PROJECT NUMBER
•
1999-108
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
ORGANISATION:
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
SPECIES
258 results
PROJECT NUMBER
•
1999-107
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
ORGANISATION:
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
SPECIES
PROJECT NUMBER
•
1999-106
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
ORGANISATION:
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
SPECIES
PROJECT NUMBER
•
1999-105
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
ORGANISATION:
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
SPECIES
An integrated analysis of the growth rates of southern bluefin tuna for use in estimating the catch at age matrix in the stock assessment
Project number:
1999-104
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$166,279.78
Principal Investigator:
Tom Polacheck
Organisation:
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
Project start/end date:
4 Jan 2000
-
31 Mar 2004
Contact:
FRDC
The uncertainty in the SBT catch at age matrix has been identified as one of the main sources of unaccounted uncertainty in the SBT stock assessments. The robustness of of the assessment to this uncertainty is unknown. Moreover, a critical issue in the SBT stock assessment is the internal inconsistency that exists among the inputs data and the need to develop improved models that can provide consistent interpretations for all of the available data. These inconstancies are making it increasing difficult to provide robust and scientifically objective conclusions about short term changes in the status of the SBT population. The model used for estimating SBT growth rates has been identified as a likely factor contributing to the apparent inconsistencies in the data. The current model of SBT growth was developed in 1993/94 and make simple assumptions about how growth may have changed since 1951. It assumes that growth rates since 1980 have remained equal to those measured by the 1983/84 tagging program. The current model fails to address the question of whether growth may have increased with the continued declined in the SBT stock since 1980 or the question of whether growth may decrease in the future if the population recovers. Given that incorporation of change in growth between the 1960s and 1980s had significant effects on the stock assessments and substantially reduced estimates of the probability of recovery, it is critical for the provision of reliable assessments and management advice that changes in SBT growth are appropriately and accurately accounted for in the analyses.
Since the currently used growth models were developed, substantial amounts of new information has been collected on SBT growth based on direct aging, otolith increment measurements and tagging experiments conducted in the 1990’s. Initial analyses of some of these data suggest that the assumptions about changes in SBT growth embedded in the current models are likely to be inadequate. There is a need to incorporate these new data within a comprehensive analysis and to develop an integrated model for all the various sources of information on SBT growth. Such an integrated model should provide the basis for addressing uncertainties associated with the catch at age matrix within the SBT stock assessment. Such an integrated growth model would allow for the development of improved assessment models. Such models are needed in order to be able to provide consistent interpretations of the available input data and thus improve the reliability and robustness of the management advice based on these models.
1. To develop an integrated method for modeling SBT growth that combines growth increment data from tagging experiments, length measurements and direct aging estimates from otoliths, length frequency modal information and otolith growth increments.
2. Using this integrated method, develop models for the historical changes in SBT growth that can be used to estimate the expected length of SBT at age and associated variance for the entire period of the commercial fishery.
3. Produce appropriate estimates of growth rate parameters for direct input into length based assessment models
4. Develop a set of alternative hypotheses for the factors underlying changes in SBT growth that are consistent with the observed growth data.
5. Based on these alternative hypotheses, develop models for changes in the length at age that can be used in SBT stock projections
Final report
PROJECT NUMBER
•
1999-102
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
ORGANISATION:
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
TAGS
SPECIES
Handbook of Australian seafood - a guide to whole fish and fillets
Project number:
1998-355
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$0.00
Principal Investigator:
Peter Last
Organisation:
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
Project start/end date:
29 Jun 1998
-
30 Jun 2000
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
(The needs addressed in the original Handbook application remain current [Appendix 1]).
Despite the exceptional diversity of Australian seafood, there is no relevant, comprehensive identification guide to assist Industry personnel or consumers. This fact was highlighted recently in a FRDC-funded market survey of the excellent 1994 Australian Seafood Catering Manual (Kane et al, 1994, hereafter referred to as ‘The Catering Manual’). This report assessed the success and usefulness of The Catering Manual, which included the names of over 175 domestic seafood species and photographs of 54 but virtually no information on how to distinguish them. Remarkably, 63% of Catering Manual users surveyed use it to identify species (QDPI, 1997). This book has pictures of less than 12% of domestic seafood species and only very infrequent notes on how to identify them but is used by a majority of Industry personnel as an identification guide. There is an obvious need for a thorough and comprehensive identification guide.
FRDC recognised the need for such a guide and in 1994 funded the “Handbook of Australian Seafood”. However, during the Handbook’s production, the following issues have been raised:
• The original Handbook grant application allowed for the inclusion of 60 imported and 240 domestic species. However, we have now identified 466 domestic species, an increase of over 90%. (Imported species are addressed below). The inclusion of these additional species is critical to the Handbook’s success; a comprehensive guide would instil greater confidence in, and awareness of, the range of products available and would help promote less fashionable seafoods.
• A repeatable, objective method of identifying the flesh of species by protein fingerprinting has been used in the production of the Handbook to date. Such a technique is required when fish substitution is suspected and the inclusion of protein fingerprints in the recently published South East Fishery Quota Species—an Identification Guide (CSIRO, 1997, hereafter referred to as ‘The SEF Guide’) has been welcomed by, among others, the Australian Government Solicitor’s office (Appendix 2). It is important that this technique be applied to all species included in the Handbook, including the additional ones discussed above.
• Marketing Names for Fish and Seafood in Australia, an authoritative guide to correct marketing names for Australian seafood, was published in 1995. However, Handbook-related research has identified problems with domestic species included in the book (imported species are addressed below). A number of common commercial species are not included and some, worthy of unique marketing names, are currently placed in ‘catch-all’ groups (e.g., Lutjanus russelli, marketed widely as Moses Perch, is currently included under Sea Perch, Lutjanus species).
• While examining fillets to collect data on distinguishing features, we discovered numerous useful characters that, to our knowledge, have not been documented for identification purposes anywhere else. The comprehensive inclusion of this data in the fillet identification section of the Handbook would provide a unique and valuable resource for the post-harvest sector of the Industry and to consumers, and would set the standard for such work worldwide.
• Preliminary research into frozen seafood species imported into Australia has shown the need for a thorough investigation of its composition. The Marketing Names Guide included about 50 imported species. We recently surveyed eight importers who, between them, import only 14 (28%) of those but who also import 30 or so additional species. We propose to review the composition of Australia's seafood imports and summarise our findings in a second Handbook dedicated to imported species.
1. To produce the definitive Handbook for the identification of all fresh and frozen domestic seafood species marketed in Australia.
2. To review the composition of Australia's seafood imports and produce a Handbook for the identification of contemporary imported seafood species.
3. To include within both Handbook volumes a means of identifying flesh and fillets of these species based on their protein fingerprints.
4. To include within both Handbook volumes other information of value to marketers (including oil composition information, FRDC Project 95/122, in Handbook Volume 1) not covered in or by other Industry references.
5. To structure the Handbook volumes so they become basic references to both consumers and marketing sectors of Industry.
PROJECT NUMBER
•
1998-303
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
ORGANISATION:
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
Seagrass strategic review and development of an R&D plan
Project number:
1998-223
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$178,918.00
Principal Investigator:
Alan Butler
Organisation:
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
Project start/end date:
28 Jun 1998
-
13 Nov 2000
Contact:
FRDC
FRDC has identified a critical need to obtain a stategic review of seagrasses and to develop an R&D plan to address seagrass-fisheries related issues. It has requested that CSIRO develop a proposal to address its needs. These include the need to:
· determine the status of Australian seagrass research and knowledge
· review of seagrass monitoring and assessment
· review of knowledge of links between seagrass and fisheries sustainability
· review knowledge on seagrass and fisheries management
· review information on seagrass remediation and restoration projects
. develop and R&D plan that includes key strategic areas, goals, priority research, a framework of how
agencies will link and to define the various leadership roles.
1. To review the status of Australian seagrasses with respect to the status of Australian seagrass research and knowledge.
2. To review the status of Australian seagrasses with respect to the status of seagrass monitoring and assessment.
3. To review the status of Australian seagrasses with respect to the status of knowledge of links between seagrass and fisheries sustainability.
4. To review the status of Australian seagrasses with respect to the status of knowledge of seagrass and fisheries management.
5. To review the status of Australian seagrasses with respect to the status of knowledge of remediation and restoration projects.
6. To develop an R&D plan that includes:. key strategic areas. goals . priority research. framework, how agencies will link e.g. EA, FRDC, State, etc. definition of leadership roles
Report
ISBN:
0-643-06442-7
Author:
Alan Butler
Peter Jernakoff
Report
•
1.11 MB
1998-223-Seagrass in Australia.pdf
The FRDC Seagrass Review follows the Corporation's Fisheries Habitat Review. It reflects a shift from viewing fished species or even fisheries habitats as separate, unconnected entities to viewing them as components of larger ecosystems, and it seeks to develop a comprehensive, ecosystem-based management.
Reviewers were asked to assess:
- Gaps in existing knowledge of seagrass ecosystems
- Knowledge of links between seagrass and fisheries
- The state of the art in rehabilitation and restoration of damaged seagrass beds
- Monitoring and assessment of seagrass
- Seagrass and fisheries management
They were also asked to prepare a research and development plan to guide FRDC's future investment in the context of FRDC's Ecosystem Protection Program. The review will also guide FRDC's interaction with other agencies who have responsibilities in marine habitat management.
Each of the five areas listed above was reviewed by a separate team of three experts, who co-opted other experts as necessary. The five reports were edited, and the R&D plan drafted, by the principle investigators. The whole report was discussed with the steering committee and reviewed by four independent experts.
Project products
Developing and assessing techniques for enhancing tropical Australian prawn fisheries and the feasibility of enhancing the brown tiger prawn (Penaeus esculentus) fishery in Exmouth Gulf
Project number:
1998-222
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$49,945.00
Principal Investigator:
Neil Loneragan
Organisation:
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Hobart
Project start/end date:
15 Sep 1998
-
1 Dec 1999
Contact:
FRDC
Prawn fisheries throughout Australia are intensively fished and some have shown signs of overfishing. In some cases, the current stocks of prawns are now lower than those which would produce maximum yields. Prawn stocks can vary greatly from year to year because of environmental fluctuations and this leads to highly variable catches. Fishery managers must therefore adopt conservative harvest strategies to prevent fishers reducing stocks to dangerous levels in years when recruitment is low. However, the harvesting and processing sector tend to be on average, over-capitalised, in order to cope with years of high recruitment. Enhancement of prawn stocks through releasing juvenile prawns has the potential to reduce fluctuations in stocks. It provides a possible way of adjusting the catching and processing capacity to more stable levels of prawn stocks, which would reduce the need for over-capitalisation.
The enhancement of Australian penaeid prawn fisheries has the potential to be a useful management tool to increase fishery yields, rebuild over-exploited stocks, and reduce fluctuations in catch due to variable recruitment. It also has the ability to improve the management of fisheries by collecting more precise information about the biological characteristics of the stock (e.g. survival and growth, production in nursery grounds, migration pathways and factors affecting fluctuation in populations). For stock enhancement to be successful, the biology and ecology of the target animal must be thoroughly understood (including the production of the postlarvae/juveniles, environmental requirements, carrying capacity, and all factors that contribute to mortality), and methods must be available to monitor and assess the success of the releases. Much ecological information for stock enhancement is now available for many commercially important species of penaeid prawn in Australia, and novel approaches to tagging prawns (e.g. stable isotopes, rare alleles and reporter genes), release strategies, and assessment of carrying capacity are being developed.
Most of the preliminary assessments of the costs and benefits of prawn stock enhancement in Australia have not assessed a particular fishery or region in detail – they have to some extent developed generic models. For our knowledge on how to enhance prawn stocks in Australia to progress further, it is essential to develop, apply and refine bioeconomic models to a specific region and fishery. For the reasons outlined above (see background), the Exmouth Gulf Prawn Fishery is an ideal location to focus on applying the concepts and the simple model that have been developed from different studies around Australia. The much more intensive study outlined in this proposal will also help to evaluate enhancement projects for other prawn fisheries around Australia.
The beneficiaries of stock enhancement would be expected to contribute to the costs of research and monitoring, and ultimately pay for the enhancement. Therefore, stock enhancement must be cost-effective and a cost-benefit analysis using a bioeconomic model, is an essential part of any enhancement project. Bioeconomic models need to be developed in the early stage of the feasibility study. If the outcomes are favourable for enhancing tiger prawns in Exmouth Gulf, it will be used to optimise the design and management of the trial enhancement program proposed for Stage 2 of the full project.
1. Develop a bioeconomic model to assess the costs, benefits and risk of enhancing the stock of brown tiger prawns (P. esculentus) in Exmouth Gulf.
2. Collate and critically review the information relevant to the enhancement of prawn fisheries for the Exmouth Gulf prawn fishery, and related prawn fisheries and aquaculture.
3. Use this information to develop protocols for enhancing stocks of penaeid prawns, both as applied to tiger prawns in Exmouth Gulf, and in Australia in general. This should include:(a) the production of large numbers of undamaged, optimally sized (10 mm carapace length) juvenile prawns that have been screened for known pathogens
(b) ways of ascertaining the optimal scale of enhancement for a site/fishery (number of prawns, number of sites)
(c) strategy(ies) of release (where, when and how to release the juveniles without increasing mortality)
(d) consequences of enhancing stocks on other parts of the ecosystem (habitat, prey, predators)
and(e) methods to ensure that the results of stock enhancement can be rigorously evaluated.
4. Identify risks (eg. disease and pest introduction, genetic pollution etc.), describe the possible risk impacts, quantify the probability to each risk and describe the methods proposed to ensure that they do not occur.
Final report
Author:
Neil Loneragan
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