PROJECT NUMBER
•
2023-079
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
ORGANISATION:
Infofish Australia Pty Ltd
6 results
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2017-141
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
New tools to assess visual fish health
In 2018 Infofish Australia Pty Ltd undertook a trial in Gladstone Harbour using machine learning tools to assess photos for fish health issues. The project was commissioned by the Fisheries
Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) and the Gladstone Healthy Harbour...
ORGANISATION:
Infofish Australia Pty Ltd
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2011-502.20
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
ORGANISATION:
Infofish Australia Pty Ltd
Tactical Research Fund: topping up the "Crystal Bowl" for Barramundi
Project number:
2009-094
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$62,000.00
Principal Investigator:
Bill Sawynok
Organisation:
Infofish Australia Pty Ltd
Project start/end date:
31 Aug 2010
-
29 Aug 2011
Contact:
FRDC
Application 2010/018: A "Crystal Bowl" for Barramundi was submitted to the FRDC 2010 round. While the application was rejected the Board indicated it was sympathetic to the approach described and suggested further discussion with Recfishing Research in the development of any future application. It is proposed that a further application be developed for the FRDC 2011 round addressing the issues raised by the Board.
The "Crystal Bowl" concept will underpin any move to regional management which is dependent on fine scale data collection on Barramundi in the Fitzroy River system and remains pivotal to the further development of the concept.
Data collected will also be used as baseline data for two coal port developments proposed by Xstrata for the Fitzroy River. These proposals are in their early stages. One proposal at Balaclava Island at the mouth of the river could impact on Barramundi and Threadfin spawning grounds and the other to barge coal down the Fitzroy River will significantly disrupt fishing activities. Discussions are underway with consultants for Xstrata to establish a monitoring program however this is unlikely to commence until the project are approved.
The data required is commercial catch, recreational catch and recruitment. Also required are the environmental conditions including connectivity of wetland lagoons, river flows and rainfall.
Data on commercial catch is available from Fisheries Queensland. CapReef, a community based monitoring program, has collected data on recreational catch since 2007 and recruitment since 1999. A further application for the "Crystal Bowl" will not be submitted until November 2010 and if approved would not commence until around June 2011.
1. Collection of commercial catch and recreational catch data for the Fitzroy River in 2010-11
2. Collection of Barramundi recruitment and environmental data for the 2011 recruitment season from January to April
3. Use of that data in the development of commitment to local or regional management among local stakeholders and as baseline data for estimating the impact of proposed coal port developments for the Fitzroy River
Final report
Author:
Bill Sawynok
National Strategy for the Survival Of Released Line Caught Fish: planning, project management and communications Phase 2
Project number:
2004-070
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$218,185.00
Principal Investigator:
Bill Sawynok
Organisation:
Infofish Australia Pty Ltd
Project start/end date:
29 Jun 2004
-
1 May 2008
Contact:
FRDC
The need is a national one and results from the large number of fish released, concern for the survival of these fish, the impact of this on fish stocks and how this needs to be managed. The numbers of fish and proportion of the catch released will continue to grow due to increasing management regulation. Environmental assessments are highlighting the importance of quantifying recreational fishing and fishing-induced mortality in fisheries with export components and the deficiencies that currently exist with most popular fish and shellfish species.
In addressing this need there has now been a significant investment in projects under the national strategy funded by FRDC and other agencies.
The steering committee has played an important role in guiding the planning and execution of these projects. The steering committee should continue to oversee the development of further projects under the strategy as well as influencing other projects not funded by FRDC to use the facilities established through the national strategy. This will ensure the greatest return on investment in such projects.
Project 2001/099 has developed strong linkages with industry and a range of products that communicate best practices on releasing fish. As new knowledge and updated best practices are developed through technical projects there is need to extend that knowledge. The most efficient way to do this is through the mechanisms developed by this project. The FRDC board has also stipulated that the technical projects use these facilities.
The focus in 2001/099 was to extend best practices in releasing fish to recreational fishers. As a result there has been limited extension to charter operators and fisheries managers. Fisheries managers, in particular, need new tools, models and data to be better equipped to make decisions about future management of recreational fisheries.
There is a need to continue this initiative beyond 2003/04 to provide leadership to the national strategy, maintain the mechanisms for national extension of new knowledge and changes in best practices, extend knowledge to charter operators and fisheries managers and provide managers with decision support tools.
1. To provide leadership for Australia’s investment in R&D in released line caught fish survival.
2. To provide recreational fishers, charter operators and fisheries managers with new knowledge on releasing fish and changes in best practices as obtained from the technical projects and other research.
3. To facilitate and promote the development of new tools, models and data to assist in decision making by fisheries managers.
Final report
ISBN:
978-0-9752219-3-8
Author:
Bill Sawynok
J Pepperell
R Winstanley
Final Report
•
2008-09-04
•
2.00 MB
2004-070-DLD.pdf
The National Strategy for the Survival of Released Line Caught Fish was an initiative of the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. The strategy evolved during 2001 and 2002 following the funding of a project on reef fish survival in Western Australia in 2000. It was formally approved in April 2002 with the funding of project 2001/099 National Strategy for the Survival of Released Line Caught Fish: Planning, project management and communications. Phase 2 of the National Strategy was from July 2004 to June 2008. From April 2006 it became part of a broader Recfishing Research strategy.
The national strategy focussed research on the priorities identified for survival of released fish. From April 2002 to March 2008, under the umbrella of the national strategy, there have been 20 projects dealing with released fish survival involving a total investment of around $7.3 million of which FRDC provided $2.4 million. This has been one of the largest investments in research, development and extension into an issue of importance to recreational fishing.
Projects under the national strategy have significantly improved knowledge of all issues involving the survival of released fish. Projects under the national strategy have extended the species where there are now estimates of survival rate from 4 to 21. They have also significantly improved knowledge of the effects of deep hooking and barotrauma. There was also a significant improvement in knowledge of best practices in releasing fish to improve fish survival.
The national strategy was instrumental in getting information on the survival of released fish and the results of research into fishers’ communication networks and ultimately to recreational fishers. This project extended information obtained from the research projects to recreational fishers by getting new information into the communication networks used by recreational fishers, charter operators and fisheries managers. Extension was achieved through a website, government fisheries agencies, national and state fishing organisations, schools, marine education programs, Fishcare volunteers, tackle stores, fishing media and fishing clubs which ultimately extended information to individual fishers.
Keywords: National strategy, releasing fish, fish survival, best practices, Gently Does It.
Project products
National Strategy for the Survival of Released Line Caught Fish: planning, project management and communications
Project number:
2002-099
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$518,889.00
Principal Investigator:
Bill Sawynok
Organisation:
Infofish Australia Pty Ltd
Project start/end date:
13 Sep 2002
-
30 Sep 2004
Contact:
FRDC
Nationally about 25-30% of the Australian population participates annually in recreational fishing. This equates to around 5m people.
The Fishcount survey in Northern Territory in 1995 found 0.8 million of all fish caught (43%) were released. The 1997 RFISH survey in Queensland showed that 24.4 million of all fish caught (53%) recreational were released. A similar survey in 1999 showed that 24.8 million of all fish caught (51%) were released. Rates of captured tagged fish that are released in Suntag in Queensland have risen from 38% in 1990/91 to 54% in 2000/01. The National Recreational and Indigenous Survey found that around 30% of fish caught in Australia were released. The total number of fish released nationally is not yet available although an early estimate is that about 100 million fish are caught annually by recreational fishers. The rate of survival of the released fish is unknown.
Regulation of recreational catches through bag and size limits and participation in catch and release fishing are resulting in the high level of fish being released. Where bag limits are set low (eg 2-3 fish), fishers are undertaking a form of high grading as part of their strategy to get more trophy fish. More and more Australian fisheries are becoming subject to management plans with increased regulation that reduces the numbers of fish that can be kept. Recreational fishers are also becoming more aware of the need to conserve fish stocks and are practicing catch and release as a means of minimising their own impact and maximizing the quality and enjoyment they obtain from fishing. These factors will ensure that the trend towards releasing fish continues to grow.
Information on handling fish is being distributed and used by recreational fishers but this is being done in an ad hoc manner with limited scientific input, not necessarily based on best practices and no overall objectives or delivery strategy.
As a result of this:
1) Fishers catch a lot of fish that are released, particularly undersize target species.
2) There is a considerable amount of information on fish release techniques from Australia and in particular overseas – the problem is not lack of data.
3) The key outcome is management of fisher’s behaviour to ensure they are informed and trained in best practice.
4) This requires a culture change – fisheries management is about managing people not fish.
5) This application uses a different paradigm from usual fisheries projects in that it aims to build on known information and through involvement of industry change behaviour.
6) The key R&D need is to:
a) Develop a package of communication products from known information that fits the target audience.
b) Assess the attitudes and practices of existing recreational fishers to obtain a benchmark.
c) Using a wide range of communication and extension techniques to deliver information on fish survival strategies.
d) Quantify the performance of the communication strategy and recommend changes to improve adoption.
e) Given that this initiative will involve several related projects and future investment to achieve the planned outcomes there is a need to provide a mechanism for a greater level of project management similar to what FRDC provides for a subprogram activity.
7) The strategy will have the added benefit in that it will also inform the broader community on the responsible way recreational fishers are approaching sustainability of fish.
To deliver the planned outcomes will require investing in various aspects of line caught fish survival and a mechanism is required to plan, manage and deliver on this R&D investment. There is a need for the interim steering committee to be formalised to guide the development and implementation of the national strategy.
1. To develop and implement a communication and extension program based on the best current available knowledge for releasing line caught fish by recreational fishers.
2. To assess changes in different recreational sectors and regional groups on their adoption of best practice line caught release methods and provide recommendations for improvement.
3. To transfer ongoing responsibility for the developed communication and extension program to the recreational sector.
4. To provide national leadership for Australia’s investment in R&D in line caught fish survival.
Final report
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