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R&D NewsR&D NewsVolume 13, Edition 2How to apply for FRDC fundingFRDC funds fisheries R&D through three avenues: an annual competitive cycle; projects FRDC initiates; and through Seafood Service Australia Ltd (SSA). Here’s how it works… Competitive cycle Most R&D is funded through an annual competitive cycle in which applications using FRDCWEBAPP software must be lodged with the Corporation by November 1 each year. In assessing these applications FRDC relies heavily on priorities set by the Federal Government and the relevant Fisheries Research Advisory Body (FRAB); and the FRAB‘s evaluation of the projects proposed for funding within its jurisdiction. So to apply for funding applicants should follow these steps:
The FRDC Board will evaluate applications outside this annual competitive cycle only if the proposed project is urgent and addresses a high priority issue. If your proposal meets these criteria, phone FRDC on 02 6285 0400 for information on how to apply for funding. Industry Development For industry-oriented projects with a budget under $30,000, FRDC and Seafood Services Australia have set up the Seafood Industry Development Fund. Administered by SSA, its role is to help people, businesses and organisations in the seafood industry who want to:
To apply, your funding proposal must address priorities in an industry development plan. If an appropriate plan doesn’t exist, the Seafood Industry Development Fund can provide up to $5000 to develop one. MORE: FRDC, www.frdc.com.au; SSA, phone
John Harrison is recs’ first CEORECFISH Australia has appointed John Harrison as its inaugural Chief Executive Officer. John Harrison has been Executive Officer of the Northern Territory Amateur Fishermen’s Association (AFANT) for the past seven years and before that He is a FRDC Director and a former member of many national and regional advisory bodies, including the Australian Seafood and Fisheries Forum and the National Indigenous Fisheries Technical In 2002 he co-chaired the Third World Recreational Fisheries Conference in Darwin. He will be based in Brisbane and, as the sector’s principal lobbyist, expects to spend about two days a month in Canberra. Recfish says Australian recreational fishing is a $1.8 billion industry with 3.5 million participants. “We are looking for John to take Recfish Australia to the next level in its professionalism and dealings He thanked the Federal Government for ’providing the resources to enable the appointment of a CEO’, saying the investment would be returned many times through links and partnerships Recfish would deliver to departments and agencies. MORE: Frank Prokop, phone 0419 949 118;
Plan now for health scienceA LEADING researcher says a major reassessment of funding is needed to ensure Australia has enough aquatic animal health scientists to meet future needs. Barbara Nowak, senior lecturer in fish health at the University of Tasmania and head of the Aquafin Cooperative Research Centre’s health program, said both FRDC and CRCs with an aquaculture focus had taken some steps to overcome the scarcity by providing training opportunities. The former Aquaculture CRC had supported six PhD students working on aquatic animal health at University of Tasmania and four were now employed in relevant research or policy development. Following on the Aquafin CRC has funded six PhD students working on fish health at University of Tasmania and one at the University of Queensland and has adopted six others working at the University of Tasmania. She said all benefited hugely from their CRC association, with the training program allowing them to work in leading fish laboratories – and attend conferences – worldwide. Although all who had completed PhDs now had jobs, most were in contract positions and future prospects were clouded. All the former PhD students – now postdoctoral fellows – still in aquatic animal health were working on Aquafin CRC projects and funding for the projects and the CRC itself were short-term. “There is no clear career path,” Barbara Nowak said “and this is a major disincentive. “Research funding is hard to get and tenured positions are not available. The few existing postdoctoral fellowships are funded competitively.” She said aquatic animal health research and diagnostics were both commonly seen by industry to be the responsibility of government and by government to be the responsibility of industry. The Australian Research Council tended to see necessary research as too applied, while FRDC was likely to see it as too long-term. There was also a specific gap in veterinary diagnosis, with neither CRC training veterinarians in this field – a deficiency that could be countered by workshops for students and veterinarians wanting to extend to aquatic animal health. “More broadly, there is a need to lock in funding beyond the projected life of the CRCs,” Barbara Nowak said. “FRDC’s Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram is contributing, but it’s only part of the solution, because its funding is extremely limited. “Government and industry are working to make aquaculture one of the nation’s most valuable food sectors. “As part of this process they should assess present and future aquatic animal health needs and provide the training and research funds needed to deliver the services that will be essential for success.” MORE: Barbara Nowak, email b.nowak@utas.edu.au
Big tropical seabed surveySCIENTISTS from three national organisations are mid-way through an 80-day assessment of seabed habitats in the Gulf of Carpentaria and Arafura Sea, aboard the research vessel The CSIRO, National Oceans Office and Geoscience Australia team left Cairns at the end of February on a three-stage voyage to document habitats and their responses to differing human impacts. Its findings will be used in Australian Government resource and conservation management, including ‘will let us quantify the effects of commercial fishing on the seabed and therefore contribute to the environmental management of the NPF’ the compilation of a regional marine plan for waters between the Torres Strait and the eastern Arafura Sea. On the first leg of the voyage, the scientists sampled seabed habitats at prawn fishing grounds near Groote Eylandt, the Sir Edward Pellew Group and Mornington Island. The aim was to trace the physical and biological processes that sustain soft seabed communities in four regions and environments and assess their responses to different historical levels of trawling. “This is the first multi-disciplinary study of seabed communities and ecosystem processes in trawled and untrawled areas of the Gulf,” said project leader Rodrigo Bustamante of the CSIRO. It’s been made using records of past and present fishing patterns compiled by Northern Prawn Fishery managers. “These records of trawling intensities, combined with the advanced sampling capabilities of the Southern Surveyor, will let us quantify the effects of commercial fishing on the seabed and therefore contribute to the environmental management of the NPF,” Rodrigo Bustamante said. The research target for the second leg of the collaborative voyage is hard-bottom habitats and untrawled rocky reefs in the southern gulf. The third will investigate hydrocarbon seeps in the eastern Arafura Sea and their associated biodiversity. MORE: Rodrigo Bustamante, phone 0408 195 273; Peter Rothlisberg, phone 0419 702 674; www.marine.csiro.au
Basin carp to get the maleSIGNIFICANT European carp spawning grounds discovered in the Murray-Darling basin will become potential release sites for a FRDC-supported project attempting to create a daughterless stock. The aim is to capture then release at these sites mature wild carp after they have been genetically manipulated to silence the protein that permits the development of female offspring. With fewer females in the population, this relatively high-risk initiative is expected to sharply reduce carp numbers within 20 to 30 years of release. Principal Investigator Bradley Tucker of the Pest Animal Control Cooperative Research Centre said potential release sites, all in New South Wales, included the Barmah-Millewa Forest, Gwydir wetlands and the Macquarie marshes however, before final approval for the project is given appropriate environmental and regulartory approvals must be obtained. He said it was likely most carp in the basin were recruited from a few spawning locations and targeting them there could lead to a dramatic recruitment drop. The CRC estimates that carp now comprise 90 per cent of total fish biomass in parts of the basin, where they out-compete native fish for habitat and food, increase turbidity, uproot vegetation and reduce the potential for photosynthesis in surviving aquatic plants. Collaborations continue with Queensland, Victorian and South Australian fisheries agencies to locate important spawning sites in the remainder of the river system. MORE: Bradley Tucker, phone 02 6242 1547; email bradley.tucker@pestanimal.crc.org.au.
Asia wants better seafoodASIA’S consumption of seafood will continue to grow, but with an emphasis on greater variety and better quality, according to a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade analysis. Total Asian consumption of about 40 million tonnes in 2001 could conservatively reach at least 50-60 million tonnes by 2010, according to DFAT’s publication Asian Agrifood Demand Trends and Outlook to 2010. The main growth in volume demand is expected to come from China, Indonesia and India. DFAT says an annual per capita increase in consumption from 7.2kg to 10kg in China and from 4.5kg to 5.5kg in India would alone lift annual demand by seven million tonnes. Rising incomes in many Asian countries had seen a move away from sole dependence on local fishery resources to an increased reliance on imports, including better quality seafood. DFAT says this change driven by higher income consumers has seen Japan become the world’s biggest importer, buying in $US13.3 billion worth in 2002, with a strong emphasis on quality and freshness. Hong Kong and South Korea also had become major importers and the trend was spreading to developing nations with significant numbers of affluent consumers, even those with big domestic fishery resources. In China, for example, total imports of $US1.6 billion in 2002 were being driven higher by demand for quality, exotic seafood from the high income inhabitants of major coastal cities such as Shanghai, Fuzhou and Guangzhou. An associated global move of processing industries to low-cost economies had also seen key Asian nations become major importers of seafood for value-adding and re-export. Alongside its major domestic fishery Thailand had become one of the world’s biggest producers and exporters of canned tuna, supplementing its own catch with imports of 450,000 tonnes of fresh, chilled and frozen whole tuna in 2002. South Korean companies meanwhile had moved into China to process local and imported fish into surimi, which was then shipped to Korea for domestic sales and for re-export to Japan and other high-value markets. Seafood’s status as the most important source of animal protein in much of Asia had also underpinned a great increase in saltwater and inland aquaculture, with a flow-on of products, particularly shrimps and prawns, for export. The resulting massive demand for aqua-feeds saw Asian imports of fishmeal grow to 2.2 million tonnes by 2001. MORE: Jane Monico, phone 02 6261 3114; email, StatsSection@dfat.gov.au; www.dfat.gov.au/publications/agrifoodasia).
World safety, trade congressTHE 6th World Congress on Seafood Safety, Quality and Trade is to be held in Sydney in September. Hosted by Seafood Services Australia and the New Zealand Seafood Industry Council, it will immediately follow Seafood Directions 2005 in the same Star City venue on September 14, 15 and 16. Under the theme Balancing the Scales international speakers and delegates will investigate the issues involved in balancing seafood safety with the need to encourage trade. These will include the need to acquire the knowledge, skills and technology to meet the increasing demands for secure, safe seafood in a rapidly changing international trading environment. Global trends, consumer perceptions and consumer pressure on governments will be assessed, along with the need to streamline risk assessment and regulation to minimise their potential to be used as trade barriers. Sessions on bioterrorism and food security will evaluate technologies and systems, plus procedures for global collaboration in emergencies. The congress has not previously been held in the southern hemisphere. MORE: www.seafoodservices.com.au/conference/iafi/ Awards for R&D contributorsONE present and one former FRDC Director became members of the general division of the Order of Australia in the 2005 New Year honours list. Current deputy chairman Stuart Richey’s commendation recognised service to commercial fishing, particularly the promotion of sustainable use of Commonwealth fisheries resources and the development of new national marine policies and safety legislation. Bob Kearney’s citation recognised his contributions to sustainable fisheries management and to the development of national and international research programs and policies. Another significant R&D contributor now based in Malaysia, Stephen Hall, received the Public Service Medal in recognition of outstanding public service as Director of the Australian Institute of Marine Science.
Australian Seafood Handbook images soon available online from the FRDC BookshopThe FRDC have now finalised an agreement with CSIRO to become the sole distributor for the images from the Australian Seafood Handboook. Communications Manager for the FRDC, Peter Horvat, said the aim was to eventually have images of all Australian species, over 3,500 images of Australian Fish species available to the public through the FRDC’s online bookstore. Print quality high resolution images will be available for sale, while low resolution images will be available at no charge.
Two leadership courses startFORTY Australians aged between 18 and 35 will undertake a four-and-a-half day residential course in Canberra next month designed to groom future primary industry leaders. All participants in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s fifth Young Leaders’ Course have demonstrated a commitment to their industries over at least three years. DAFF says the course will give them:
Applicants were assessed by an independent advisory panel. Meanwhile, the sixth annual Advance in Seafood Leadership Development program begins later this month in Western Australia. Run by the Seafood Council (SA) Ltd, with funding from FRDC, Advance in Seafood is designed to equip participants with skills, networks and the broad perspective necessary to effectively represent their industry at a national level. Entrants take part in three residential sessions over six months, during which they are also required to design and undertake a significant industry project. The program creates linkages between them and existing leaders through mentoring, industry panel sessions and business dinners. This month’s initial session is being held at Geraldton, Western Australia. The second will be in Sydney in July and the final one in Canberra in October. Financial support is provided from FRDC, DAFF, AFMA, QDPIF, Vic Fisheries, SA Seafood Council and the Sydney Fish Market. MORE: Young Leaders – David Burg, phone
Mcilgorm new NMSC directorFISHERIES and marine management consultant Alistair Mcilgorm has been appointed Director of the National Marine Science Centre at Coffs Harbour, New South Wales. The centre, three years old, is a joint venture of Southern Cross University and the University of New England. It specialises in undergraduate marine science and management, as well as being a base for postgraduates and researchers; and collaborates with organisations such as the Australian Museum, the Australian Antarctic Division and the University of Wales, Bangor. Alistair Mcilgorm previously ran Sydney-based Dominion Consulting for seven years and before that was Associate Director of Fisheries at the Australian Maritime College in Launceston. He said he intended to extend marine science and management courses to take in more postgraduate overseas students, including many from the United States and Europe and would also start The first of these, Managing fisheries to conserve the marine environment, would begin in August with the aim of exposing administrators to the range of scientific, legal, socio-economic and policy issues involved. Field work would tackle the worrying trend of many administrators not being sufficiently exposed to the physical or socio-political environment involved in marine conservation and fisheries management, MORE: Alistair Mcilgorm, phone 02 6648 3900; email, amcilgorm@nmsc.edu.au; www.nmsc.edu.au.
Abalone fishery takes stockTHE third National Abalone Convention in Hobart next month will examine past performance and set new goals for the fishery under the theme Taking stock. Expert speakers will lead sessions on recent R&D results, diving technology, dive medicine, aquaculture developments, marketing and promotion and abalone industry history. The three-day convention will end on May 13 by defining national priorities as guidelines for the sector’s peak bodies for the next two years. MORE: Tasmanian Abalone Council, phone 03 6231 1955; www.tasabalone.com.au.
Abalone, Tasmanian-styleTHESE recipes won the Tasmania Abalone Council’s annual Great Abalone Bake-Off in succeeding years.
Warm Abalone and Sea Lettuce Salad Ingredients Abalone, shucked, washed, skirt removed, tenderised and thinly-sliced Method Marinate abalone for 4 hours or overnight. Combine dressing ingredients in jar and shake well. Rinse and drain sea lettuce. Heat pan, add 2 tbs olive oil and saute sea lettuce briefly. Drain abalone. Place 3 tbs olive oil in hot pan and cook abalone for 2-3 minutes, turning continuously. Place abalone on a bed of sea lettuce and drizzle with sweet chilli dressing. -Recipe by Lyndall Healey and Leanne Bell
Temma Dilemma Ingredients 4 abalone Method Shuck fresh abalone, remove skirt and rub the foot on rough rock. Wash, slice horizontally into thin slices. Tenderise lightly and marinate in soy sauce. Cut onions into quarters, slice capsicum and carrot into strips. Bring wok or frypan to high heat, add oil and sliced green ginger, stir till golden then remove. When pan begins to smoke carefully add marinated abalone. Stir for 30secs, remove and drain on paper towel. Heat remaining oil, stir fry onions and carrot for a few seconds, add remaining vegetables, toss for 1 minute, than add sauce. When sauce boils stir in abalone, thicken with cornflour/water mixture and serve.
-Recipe by Jim MacKenzie, Binalong Bay
Perth-based for R&D charterA FORMER Japanese research ship is now based in Perth to undertake R&D charters. Purpose-built for the University of Tokyo and launched in 1973, the 79m Umataka Maru has been bought, refitted and renamed Australia Mentor by the not-for-profit Swan Maritime Institute, which believes her capabilities will provide new opportunities for Australian fisheries, oceanographic and oil and gas R&D. She has a range of 12,000 nautical miles and an endurance of 35 days, cruising at about 14 knots. Bow thrusters provide manoeuvrability and a variable pitch propeller allows slow speed operation with minimum noise or vibration. Swan says the latest sounder and sonar equipment has been installed for underwater imaging and a recently fitted through-deck flange allows a multi-beam echo sounder and 3D scope-vision to be mounted on the centreline to minimise the effect of roll. Refrigeration ranges from a sample room at minus 25°C to low temperature storage down to minus 120°C. A stern A-frame with a 15t safe working load offers a wide arc and a 5000m oceanographic winch and a 2500m CTD winch, combined with the through-deck flange, allow full ocean depth profiles. Scientific support services include three special purpose rooms, a refrigerated sea water tank, a fish sorting room and laboratory, a preservation-photographic laboratory and dark room and computer rooms. The Australis Mentor can accommodate up to 100 scientists or other users. Her past service has included four Antarctic expeditions, four training voyages for universities to Japan, Micronesia, Australia and New Zealand and monitoring post-war environmental impacts in the Arabian Gulf. MORE: Grace Laurie, phone 08 9410 2966; email Grace@swim.net.au
Recfish has a release codeRECFISH Australia has asked all recreational fishers to observe its new code of practice in hooking and releasing line-caught fish. The code, developed under FRDC’s National Strategy for the Survival of Released Fish, recommends the use of barbless hooks on lures, circle hooks with bait and overall tackle strong enough to land a fish quickly to minimise exhaustion. Knotless landing nets, fish grip devices and dehookers are specified to reduce physical damage, trauma and time out of the water. Recfish says big fish should have their bodies fully supported to avoid organ damage and very big ones should not be removed from the water. All fish taken from the water should be returned, carefully, head-first and some might need to be moved through the water to start a reviving flow over the gills. Recfish says fish brought to the surface from 20m or more may require venting of the swim bladder if it has expanded significantly. The code is available from
Movers and…Duncan Souter, Executive Officer with Qld Seafood Industry Association, has been appointed as Fisheries adviser to Minister Ian Macdonald to replace Angus Nicholls who has taken up a position with Oceanfresh Seafoods based in Melbourne. Former MAFRI Director David Smith now leads CSIRO’s IMERSD research group. The new leader of CSIRO’s pelagic research group is Campbell Davies, formerly a principal research scientist and leader of the Australian Antarctic Division’s Southern Ocean fish and fisheries group. Both are based in Hobart. Aquaculture scientist Scott Walter has been appointed Executive Officer of the Australian Prawn Farmer’s Association. Former CEO Martin Breen continues his association with APFA as an independent contractor, and will be chair of the R&D committee which will examine various issues. Peter O’Brien, BRS Executive Director since 1995, is now Managing Director of the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. Ian Cresswell is Assistant Secretary of the National Oceans Office, which is now an arm of the Department of Environment and Heritage’s new marine division. Previously he was Assistant Secretary of DEH’s Wildlife, Trade and Fisheries Assessment branch. Former ABC journalist Tracey Grady is the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute’s first media officer. MOVERS we’ve missed? Up-to-date info please to comms@frdc.com.au, phone 02 6285 0415.
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Last Updated: March 28 2007 13:43:41