Hot Issues

FRDC and its researchers periodically produce special reports on issues or topics of concern to its stakeholders. The reports can either be the final research report or a publication that has been developed out of that report.

The final research reports are all available via the research search engine and for all other publications (non research) will be available on the Publication Database with an overview and link will be provided below.

Current Issues of importance

Fisheries Co-Management

Report of the FRDC’s national working group for the Fisheries Co-management Initiative — project No. 2006/068

“Co-management” is not an esoteric, minor improvement in a management system. Potentially it is a lifeline for the future sustainability of Australia’s fisheries and the businesses and communities that depend on them. This report comprises the findings of the FRDC project. It is the product, principally, of the impressive expertise of members of the project’s working group and their collective knowledge of the commercial (wild-harvest and aquaculture), recreational and indigenous industry sectors and interests. This was supplemented with discussions with fisheries management agencies. It is not something that will simply “sit on the shelves”: too much is at stake for that. The report is drafted as a practical “How to…” guide, providing a flexible framework which may be applied at various levels, within different commercial, recreational or indigenous fisheries depending on the prevailing circumstances.

Energy Efficiency

Fishing Energy Efficiency Review for the FRDC

The cost of catching and producing fish has increased significantly over the past 5 years. A major factor has been the increase in cost of fuels. This is a major issue facing all the seafood industry worldwide. FRDC acknowledges the impact and as a result have funded a number of research projects to examine the issue and identify viable solutions. Below are the first two reports out of project 2005/239 - Energy Efficient Fishing: A 2006 review. Part A of the report looks at alternative fuels and efficient engines. Part B examines Hull Characteristics and Efficiency. Both reports provide an excellent snapshot of where industry is currently using energy.

• Part A Alternative fuels and efficient engines
• Part B Hull Characteristics and Efficiency

International Research

For additional information on alternate fuel sources, The United Kingdom's Sea Fish Industry Authority (Seafish) has also been working on this issue and published the report Heavy fuel oil - a cost effective solution for suitable fishing vessels in August 2006.

To view Heavy fuel oil - a cost effective solution for suitable fishing vessels 

E-Fishing -- the 1st International Symposium on Fishing Vessel Energy Efficiency -- was held in Vigo, Spain from May 18 to 20.

Thirty papers were presented, and copies of the papers and presentations can be downloaded from the E-Fishing website. Go to http://www.e-fishing.eu, click on “Papers” and you will see a list of all 30 papers. Then click on “Paper” or “Presentation” alongside the title of any paper that interest you. You can also choose to “Download Full Papers” (14.8mb) and “Download Full Presentation” (151mb).

On this website, you will also find information about the next E-Fishing conference, planned for Vigo from May 22 to 24, 2012.