Project number: 2021-119
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $129,915.00
Principal Investigator: Julie B. Robins
Organisation: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries EcoScience Precinct
Project start/end date: 30 Apr 2022 - 29 Jul 2023
Contact:
FRDC
SPECIES

Need

The proposed work directly targets the opportunity
• to benchmark bycatch reduction devices (including escape vents) and strategies currently in use in the Queensland Crab Fishery,
• to trial refined escape vents for better (i) retention of legal crabs and exclusion of non-legal crabs and fish bycatch.

Recommended refinements to the regulation of escape vents in commercial mud crab pots will be provided to Fisheries Queensland by October/November 2022 for potential inclusion in the next round of regulatory amendments to the Crab Fishery.

More appropriately specified escape vents will produce better commercial outcomes (i.e., retention of legal crabs) and better ecological outcomes (e.g. exclusion of sub-legal crabs and finfish prone to entrapment in crab pots). Reports from crabbers indicate that some of the regulated escape vents allow legal crabs to escape, whilst the small escape vent (75 x 60 mm) reportedly allows very little bycatch to escape. A quantitative study that encompasses regional variation in mud crab morphometrics (i.e., carapace depth/height ~carapace width) would provide empirical data upon which management decisions can be objectively made.

Better documentation on marine turtle entrapment in crab pots (which is currently of limited public access) and gear modification to efficiently reduce or prevent marine turtle entrapment would be of benefit to threatened and endangered marine turtle populations of Queensland (in particular loggerhead turtles) and would contribute to the development of a risk mitigation strategy for the fishery.

Objectives

1. Benchmark bycatch reduction devices and strategies currently in use in the Queensland crab fishery.
2. Trial alternate configurations and advise on potential changes to escape vent regulations achieve better commercial and ecological outcomes.
3. Collate information on marine turtle interactions with crab pots (including ghost pots) and consider pot configuration(s) that could contribute to a risk mitigation strategy for marine turtles in the Qld crab fishery.
4. Develop options for adoption of bycatch reduction devices and strategies in the recreational sector of the Qld crab fishery.

Related research

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PROJECT NUMBER • 2022-138
PROJECT STATUS:
CURRENT

Developing a Kimberley Aboriginal Mud Crab Fishery

1. Determine the biology and distribution of mud crab species (Scylla serrata and S. olivacea) in King Sound and Cambridge Gulf areas of the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
ORGANISATION:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 2022-010
PROJECT STATUS:
CURRENT

Assessment of the interactive effects of climate change, floods and discard stress on the commercially important Mud Crab (Scylla serrata) and Blue Swimmer Crab (Portunus armatus) - postgraduate

1. Provide the opportunity for a post-graduate research student to work with industry and managers, gain exposure to stakeholder’s perspectives on the issue and undertake high-quality research that results in the production of scientific outputs.
ORGANISATION:
Southern Cross University (SCU) National Marine Science Centre
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 2019-160
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Holding methods for mud crabs

Commercial in confidence
ORGANISATION:
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries EcoScience Precinct