principal investigator, Rick Scoones.

"This project will 'enhance' wild scallop beds with hatchery-reared scallop spat. Once this small spat has grown to a marketable size, it will be harvested and exported.

"It follows from FRDC's previous investment in a business plan which reported that enhancement had significant potential to add value to existing scallop fisheries.

"While the fishing industry continues to grow in value and become more sophisticated in the way it catches its product, it is still one of the nation's most hazardous occupations. To address this issue Western Australia has developed a successful occupational health and safety program to save lives in the industry.

"The success of this program has led to the FRDC, with the support of the Australian Seafood Industry Council, agreeing to fund WA to extend the program to all other States and the Northern Territory.

"This program, together with the financial and implementation support from the States and the Northern Territory, will provide the platform for industry Australia-wide to voluntarily improve work practices and save more lives.

"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.

"It is estimated that 25%-30% of all Australians fish recreationally and spend $2.9 billion annually doing so. 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.

"FRDC will also sponsor the fishing industry's premier conference Seafood Directions 2003. The biennial conference will be held in Western Australia on September 15-19, back-to-back with the 3rd National Rock Lobster Congress.

"The FRDC is challenging the organisers to present a program that will attract grass roots fishers. Seafood Directions topics will include bio-security, world trade matters, food partnering and environmental issues associated with aquaculture.

The FRDC is responsible for planning, investing in and overseeing fisheries R&D and facilitating the dissemination, adoption and commercialisation 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
Enhancement of saucer scallops in WA: Rick Scoones, phone 08 9383 2389
OH&S national extension strategy: Tanya Adams, WAFIC, phone 08 9244 2933
Recreational fisheries data model: Norm Hall, Murdoch University, phone 08 9360 2524.
Health promotion program: Lawrence Beilin, University of WA, phone 08 9224 0258.
Seafood Directions 2003: Jo-Ann Ledger, WAFIC, phone 08 9244 2933