PROJECT NUMBER
•
2023-034
PROJECT STATUS:
CURRENT
ORGANISATION:
Recfishwest
3 results
Artificial Reefs: Suitability of recycled materials for integration into purpose built artificial reefs for enhancing marine productivity, biodiversity and social outcomes
Project number:
2021-055
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure:
$280,505.20
Principal Investigator:
Andrew Rowland
Organisation:
Recfishwest
Project start/end date:
14 Jun 2022
-
14 Feb 2024
Contact:
FRDC
Traditionally, reef projects around Australia have been funded by public money through government agencies, in particular regional development, research or fisheries grants. More recently in WA, new reefs such as Exmouth’s King Reef, have been brought to life through funding partnerships between government, not for profit & other private/industry sectors. Creating new pathways & processes to unlock & utilise alternative materials to create habitat enhancement structures is critical in ensuring the benefits artificial reefs create for our oceans & communities are maximised. Integrating appropriate recycled materials into reef developments provides opportunities from a scalability & financially sustainable perspective for all sectors of the Australian seafood industry, paving the way for more reefs to be deployed for social, economic and environmental benefit.
Playing a leading role in artificial reef development, Recfishwest often receives offers of materials for new reef projects. Examples include concrete in the form of railway sleepers, roadway culverts & bridge beams or steel in the form of storage tanks, structural frameworks & pipelines. Understanding what structures are suitable & acceptable for repurposing into reefs needs to be determined before these opportunities (current & future) are lost. This will unlock new reef options with alternative partners & funders to build more productive marine habitats for the benefit of local communities & the environment. This project is an extension to the previously FRDC funded habitat enhancement project: https://www.frdc.com.au/Archived-Reports/FRDC%20Projects/2014-005-DLD.pdf
Current Commonwealth & State legislation & policies limit the exploration of new reefing opportunities and there is a need to support change within these regulatory agencies.
We regularly consult with stakeholders who also have a need to understand the outcomes of this project including: DPIRD, NERA, WAFIC, NOPSEMA, DAWE, other Regulators, Resources Sector (including operators), Research agencies and the WA fishing community as end users. NERA and DAWE have also provided Letters of Support for this project as critical project partners to help achieve the outcomes and desired benefits.
1. Explore existing literature on structures and materials that have been successfully repurposed into artificial reefs globally
2. Create a framework to assess the habitat and fishing suitability of structures for use in artificial reef projects
3. Create a guidelines and a substantial list of structures available for potential use in integrated artificial reefs from multiple industries
4. Develop a pathway with targeted regulators to assist in the development of a better regulatory environment that supports science-based habitat enhancement projects
Recfishwest attendance at the World Recreational Fishing Conference in July 2017
Project number:
2016-140
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure:
$10,000.00
Principal Investigator:
Andrew Rowland
Organisation:
Recfishwest
Project start/end date:
9 Oct 2017
-
29 Oct 2017
Contact:
FRDC
With an estimated 740,000 people enjoying recreational fishing in Western Australia every year the recreational fishing industry in WA is extremely important social and economic contributor to Western Australia.
The World Recreational Fishing Conference is being held in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada from July 16-20 2017. The conference unites the global recreational fishing community providing an essential forum to discuss current research. Held every three years, this is the only international conference focused solely on recreational fisheries.
The conference theme this year is : Balancing Values - The Future of Recreational Fishing around the World and key issues that will be addressed include:
1. Use and challenges of catch & release fisheries
2. Understanding angler behavior through human dimensions and economics research
3. Fishers driving fish habitat outcomes
4. Genetic and genomic applications towards improved management practices
5. Management strategies, policy development and governance
6. Integrating social-ecological systems for sustaining fisheries
7. Monitoring and assessment of fisheries
8. Social and economic values of fisheries
9. Citizen science
10. Adaptive environmental management of fisheries
11. Reconciling stocking, management and conservation
12. Engagement of fishers in the management process
13. Recreational fisheries as complex adaptive systems
14. The role of recreation in global fisheries
15. Managing wild stock fisheries under uncertainty
16. Expanding fisheries in economies in transition
17. Allocation issues in fisheries: recreational, commercial, aboriginal, subsistence, artisanal
Western Australia faces many of these issues and learning's from the conference will be directly transferable to Western Australia. This project supports the People Development Drivers, Challenges and opportunities outlined in section 2.2 of the WA Research Advisory Committee RD&E Plan. The objectives of this project also address every one of the FRDC's People Development Program priorities.
more information about the conference can be found at http://www. http:/wrfc8.com/
1. Provide opportunities for knowledge transfer and R&D adoption, and best practice for WA fisheries.
2. Enhance industry leadership within, and across the recreational sector through exposing participants to international experts and through networking opportunities.
3. Build recreational sector capacity to drive change to achieve goals in WA
4. Build capability within the recreational sector workforce and further outcomes from previous FRDC investments in people development.
