Assessing and managing interactions of protected and listed marine species with commercial fisheries in Western Australia
Incidental mortality in commercial fishing activities is acknowledged as an issue for many protected and endangered species throughout the world. Whilst Australia is considered a world leader in managing
these interactions, further improvements and development of additional knowledge is still required to
meet the expectations of the community. Within WA, to address the variety of interactions with protected
and listed marine species across all our commercial fisheries in a cost effective manner, an holistic and
integrated approach needs to be taken. Several protected species issues have already been identified through existing management processes, including entanglement of whales in fishing ropes and interactions between seals and demersal gillnets. These two issues involve protected species on the Commonwealth threatened list (i.e the Australian sea lion, Humpback and Southern Right Whale) which generates attention from both an ecological and political respect. A greater understanding of the factors involved in these interactions will be needed to design mitigation programs. Assessments at both the individual fishery and bioregional level will be required to input into the ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) frameworks that are being developed for each WA bioregion. There is also the ongoing requirement for all fisheries to satisfy the protected species criteria under the EPBC Act which for some is vital to maintain their export certification. Moreover, there is the potential for significant pressure from advocacy groups to press for regulation of fishing effort or methods unless well-formulated management systems to address these pressing issues are developed.
Final report
Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: current and future needs for aquatic animal health training and for systems for merit-based accreditation and competency assessments
Aquatic animal health service providers have expressed concern that there is a shortfall of aquatic animal health professionals servicing Australia’s aquaculture industries. Despite this need, most current Australian education systems/institutions do not adequately cover aquatic animal health. In addition to the need for inclusion of aquatic animal health content in formal education courses, there is also a need for continuing education.
Identifying accreditation mechanisms to ensure competency in professionals providing aquatic animal health services to the aquaculture sector is another component of this strategy. This must needs go beyond the provision of veterinary services (which also provide limited training in aquatic animal health) For example, University of Tasmania currently provide a training course in histopathology of aquatic animals that is targeted at, and in part run by, non-veterinarians.
Final report
Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: technical guidelines for the translocation of live aquatic animals
There is an existing National Policy for the Translocation of Live Aquatic Organisms. published by the Ministerial Council of Forestry, Fisheries and Aquaculture (1999). This provides the policy basis for translocation within Australia. Industry concern about the practical processes for achieving translocation approval lead to the funding of FRDC 2002/080. In addition, recent concern among jurisdictions over VER outbreaks has emphasised the need to develop technical guidelines to underpin testing, as well as policy guidelines, for finfish.
Final report
Sharing the Fish conference '06
Final report
Sharing the Fish06 Conference was held from 26 February – 2 March 2006 and preceded by the FAO Pre Conference Workshop on 23 – 24 February 2006.
Sharing the Fish06 Conference was an initiative of the Department of Fisheries Western Australia. The aim of the conference was to focus on resource allocation and the sustainability of fisheries and to provide a neutral and objective forum for the multi-disciplinary discussion of the elements of effective allocation of fisheries resources to ensure their sustainability. Sharing the Fish06 Conference aimed to build on the property rights concept and take forward the issue of resource allocation and sustainability in fisheries.
The fundamental question to be addressed by the conference was "How may fisheries managers and policy makers go about considering, undertaking, and implementing the allocation of fish resources to ensure their sustainability, be these issues considered at the stakeholder, local, national, international or regional level?
The FAO Pre Conference Workshop on 23 – 24 February 2006 was attended by over 100 people and was successful in providing a grounding on allocation concepts for participants.
A total of 321 people attended conference and workshop (representing 321 people, from about 40 countries). This attendance was weighted towards developed countries as potential participants from developing countries could not obtain travel sponsorship and the conference funding was not designed to address this gap.
FRDC requested a special session that focused on issues and solutions for resource sharing in Australia. Over 100 people attended this session.
Sharing the Fish06 Conference was successful in meeting its objectives and received considerable positive feedback from participants about the quality of both the intellectual content and the organisation. Proceedings will be published by the Department of Fisheries Western Australia.